Evolution of the ASV

As Acting President, I look forward to contributing what I can to promote ASV continuity and growth. As many of you know I am fully employed in a city accounting practice and would be classified as a hobby sculptor. The following priorities occur to me for the ASV:
Building a full working Committee as a team to run the ASV
Developing policy guidelines as requested by the AGM
Detailed planning for our four exhibitions scheduled for 2009.
In general, rather than to set targets that are too ambitious and lose credibility by lack of success, I would prefer to be conservative in setting targets and then to ensure we achieve them.
We need member help in ideas and time to keep running the ASV. We need to improve. We aim to have a first Committee meeting by mid December 2008.
Please send me any thoughts and suggestions at any time, and any comments now on priorities and targets for 2009 within a week if possible of receiving this newsletter:
Geoff Williams, Acting President
Post: Geoff Williams, GLW Analysis Services Pty Ltd, PO Box 245, Collins Street West PO, Vic 8007

ASV Diary Dates

Meetings are held in the Boroondara Community Arts Room, rear 360 Burwood Road, Hawthorn and start at 7:30pm.

Christmas Party

Our Christmas party this year will be held on Sunday 7th December at the home of Tim and Dianne Kervin: 3, Mary Place, Hurstbridge.

Anyone getting lost and needing to be talked in call 0410 482 256 – the party will be swinging so they won't hear the landline. Here is Tim's sculpture Diggin' the Beat.

BBQ facilities are available.

They have large indoor and outdoor entertainment areas. Please bring a chair and your meat and drink. It should be fun.

2^nd January 2009

Closing date for sculpture entries Herring Island Summer Arts Festival. Entry forms are on the ASV web site at www.sculptorsvictoria.asn.au/hisaf_entry_2009.pdf and www.sculptorsvictoria.asn.au/hisaf_information_2009.pdf. And will be posted to sculptors with post delivery of the newsletter. This time we have a limited number of sculture stands available to members with specific needs – contact us early to see if you are elegible for one and if they are the right size for your work. The trolley on Herring Island has been supplemented with some new nursery trolleys so we look forward to an easier time setting up.

23^rd January 2009

Set up sculpture exhibtion on Herring Island in the morning – Gala Preview with Melbourne River Cruises in the evening.

24^th January to 8^th February

Herring Island exhibition and demonstrations.

Monthly Meeting 11^th February

Activities to be advised – but this promses to be an eventful year.

24^th February

Closing Date entries for MIFGS 2009

Monthly Meeting 11^th March

1^st to 5^th April

Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING (AGM) 12, 19 November 2008

John Wooller as President and Chairman opened the meeting at 9.30 pm on 12 November 2008. He noted 17 members were present, with apologies from another 7 members.
The Treasurer’s report was read by Patrick Culshaw and accepted. It showed a surplus of $814 for the year ended 30 June 2008 ($2,418 in the previous year). A summary is included in this newsletter, or for email contact members is posted on the website at www.sculptorsvictoria.asn.au/2007-8_cond_p_l_bal.pdf
The Membership Report was read by Ronit Freedman and accepted. It showed 130 members as at June 2008 (137 June 2007), with 24 new members joining during the year. Our current membership is 108 financial members, the reduction being due to non renewals.
Exhibition Reports were discussed and accepted:
A Report on Herring Island Exhibition, read by Jenny Rickards;
A Report on Melbourne International Flower & Gardens Show, by Bronwyn Culshaw;
A Report on the ASV Annual Exhibition 2008, by Bronwyn Culshaw;
A Report on the Tesselaar Show by Mark Cowie.
A Report on the Web Site was made by Jenny Rickards and accepted.
A Report on the Newsletter was made by Jenny Rickards and accepted. Feedback and comments from members were requested.
A report on Activities was made by Gilliam Govan and accepted.
A report on the Constitution was treated as read, as included in the last newsletter.
At the request of the Chairman, Jenny Rickards gave a short summary of the motions she proposed, as listed in the Agenda.
Due to the late time, and the understanding that no Quorum existed, the Chairman adjourned the meeting to the same place in one week’s time.
John Wooller as President and Chairman re-opened the meeting at 7.30 pm on 19 November 2008. He noted that 11 members were present, and, as circulated by email to members, the new Constitution had been accepted with 5 additional clauses by Consumer Affairs with immediate effect on 12 November 2008. He said that he would therefore carry on the previous meeting on the basis that it was a legitimate AGM with an adequate quorum under the new Constitution. He observed that the 11 members currently present in this adjourned meeting also constituted a quorum under the new Constitution.
The Chairman asked for nominations for positions as Officers under the new Constitution for 2009:
President: there were no nominations.
Vice-President: Geoff Williams was appointed.
Secretary: Leon Frankcom was appointed.
Treasurer: Patrick Culshaw was appointed.
Public Officer: Patrick Culshaw was appointed.
Ordinary Member1 of Committee: Denise Dempsey was appointed.
Ordinary Member2 of Committee: Marija Patterson was appointed.
The position as President remaining unfilled, Geoff Williams agreed to be Acting President.
The Chairman asked for volunteers for other positions for 2009.
Jenny Rickards volunteered to coordinate Herring Island Exhibition.
Patrick Culshaw volunteered to coordinate Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show
Bronwyn Culshaw, Gillian Govan, Marija Patterson volunteered to coordinate the Annual Exhibition.
Mark Cowie, John Wooller volunteered to coordinate Tesselaar Exhibition.
Ronit Freedman volunteered to keep membership records, but not renewals.
Leon Frankcom volunteered general help on membership matters.
Jenny Rickards volunteered to maintain the newsletter to end February depending on the outcome of discussion on the membership clauses.
Jenny Rickards volunteered to negotiate with David Ormiston Smith on continuity of the web site.
It was acknowledged that these positions were appointments to be made by the Committee.
The positions for controlling monthly activities, publicity, donor support, and services and supplies directory, appeared vacant from 1 January 2009, with newsletter coordination and website coordination possibly being vacant from 1 March 2009.
The Chairman asked for discussion of the motions proposed by Jenny Rickards, one at a time.
It was unanimously agreed to reconsider the membership clauses.
The second motion was withdrawn with renewed membership of ArtsLaw by the ASV.
It was unanimously agreed that the Committee develop policy guidelines on exhibitions, keeping in mind services to members.
The fourth motion was amalgamated with the third on policy guidelines.
The fifth motion was withdrawn with the move of the Annual to Manningham for 2009.
The Committee was asked to review fee reductions for members electing to receive notices and newsletter via email.
In Any Other Business, a vote of thanks was made to Jenny Rickards and Robert Lee for organizing Herring Island. Ideas were canvassed regarding Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show.
A vote of thanks was made to John Wooller for his work as President.
More detailed minutes may be obtained from the Secretary in due course.
Geoff Williams Secretary 2007-8

