Sculpere December 2011

From the President December 2011

Invitations and notices have gone out for the forthcoming exhibitions at Herring Island and MIFGS and we look forward to being swamped with applications.

This being my last President’s Message I would like to briefly thank our great supporters over recent years in the ASV and highlight a few for the members. In alphabetical order by first name: Beatrice Magalotti, for organising well the Annual Exhibition in 2011 and agreeing to organise it again in 2012, and her interest in progressing the new web site; Gillian Govan, for soldiering on and providing fun meetings for ASV Monthly Activities, and providing the 2011 Christmas function for all at her private home; also and not least for volunteering to the Committee to be President in 2012. Janice McCarthy, for coordinating early training on the new web site, and commenting on the prototype web site; Jenny Rickards, for running the Herring Island Exhibition efficiently every year,
operating the existing web site in difficult conditions, and disseminating emails in and out to Committee, and many other contributions; John Bishop, for reliably producing agenda and minutes for Committee meetings and member AGMs, completing Consumer Affairs requirements, and providing sound advice as a Committee member; also acting as demonstrator at outdoor exhibitions; John Ride, for picking up treasury and accounting, operating ledger, processing payments, and producing good financial reports for the Committee and members, and acting as a Committee member; Kay Salehi, for maintaining membership records, helping with the meeting room, and initiating pre-meet dinners; Marija Patterson, for running the excellent Annual Exhibition in 2010, commenting on the prototype web site, and providing sound advice as a Committee member; Monica Mauer, for coordinating the Elliot ASV Gallery from start-up on behalf of the ASV, and regular good contributions as a Committee member; Mark Cowie, for coordinating no less than 3 Exhibitions on behalf of the ASV – MIFGS 2011, Castlemaine 2011 and Tesselaar 2011, all in professional style, and building good links with the providers involved; Michael Meszaros, a tower of strength as Vice-President, with skills in a myriad capacities including presentation speeches, reviewing newsletters, support and active advice at most exhibitions, taking telephone enquiries, recruiting new people, and acting as wise owl as Committee member; Patrick Culshaw, for treasury and accounting contributions previous to John, building up ASV cash reserves, contributing as a Committee member; also for extensive support in revising the Constitution in earlier times, for MIFGS 2010, and commenting on the prototype web site.

Thanks to these people and their other supporters, we have maintained and expanded ASV activities over the last two years. Some above have left their posts, after doing them well, and it is now time for others to take up the positions and keep the momentum going in the spirit of sharing the workload.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to the Committee, Coordinators and Members.

Geoff Williams

ASV News, Forthcoming Exhibitions and Awards

As you are aware Geoff Williams has resigned as President of the ASV and Gillian Govan will take over as President in 2012. Michael Meszaros has written some words about Geoff’s dedication and hard work over his past three year term as President.

Geoff Williams has tendered his resignation from the President’s position after 3 years of distinguished service. He took over at a time when the Association was needing some direction and he has helped steer it through some interesting developments. The biggest project has been the new website, which is now almost ready to go online, and which has been a slow and tortuous process. The result will be a testament to Geoff’s determination to see it through. We also negotiated a new constitution and initiated new exhibitions during his term. We have a strong and efficient executive, another result of his positive leadership. He also edited the newsletter and then the bimonthly news sheet during the last two years or more, taking his workload well beyond the call of duty.

We thank him for his great efforts and his continuing good humour and we hope that he can now get back to making sculpture.

Michael Meszaros

Herring Island Summer Arts Festival - January 14 to 29, 2012.

The Herring Island Summer Arts Festival will be launched on 14th January – by the Association of Sculptors of Victoria. Councillor John Chandler, Mayor of Stonnington will open the ASV Herring Island exhibition and launch the 2012 Herring Island Summer Arts
Festival. At last count we had 40 works contributed by 24 sculptors. It is hard getting an entry into this show – the silly season is upon us and our creative spirit is probably hiding in the back shed. But you’ve done it – well done! I hope everyone will visit the island during the festival – even those who are not exhibiting can enjoy the location; check it out for next year and even join in the demonstration events. Or you could keep a sitter company for a session. There are always interesting people to talk to and the art will be great.
Jenny Rickards
ASV Herring Island Coordinator
asv_hisaf@sculptorsvictoria.asn.au

Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show 2012 - 

Outdoor Sculpture Competition and Exhibition

Applications Close: Friday, 24 February 2012

‘Whale of a time’ by Terry Barclay (painted wood, carved)
50 x 50 x 50 cm

ASV Annual Exhibition - Continued from our last issue of Sculpere

Something brilliant happened in Eltham during September this year - the ASV held its Annual exhibition. The works were of a high standard and The Light Factory Gallery in Eltham was a perfect setting to showcase them, considering the works were very different in style and medium. A total of 75 sculptures from 44 participating artists were on display both inside the gallery and in the garden area. The 10 winners were all well deserving and ranged from, Damien Vick’s piece ‘Crash’ to Jenny Whiteside’s very tactile work, ‘Shake That’. Don’t worry if you missed the show you can still view images of the works on the ASV website:
www.sculptorsvictoria.asn.au

Beatrice Magalotti

Tesselaar Sculpture Prize 2011

‘Untitled #1’ by Luke Rogers (mild steel
and found objects) 70 x 50 x 20cm

Each year the Tesselaar Gardens are decorated with sculptures from our Association amongst the colourful beds of tulips. This year the $10,000 prize was awarded to Luke Rogers’ piece ‘Untitled #1’ This work can be seen at the Gardens as the prize each year becomes part of the permanent collection.

In its fourth year, Mark Cowie has been curating this exhibition since its inception and said that the Tesselaar Sculpture Prize has attracted sculptors of the calibre of Dean Bowen, John Wooller, Geoffrey Ricardo, Rudi Jass, Don Barrett, Luke Rogers, Liz Walker, Michael Meszaros and Peter Schipperheyn. This year, the judge was the renowned Australian sculptor, Jock Clutterbuck.

‘After the Rain’ by Rudi Jass
(Stainless steel, corten steel and brass)
200 x 120 x 70 cm

The Judges comments:
“.... there are many works in the show which are fine outdoor sculptures. In particular, (member) Damian Vick’s ‘Luna 3’, Anton Hasell’s ‘Dark Cloud of the Heart’, Ben Fasham’s ‘Embrace’ and Frank McFarlane’s ‘In Search of Kindred Spirits’ have produced very competent, articulate works. Seven finalists emerged as works with a greater sense of élan and ambition. Moz Moresi’s ‘Dragonfly – King of the Wetlands’ is a very capable piece of fabricated invention, as are ‘After the Rain’ by (member) Rudi Jass and ‘Scrupulous’ by (member) Lindsay Butcher.

‘Luna 3’ by Damian Vick (Corten steel
and mild steel) 160 x 80 x 80 cm.
Photography by John Bishop

‘Look Both Ways - Mother and Child’ by
Maria Coyle (Mount Gambier limestone
and slate 170 x 65 x 25 cm)
Photography by John Bishop

(Member) Neil Tait’s ‘Eternity’ and Don Barrett’s ‘Boomerang Thrower’ are large scale ambitious works, which hold together very well. The energy, tensions and relationships within these five works, and the two prize-winning pieces, are well managed.

‘Unfurling of Spring’ by John Bishop
(Mount Gambier limestone 155 x 75 x
75cm) Photography by John Bishop

The issue, however, in this award is enduring quality; a work that will still look good in ten, 20 or more years. Although they are not outstandingly ambitious there are two works of such quality.

I have awarded Second Prize to Noel Muscat’s ‘Parched Vessel’, where the density of surface and gesture in the piece marks it out as a work of singular quality. And the work I have selected for the Tesselaar Sculpture Prize 2011 is ‘Untitled #1’ by Luke Rogers. This piece has a very fine sense of resolution, eloquence and presence. My selection is in response to the very powerful sense of rightness, poise and balance in the construction of the work. It is not large, yet it is a gem of a sculpture with a powerful enduring presence. Finally, I offer my heartfelt congratulations to all the participating sculptors.

‘Eternity’ by Neil Tait (Mild
steel 350 x 250 x 150 cm)

Jock Clutterbuck.

‘The Two of Us’ by Andrew Kasper (Corten steel 200 x 70 x 30cm)

 

 

 

Photography John Bishop

 

 

‘Winged Butterflies by Betty Collier (Powdered mild steel 50 x 60 x 25 cm)

Exhibition Opportunities outside ASV

Toorak Village Sculpture Exhibition

APPLICATIONS CLOSE ON WEDNESDAY 1ST FEBRUARY
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 entire Month of may we exhibit contemporary sculptural works in the shop windows and on the sidewalks of Toorak Rd. 2012 will be the 11th year of the Toorak Village Sculpture Exhibition and we invite all emerging and prominent sculptors to submit entries for both interior and exterior installation.
All enquiries to Tracey Cammock mobile: 0438 542 713 or email: tracey@toorakvillage.com.au

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Melbourne Sculpture Prize 2012

Deadline Date: 29 February, 2012
$20,000 Non Acquisitive Prize: May 24th – 27th 2012: at Royal Exhibition Hall in Carlton Gardens, Melbourne.
www.melbournesculptureprize.com.au

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Heritage Golf and Country Club, Chirnside Park

Opportunity to exhibit large outdoor sculptures for approximately 1 month during 2012. Vacancies in February, May, July, August, September, October, and December 2012. Install on fi rst Wednesday and remove on last Tuesday of the month.
Enquiries to Annie Golding: M: 0418 571 537 Email: anniegolding@hotmail.com Heritage Site: www.hgcc.com.au

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The Toyota Community Spirit Gallery is located in Toyota Australia’s corporate headquarters in Port Melbourne.