CONSTITUTION

The issue of the membership clauses in the new Constitution is evidently of continuing concern. I do apologize to members for not actively seeking their comments on the draft constitution in our last September meeting. I was not feeling well and nearly cancelled my trip to Europe that month, but we evidently needed to have feedback.

The membership clauses in the new Constitution were based on a perceived reality, and also a feeling that more members mean more revenue and more helping hands.

I believe it is useful to include brief notes on the positions taken by other sculptor organisations in discussion on the membership clauses. For example a brief review of the Internet showed:

• International Sculpture Center in USA: www.sculpture.org
  Membership is open to anyone interested in sculpture, and they have 11 classes of members.

• Royal British Society of Sculptors: www.rbs.org.uk
  Appears to be professional sculptors only

• Sculptors Society of Canada: www.cansculpt.org
  Appears to be open to graduates in fine arts who exhibit professional work: Canadian residents only

We do not have to follow other organisations but it seems to me that we should be aware of experience and standards in other countries, and in other states.

John Bishop and Leon Francom have expressed interest in looking at the alternatives on membership clauses for the Constitution, with comments and recommendations for our next Committee meeting,

If you would like to make some contributions, please contact them at:

John Bishop 9885 2660 after 7pm and Leon Frankcom 93971410.

Alternatively for post, you may send mail to me as follows and I will send it on to them:

Geoff Williams, GLW Analysis Services Pty Ltd, PO Box 245, Collins Street West PO, Vic 8007.

Geoff Williams Vice President

A Celebration of Our Creative Talent

Alexander Knox announced as winner of the prestigious Melbourne Prize for Urban Sculpture 2008

Victoria’s abundant artistic talent was celebrated today during a ceremony at Federation Square to announce the winners of the Melbourne Prize for Urban Sculpture 2008, the Professional Development and the VicUrban Awards.
Valued at more than $60,000, the Melbourne Prize for Urban Sculpture 2008 is one of the richest prizes of its kind in Australia and enhances Melbourne’s reputation and a creative capital.
The winner of the Melbourne Prize for Urban Sculpture 2008 is Alexander Knox for his work Maxims of behaviour 2008. Alexander’s work is located on the facade of the Royal Mail House on the corner of Bourke and Swanston Streets and operates winter nights until 2012 (see attached image).
Melbourne Prize Trust Executive Director, Simon Warrender, said “We have been delighted with the way the 2008 prize has been embraced by al finalists, who have presented an exceptional range of works and are evidence of the immense talent we have in Victoria”.
Mr Warrender said, “The Prize has grown throughout the past four years and would not have been possible without the generous support of all our partners and patrons and the dedication of the judges. This year’s finalists have been selected from a much larger list of entrants than when we launched in 2005.
The final 10 works, which include propositions and finished works, will be showcased free at a two-week public exhibition at Federation Square between 10 and 24 November 2008. The exhibition enables exposure for the finalists’ and showcases artistic excellence to the public, celebrating the creative vibrancy in our community in one of our most high-profile locations.
Each of the 10 finalists received a $2,000 artist fee, generously supported by Australian Art Resources and the Melbourne Prize Trust, to assist with costs associated with displaying their entered work at Federation Square.
The following awards were announced at BMW Edge today and will be published at www.melbourneprizetrust.org
Alexander Knox and his work, Maxims of Behaviour 2008, receives the Melbourne Prize for Urban Sculpture 2008: $60,000 cash, comprising $30,000 cash and $30,000 cash for an International Travel Grant, generously supported by the Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation and the City of Melbourne respectively.
The work points to the future of urban sculpture and the transformational process in experiencing our urban environment.
Tom Nicholson for his work, Monument for the flooding of Royal Park 2008, receives the Professional Development Award: $9,000 cash, plus a three-month artist-in-residence at Sculpture & Spatial Practice, VCA Art, University of Melbourne, generously supported by the Faculty of the Victorian College of the Arts, Fundere Fine Art Foundry and the Professional Development Award Trust.
Professor Andrea Hull AO, Director and Dean, Faculty of the Victorian College of the Arts said, “the Professional Development Award not only provides financial reward but the opportunity for career development. We are delighted to provide the 3-month artist in residence.”
Louise Paramor for her work, Tritonic Jam Session 2008, receives the VicUrban Award: The VicUrban Award is an invitation to a selected finalist from the 2008 Melbourne Prize to participate in a research project with VicUrban, the Victorian Government’s sustainability agency.
VicUrban CEO Pru Sanderson said that the VicUrban Award would provide a rare opportunity for local artist Louise Paramor to experience the inner workings of the urban development process and to make a creative contribution to the look and feel of our urban environment.
"Part of creating liveable neighbourhoods is ensuring that the public realm is attractive, meaningful and memorable, and urban sculpture and public art have a huge role in that process.
"High quality urban design and public art are recognised as distinguishing features of VicUrban’s growth and redevelopment projects and VicUrban is recognised as an innovator and leader in these fields," Ms Sanderson said.
Visitors to the public exhibition at Federation Square may also cast their vote for the Civic Choice Award, valued at $3000, by completing the voting form in the free exhibition catalogue. The Civic Choice Award will to be announced on www.melbourneprizetrust.org on Thursday 27 November and is generously supported by J K Fasham Pty Ltd.
Over the past four years, entries for the annual Melbourne Prize have continually raised the bar of quality, creativity and artistic excellence and the cycle is set to continue with the Melbourne Prize for Literature in 2009 and Melbourne Prize for Music in 2010.
MPT media release

Message from Viscopy

The Government is about to introduce a flawed resale royalty scheme for artists:

http:/www.viscopy.com/pdfdocuments/implicationsofproposedresalescheme.pdf

Viscopy, as part of the Coalition for the Artist’s Resale Right, (CARR) is pushing the Government to introduce a scheme which includes all resales.

Your help is urgently needed to get the Government to do the job properly so that our generation of artists don’t miss out on income from resales of their work. Please follow the link below, sign the online petition and forward this email to your friends.

CARR online resale petition

Andrew Leslie

Membership Manager, Viscopy

45 Crown St Woolloomooloo NSW 2011

Tel 61 2 9368 0933, Fax 61 2 9368 0899, Mob 0417990643, www.viscopy.com

Visions at Heritage 2009

The exhibition of sculpture at the Heritage exhibition will go ahead – although there will be no 2D art on display. Installation is on 6th December 2008 and dismantling on 21st January 2009
new contacts for the show are:
Les Smith P: 9760 3334 M: 0413 931 320,
Kerri Brodie P: 9760 3338,
Asst Curator: Julie Merrigan P: 9722 0970,
Entry Secretary: Susie Smith P: 9722 2015

What's on at Heide this Summer?

The art of existence, Les Kossatz
22 November 2008 – 8 March 2009
The art of existence is the first exhibition to review Les Kossatz’s long and varied career, bringing together over 100 works sourced from public and private collections throughout Australia. Spanning the 1960s to today, the exhibition presents wide-ranging examples of Kossatz’s experimental approach to painting, sculpture, drawing and printmaking, revealing his life-long fascination with the human temperament, the nature of existence and a concern for the landscape.
UPCOMING PUBLIC PROGRAMS
In conversation
Sunday 7 December 2008, 2.00pm
Author and Australian sculpture specialist Ken Scarlett, in conversation with artist Les Kossatz and Guest Curator Zara Stanhope.
FREE with admission
Venue: Heide III: Central Galleries
Exhibition tours
Volunteer Guide
Friday 28 November 2008
Friday 5 December 2008
Sunday 14 December 2008
Friday 19 December 2008
Sunday 28 December 2008
FREE with admission
Venue: Heide III: Central Galleries
Heide Museum of Modern Art
7 Templestowe Road
Bulleen Victoria 3105
T 03 9850 1500
www.heide.com.au
Tue–Fri 10.00am–5.00pm
Sat/Sun/Public Holidays 12.00noon–5.00pm
Christmas Eve 10.00am–1.00pm
Closed Christmas Day & Boxing Day

Toorak Village Sculpture Exhibition 2009

FESTIVAL DATES 1ST MAY – 31ST MAY 2009

Artist Entry form

The Toorak Village Sculpture Exhibition is the most innovative and important annual event to take place in the Toorak Village, where we link the arts with business to form a unique cultural experience. During the month of May we exhibit contemporary sculptural works in the shop windows and on the sidewalks of Toorak Rd. Each year it continues to grow with increased enthusiasm from traders, artists & the public that view & buy sculpture.

2009 will be the 8th year of the Toorak Village Sculpture Exhibition and we invite all emerging and prominent sculptors to submit entries for both interior & exterior installation.

• Interior – small to medium sized for exhibition in shop windows & must be displayed on an independent white base (supplied by artist). Remember our shop window sizes do vary & the sculptures must share window space with shops merchandise.

• Exterior - large sized, extremely robust & able to be fixed/bolted to footpath for installation along Toorak Road. There will be 8 to 10 sites available

Consultant curator – Malcolm Thomson, presently curator of the Clement Meadmore Gallery at the Australian Academy of Design will assist the exhibition committee with the selection of sculpture for the 2009 exhibition. We plan to have prizes of $5,000, $2,000 & $1,000 for the most innovative sculptural works, a prestigious opening in the Toorak Village, a full colour catalogue, signage, posters & an impressive media campaign. Once again it is proudly supported & sponsored by the City of Stonnington along with Toorak Village businesses.

We look forward to receiving entries for the Toorak Village Sculpture Exhibition 2009.

All enquiries to Tracey Cammock – mobile: 0438 542 713 or email: tracey@toorakvillage.com.au

FESTIVAL DIRECTOR – TONY FIALIDES

Barossa Sculpture Symposium

Both Viktor Kalinowski and Kevin Free were part of the Barossa Sculpture Symposium 2008. Both were enthusiastic about the whole experience – the amazing experience of collaborating with such a group of talented, committed artists. I'm using Kevin's images that I can scan in and web images both from Viktor's web site www.kalinowski.com.au and the symposium website http://www.freewebs.com/sculpturepark/2008symposium.htm
At the start there was a site with 9 tonne lumps of granite, there were compressors and then came the sculptors. Six weeks later there is an amazing collection of sculptures – and one of the sculptors works with hand tools only!
The illustrious list of sculptors was:
Belgium’s Lode Tibos, Egypt’s Omar Tousson, Michael Dan Archer representing the United Kingdom, Hiroshi Miyauchi Ooshima Island, Japan, Viktor Kalinowski, Patrice Belin (France) Kevin Free, Roger Loos (USA).
I'd suggest that everyone to refer to Viktor's and the Barossa Symposium website – the full story looks amazing!

On being a Sculptor

And then on a more contemplative note: Ronit found these musings –

on being a sculptor

Every journey requires some decisions along the way. For better or worse we are where we are.

You must travel with passion. Work with passion towards the new experience opening up in front of you. When you pick up a new piece of marble, the world disappears. The waste fairly jumps off the block if your vision is clear. Every scrap of your energy is expended in finding the form in your mind, transposed into the marble before you.

If I know nothing else, I know that creating is an act of love.

If you do not love what you are creating, it will fail. I know it. Do not start if you are not going to give it 100% of your very being. If it is right, your soul will tell you so. Not your mind. Not your best friend. Not some audience. Not some ‘critic.’

This is between you and God.

When it is done, you can ask God if that is what He had in mind.

In short, always go for your highest vibration. Don’t settle for less.

Home is where the heart is they say. I confess that mine keeps wandering back to the Alpi Apuane in Italy.

I trust that God will let me die there with a hammer and chisel in my hands.

Hopefully, there is time for a few more pieces……………………….

Graham Radcliffe.

Kinetic Art in London

This exhibition reminded me of Viktor's work in the 2006 Annual Exhibition, some of Rudi Jass's work seen at Yering Station and of course Hiroyuki Kita's “Wind Goes By” at Bondi for Sculpture by the Sea. So here's the link to the Reuters' video site – for those who can look it up:
http://www.reuters.com/news/video?videoId=93638&videoChannel=3
The things you find on the net!

Meeting our new Secretary

Most of us have seen Leon's work in exhibitions – first we saw ceramic panels then the fully three dimensional female forms. Now Leon has stepped up to the mark as our secretary. So here is a paraphrased email from Leon – telling us about who he is and what approach he'll take to the year ahead. We can always stand more support – and taking an interest in one another is the first step – over to Leon:

I have a firm belief that unless we have an organization to promote sculpture and sculptors, then we would all be in a sorry state. I suppose, through my training as an administrator, teacher and school Principal for many years, I am a firm believer in everyone following the normal guidelines in running a meeting, working with participating members of the committee and sub-committees. I see my job as collator, facilitator, and just plain worker to the betterment of the Association.

To give some other information as to what I can and can't do and how I may be able to help the Association, I am very inept at general computer use, but my wife Judith, helps me out. I have been "retired" for 15 years from the Education profession, but have run a successful Berry farm, dabbled in Ceramics for the past 40 years selling my ware in Western District towns mostly to friends since my exit from RMIT Art faculty some 40 years ago. We moved to Melbourne at the request of our kids 5 years ago, and my time is now almost entirely given over to ceramic sculpture, my greatest interest in Art.

I should be able to fulfill the Secretarial role giving whatever support I can to Activities, Membership, and help in the Newsletter, and other areas.

I surmise, that it wasn't usual for members to write down a motion, complete with background to the motion, and have this to the secretary some 10 days before a scheduled Committee meeting, thus giving the Secretary time to circulate members of the Committee with the full agenda of the forthcoming meeting some seven days before the meeting. But this would allow Committee members to phone, e-mail, and research new motions as necessary. It promotes a helpful spirit of co-operation amongst members and avoids "dogfights" over contentious points. I support the protocol of moving amendments to a motion that provides consensus and improvement to the outcome.

So far, I have been greatly cheered by the no-nonsense, get on with the project-in-hand attitude of the men and women who take on project roles.

Looking forward to 2009

Leon Frankcom

Where you can help....

When a committee member has fulfilled a role for a long time they build up a considerable level of expertise. This is particularly true for Ronit Freedman who has worked behind the scenes, maintaining the integrity of our membership database, welcoming new members and on occasions sorting out the money at renewals time. Ronit doesn't want to stay in the task forever!

So if you would like to learn how the web site works and suppport its function, then now is the time to learn from Ronit – while she is still in the task and can give you those little tips that make it all comprehensible.

You will need attention to detail – but most of all, as first contact for our new members you will need to care about and welcome new sculptors entering the group.

See the contact details at the end of the newsletter for all of your committee.

Our New Constitution

Our new Constitution has been approved by the Department of Justice, Consumer Affairs, Victoria, effective 12th November 2008, The Department stated that five additional clauses are “deemed to be included”, and these deal with disputes and mediation, and technical/administrative issues concerning custody of records; register of members; timing of advice for General Meetings; and grounds on which an office of a committee member may become vacant. Relevant additions are in clauses 5, 8, 12, 24, and 34 from the Consumer Affairs “Model Rules” for Incorporated Associations. The revised constitution has been included on the web site and the website link to it is http://www.sculptorsvictoria.asn.au/asv_const_prot_12112008.doc.
The early approval immediately affected our AGM and elections. The adjourned AGM continued as planned on Wednesday, 19 November 2008, under the new Constitution.
We are required to elect the Officers of the Association, and two committee members.
All other positions now become an appointment by the committee. Volunteers are still needed for Publicity Officer, Activities Secretary and Services and Supplies Directory Editor, and general help with the exhibitions will be required.

Consumer Affairs have stated that all positions spelled out in the Constitution should be filled. If this is not possible, it may be that the Association would be deemed operating contrary to its Constitution and wound up. They also clarified that a person may fill more than one position as Officer, and that it is acceptable for one person to be Acting President if no other candidate is available.
It is important that people come forward and participate in the ASV. We have three exhibitions scheduled for the 2009, and groups of people to coordinate them. They need support. The ASV has for too long been an organisation where too few do far too much.

We ask that: contributors come forward to make the ASV a centre for artistic development, fun, and ethical practice that is intended; that new ideas and constructive comments are put forward; and that we make the hard work of past officials worthwhile by continuing and expanding The Association.

The meeting of Wednesday November 19 considered the effect of the approval of the Constitution on the matters already discussed; deal with elections; and discuss motions previously tabled. Under General business - views and ideas about future exhibitions and activities will be sought.

Patrick Culshaw, Geoff Williams, John Wooller (in alphabetical order)

Viral Art

Now here's an issue: art in conflict with culture – the viral ghost bike placed to commemorate the death of Carolyn Rawlins, the cyclist killed near the corner of Bourke and Swanston streets in Melbourne is carefully attached to the bronze sculpture
“Three Businessmen Who Brought Their Own Lunch: Batman, Swanston And Hoddle” by Alison Weaver and Paul Quinn (1993)

Or is it the sort of statement that we'll see more often as expression is claimed as the domain of ordinary people?

Contacting your Committee 2009

PRESIDENT

Wanted: a charismatic leader possessing the following characteristics:

Power – the ability to positively influence and motivate people to a common goal

Intelligence - A grasp of common sense “Street wise”

Initiative - Ability to define and create the circumstances to make their vision a reality

Confidence - Self belief, self value, self assured but not arrogant

Human - Ability to relate well to people and to inspire people to achieve greatness - well failing that ... a sculptor with an understanding and a vision for policy for the ASV

ACTING PRESIDENT

Geoff Williams 9670 0824 (W)

VICE PRESIDENT

Geoff Williams 9670 0824 (W)

TREASURER and PUBLIC OFFICER

Patrick Culshaw 9857 9153

SECRETARY

Leon Francom 9397 1410

ORDINARY MEMBERS OF COMMITTEE

Marija Patterson 9489 4537 and Denise Dempsey 9755 2040

APPOINTED OFFICERS/COORDINATORS

Herring Island Exhibition Coordinator Jenny Rickards 9836 2738 Additional helpers needed for:opening event – hospitality, food and drink - demonstrations - floor talks and sitting - sculptors!

MIFGS Exhibition Coordinator Patrick Culshaw Help is already promised for:data entry and general paperwork Michael has indicated he is available for set up and layout Plenty of extra help is going to make this a better show.

Annual Exhibition Coordinator Bronwyn Culshaw, Marija Patterson, Gillian Govan

Tesselaar Exhibition Mark Cowie 5348 5696, John Wooller

Membership Officer Ronit Freedman 9816 3282 Apprentice wanted :-)

Newsletter Editor Jenny Rickards You would only need a short apprenticeship for this job. It's great fun and keeps you in the midst of events. For smaller amounts of effort: the newsletter can always use articles, comments and feedback.

Website contact and coordinator Jenny Rickards

Publicity Officer Vacant

Services and Supplies Directory Patrick Taylor looks after the online version and can help – we really need to decide what we want to do.

Activities – in particular for monthly meetings Vacant - Go on - it will be fun and Gillian has set up heaps of things in advance!

Donor Support Vacant

AGM 2008

Grant Fink's talk was really good - there will be a better report in the formal newsletter later.

There were too few people present to achieve a quorum but reports were heard and some discussion took place on the motions on the agenda. The financial report for the year 2007 - 2008 was presented and some discussion took place. The meeting noted the loss on running MIFGS 2008 and also the larger than usual loss for the annual and awards exhibition 2008 (not in the 2007 - 2008 financial year).

The meeting was adjourned to Wednesday 19th November at 7:30pm in the Community Arts Room. Members wishing to vote on any matter need to attend as no further proxies or votes can be accepted.

The new constitution has been accepted by the authorities with clauses inserted. The amended constitution can be found at http://www.sculptorsvictoria.asn.au/asv_const_prot_12112008.doc

President's Message October 2008

A Question of Identity
Many claims are made for the oldest sculpture. A stone object about six centimetres long and 400 000 years old found in Morocco with human characteristics is thought by some to have been carved and painted, but dismissed by others as the result of natural weathering. It stands upright, with a head, shoulders, arms, body and legs; how much more human could it be? But created by the chance happenings of nature or man-made; evolution by nature or creation by man?

The oldest European sculpture, of about 35000 years of age and found in Germany, is a relief carving on an ivory panel of a male figure with ‘imposing’ genitals. On the reverse are ‘dots’ that, at that time, would have lined up with the stars in the constellation of Orion thus suggesting its use as a compass.

A stone figure that you could hold in the palm of your hand is the Willendorf woman. This highly detailed carving from about 25000 years ago is naked but for a knitted beanie. Broad of hip and overflowing with the milk of human kindness, she has been taken to be an ‘earth mother’.
Why are these objects regarded as sculptures? Older artefacts have been found of course; stone arrow heads, antler axes, etcetera. These are not regarded as sculptures presumably because of their assumed purely utilitarian purpose. But every object that has been deliberately made can be said to have a purpose if only to provide amusement to the maker, thus eliminating ‘uselessness’ from the list of criteria necessary to define a sculpture. With smaller steps along the way, one could finally arrive at a position, and argue with some conviction, that any man-made object is a sculpture. That is, any man-made three or four-dimensional arrangement of any materials, however intangible and ephemeral, in space and time is a sculpture, which is just about the point at which the world of ‘sculpture’ has arrived.

While these attempts to nail things down continue so does the evolution of sculpture. A thousand years from now it will be as unrecognisable to us, as present day sculpture would be to the person who carved the Willendorf woman.

I wonder if those early carvers thought of themselves as sculptors? I doubt it. I like to think they thought more about what they were doing rather than who they were. Their identity is expressed by the sculptures they left behind

John Wooller President

ASV Diary Dates

>

Meetings are held in the Boroondara Community Arts Room, rear 360 Burwood Road, Hawthorn and start at 7:30pm.

12^th November

This will be our AGM. Information on arranging nominations, proxies and so on will be in accordance with the official notice later in this newsletter.

Please come and help set our path for the coming year.

Grant Finck has kindly agreed to come to talk to us about his work at the November meeting. Grant now lives in Anglesea but is making the journey to Melbourne for this meeting. Lets make it really worthwhile. He has a wealth of experience to impart.

Grant started his professional career as a potter and sculptor in 1977 By 1989 he had reached the limits of the ceramic medium. Work from this period is featured in five public collections. He went on to do postgraduate studies at the Victorian College of the Arts where the environment opened a world of possibilities in materials and conceptual development. Since this time he has completed many public commissions and has been involved in many projects around Victoria. Grant has maintained a strong studio practice. His work was selected as a finalist in 2006 for the Helen Lempriere National Sculpture Awards and was an exhibitor in the inaugural Lorne Sculpture Exhibition. He has just delivered a work to Sydney to appear in The Bondi Sculpture on the Beach Exhibition. Grant has so much to tell us about the development of his present work.

Please come along 7.30pm

Grant's talk will be followed by the AGM when we will be nominating and electing your committee for next year. I will be standing down as Activities Secretary but I would like to thank all those people who have spoken at our meetings and hope it has been an interesting year. It has been a very rewarding experience for me to meet so many accomplished artists and learn so much about their practices. I would also like to thank all our members who shared their work, experiences and knowledge with us. Last but not least I want to thank all the members who came to the meetings and made it all worthwhile.

Christmas party

Our Christmas party this year will be held on Sunday 7th December at the home of Tim and Dianne Kervin:

3, Mary Place, Hurstbridge.

BBQ facilities are available.

They have large indoor and outdoor entertainment areas. It should be fun.

Next Year

A programme of activities is already on the way with a talk by Michael Meszaros,about his achievements in getting and completing his commission at the new Royal Women's hospital. Richard Grenville Smith has agreed to talk to us about his Sculptures in Graphite and I am hoping also to give the opportunity to involve more country members when we have a possible visit to Castlemaine during their festival.

Watch this space for more details.

Notes from the 15th October Meeting

Marija explored connections and continuity between family members of different generations, using her own bloodline as a model, and showed how these can be represented in delightful papier mache figures. Different and vivid colours are used in similar figurines to show generational traits, and the similarities in the figurines demonstrate the continuing family genotype over time. The talk included a description of drafting, method of construction, and finishing. The artist was remarkable in her frank discussion of her purpose and theme, and clear demonstration of achievement of these in the charming feminine figurines. The figurines were shown at this year’s ASV Annual Exhibition at Montsalvat, and she is accepting commission work. In addition she showed an example of other work recently exhibited at Melbourne International Flower & Gardens Show. Marija qualified in Fine Art at RMIT and shares a studio in Carlton. We wish her every success.

Geoff Williams

REPORT ON PROPOSED AMENDMENT OF CONSTITUTION

An Extraordinary General Meeting of Members was called by the Chairman for Wednesday 15 October 2008 in the Boroondara Council Chambers. Members were circulated in advance with Notice of Extraordinary General Meeting by P Culshaw, in the absence of the Secretary, on Monday 15 September 2008, including with the Notice, instructions on postal votes and proxies, and reply paid postal vote and proxy forms. In addition, members had been advised of the proposed changes in the August newsletter for the Association, with website links given of locations of copies of the new and old Constitutions and a summary of differences. Members were also reminded of the proposals again by a Minority report in the September newsletter.
John Wooller opened the meeting on 15 October 2008 at 7.45 pm and noted that 19 members were present and this number did not constitute a quorum under the existing Constitution. He asked the meeting to wait for half an hour in accord with the requirements of the Constitution. The required half hour having elapsed he adjourned the meeting to 7.45pm Wednesday 22 October, at the same venue.
The Chairman advised the members that there was a resolution to amend and replace the Constitution before the meeting, moved by G Williams and seconded by P Culshaw, representing the results of study by the Sub-Committee on Constitution changes. He stated detailed information had been given to members and the members present at the meeting if they had questions on the proposed changes to the Constitution. Discussion revolved mainly around the change in membership structure from one involving artists with voting rights and associates with no voting rights, to one of ordinary members with interest in sculpture and voting rights. The Secretary stated the Constitution changes reflected the reality of the Association, but the question of classes of members was dependent on members finding a practical and acceptable formula of balancing interests of practicing sculptors with others.
The Extraordinary General Meeting of Members was reconvened by the Chairman at 7.45 pm on Wednesday 22 October 2008. John Wooller as Chairman noted that the 8 persons present did not initially constitute a quorum and asked members to wait half an hour in accordance with the Constitution. At 8.15pm, he noted that the 8 financial members present constituted a quorum under the Constitution, and declared the meeting open.
The Chairman then asked the Secretary to summarise the proposal to amend the Constitution. The Secretary stated that the number of changes seen as desirable obliged the Committee to package them, rather than burdening members with a series of changes at successive meetings. He outlined the defects seen by the Sub-Committee in the existing Constitution, and the advantages of the main changes proposed.
Discussion was led by J Rickards in opposing the proposed constitution, with particular emphasis on the membership clauses. She tabled an alternative proposal distinguishing Sculptor Member and Associate Member, with voting rights limited to Sculptor Members. She also emphasized the importance of retaining the deductible gift recipient status. Two members believe this may be jeopardised by the ASV adopting an unacceptable discipline process.
Further argument was made by M Meszaros that the Sub-Committee’s proposals were a fair reflection of practice in the Association, and by P Culshaw that the Constitution could be amended again subsequently.
The Chairman closed further discussion and stated the Sub-Committee Proposal to amend the Constitution would be put to a vote forthwith. He advised the meeting of the receipt of 29 postal votes and 7 proxies without direction from members.
Voting was recorded as follows:

	In favour of proposal	Against proposal	Total
Persons present	8	1	9
Postal Votes	23	6	29
Proxies Awarded	5	2	7
Totals	36	9	45
Requirement of 75% for a special resolution under the Associations Incorporation Act 2001	34	11	45

J Rickards requested that her dissent be noted in the Minutes.
The Chairman declared that the Resolution to amend the Constitution was carried by a special resolution of members.
The Secretary emphasized that Consumer Affairs need to approve the Changes. J Bishop indicated interest in collecting member opinion on membership alternatives.
The Chairman terminated the meeting.

G Williams, Secretary

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING - AGENDA

ASSOCIATION OF SCULPTORS OF VICTORIA INC
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
7.30 pm 12 November 2008
Community Arts Space, rear 360 Burwood Rd, Hawthorn 3122

AGENDA

1. Welcome to Members and Visitors

2. Apologies

3. Minutes of Annual General Meeting 2007

4. Business Arising

5. Presidents Report

6. Membership report

7. Financial Report

8. Exhibition Reports

9. Report on Constitution Amendments

10. Motions by J Rickards:

    1. That the meeting reconsiders the membership clauses in the Constitution.

    2. That matters approved as policy by the members in a meeting can be referred for legal opinion and correct drafting to an Arts Law approved practitioner prior to lodgement of the constitution with the relevant authorities.

    3. That in the light of losses at the 2008 MIF&GS and Annual Exhibitions that members discuss the policy of the ASV providing substantial prize money in the absence of sponsorship dollars.

    4. Members have the opportunity to indicate what their priorities are in regard to prizes, catalogues, publicity and advertising.

    5. Members reconsider the decision to use commercial galleries for our annual exhibition. (“Free” venues have other costs and disadvantages, however we need to be sure that we are getting full value from our use of commercial spaces).

    6. Consideration of fees: Members receiving their newsletter via email service receive a $15 per annum reduction in their fees.

11. Election of Officers

12. Any Other Business

G Williams, Secretary

Note: J Rickards has expressed the following opinion:

Members who attended the meeting on the 15^th October to listen to discussion on the proposed constitution and to add their opinions to the discussion found themselves disenfranchised by the adjournment of the meeting for one week. Even though they had attended the meeting they were unable to vote because they were unable to be present on the second occasion.

She advises members that:

Everyone who may be unable to attend a second meeting (held one week later than the advertised date of the AGM) should lodge a proxy with someone who will undertake to attend both meetings and vote according to their wishes. A second meeting would be necessitated if we fail to achieve a quorum of eleven members personally present, or 25% of the membership members personally present, whichever is the greater (currently 26 required).

NOMINATIONS RECEIVED FOR OFFICERS

President Vacant

Vice President Vacant

Vice President Vacant

Honorary Secretary Vacant

Assistant Secretary Vacant

Honorary Treasurer P Culshaw

Publicity Officer Vacant

Immediate Past President J Wooller ex officio

Ordinary Member of the Committee M Patterson

Ordinary Member of Committee Vacant

NOMINATIONS RECEIVED FOR OTHER POSITIONS

Membership Secretary Vacant

Organiser(s) of Annual Exhibition Vacant

Coordinator for Tesselaar Exhibition Vacant

Organiser of Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show (MIFGS) Vacant

Organiser of Herring Island Exhibition J Rickards

Newsletter Editor Vacant

Activities Secretary Vacant

Public Officer P Culshaw

Web Site Coordinator Vacant

Assistant Treasurer, if required Vacant

Services and Supplies Directory Editor Vacant

Sculptors' News and Opportunities

Valda Cuming, Jean Carson Gray and Susan Davies will take part in the Eclectics' exhibition “Reflections” at the Malvern Artists' Society 1299 High Street Malvern from 1^st November to 7^th November. The gallery is open each day from 11am to 4pm.

EXHIBITION OPPORTUNITY!
Call for entries of contemporary painting, drawing, photography, mixed media, ceramics & sculpture for Contemporary Art Society of Victoria's

ART AT BURNLEY HARBOUR - EXHIBITION 2008

Open to the public: Friday 5, Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 December 2008
Entry fee: $6 per work. Maximum 6 works per artist.
Entry form/payment deadline: TUESDAY 18 NOVEMBER 2008
Artwork delivery: Thursday 4 Dec, 3pm – 6pm; Artwork collection: Sunday 7 Dec, 6pm - 8pm
website: http://www.contemporaryartsociety.org.au

The Melbourne Prize for Urban Sculpture Awards 2008 will be announced on Wednesday 12^th November 2008, so next newsletter we should see the prize winners' work.

NAVA news and opportunities was interesting this month – containing as it did ideas on touring exhibitions, grants and guides. NAVA news is distributed via email to members – they also produce a quarterly journal full of interesting stuff.