The gallery aims to provide space for artists, especially emerging artists to show their work. The gallery opened in July 2004 and runs a continuous program of exhibitions. Currently the works of more than 550 artists have been exhibitied. The space is provided free of charge to exhibiting artists, no commission is charged on sales and Toyota provides an exhibition launch and develops a catalogue for each exhibition.
Artists who have participated in the progam are eligible to apply for the Toyota Community Spirit Artist Travel Award, a $10,000 award given to advance an artists career.
For artist information and application forms for The Toyota Community Spirit Gallery and Travel Award visit the WatchArts website at http://watcharts.com.au/toyota.html General public inquiries can be directed to communityspirit@toyota.com.au

Interview with Sculptor, Anne Anderson

‘Hidden Treasure’, (220 x 800 x 400) Painted clay

After recently moving to Melbourne, I joined the ASV. I have been a very active member of the Sculptors’ Society Gold Coast for about ten years. This association with like-minded people, has brought me much joy and given me many opportunities to hopefully improve my craft. Amongst other duties, I was the coordinator of life model sessions for about six years. My preference of working with the human form was heightened as I realized that the more I learnt, the more there was to learn. I will never win any awards for my choice of theme, with the female form being the most popular subject known to artists, and often considered boring to some and decidedly out-dated to others, but this is of no concern to me. I adore the voluptuous richness of the human body and the endless exploration of human emotion through our facial expressions.

‘Two Dogs’
(600 x 220 x x 220)
painted clay

I equally enjoy working in both contemporary and realistic styles, with my ultimate aim being to successfully combine the two. I think that it is important to learn who you are as an artist and then start the experimentation process. My subject allows me to discover and view the serious, the sensitive, the mundane, the contemplative, the joyous, the devastated, and all manner of emotions between. I give myself permission to explore passion, pleasure,
grief and relief, all through my mind’s eye and attempt to transfer my thoughts to my work.

I first studied sculpture in Melbourne in my early twenties, but as many people find, life took over. In my case, this was in the form of running a business and having babies……such wonderful diversions that I feel only help me to enjoy my sculpting now, when I am in a better position to choose how to use my time as my own. Clay is my dominant medium. I can’t get past the incredible scope you have with this wonderful natural resource. With my most-often used BRT, I greatly appreciate its strength, flexibility and reliability and my many errors are easily repaired. The down-side of this variety of clay, is the large amount of grog included in the mix, but I have learnt to work with this and accept the imperfect, but ultimately interesting finish that is achieved.

‘Southern Heat’ (300 x 250 x 250 cm) painted clay
all photography courtessy of Anne Anderson

I don’t try to intellectualise my art, but do enjoy common discussion amongst other artists regarding our constant experimentation and varying techniques. We can all learn from each other, and I often feel extremely motivated to create after being involved in a lively discussion. Notably, this was the case after the afternoon I enjoyed recently at the ASV Christmas get-together at Gillian’s home, with several members. I look forward to more gatherings and exhibitions involving the Victorian Sculptors.

Anne Anderson

Outside News

Lorne Sculpture 15 October to 6 November 2011

Jenny Rickards took some photographs of some of the Sculptures at the Lorne this year. The works along the sculpture trail included:
Bruce Armstrong • Pam Clements • Ewen Coates • Mimi Dennett • Phil Doggett-Williams • Janet Forbes • Robert Hague • Matthew Harding • Anton Hasell • Brigit Heller • Anderson Hunt • Greg Johns • Gaby Jung • Forest Keegel • Caroline Kennedy • Inge King • Roman Liebach • David Long • Craig MacDonald • Annee Miron • Ben Morieson • Marsha Pels • Suzanne Playfoot • ElIzabeth Presa • John Wrigglesworth • Dean Putting • Jeff Raglus • Jackie Ralph • Robbie Rowlands • Julie Shiels • Stelarc • Candy Stevens • Greer Taylor • Carmel Wallace • Jason Waterhouse • David Waters • Fredrick White • Jamie Willis • Jud Wimhurst • Laura Woodward
For more on Lorne Sculpture go to http://www.lornesculpture.com

Photography: Jenny Rickards

‘Ear on Arm’ by Stelarc (2010)
(Lorne Sculpture Exhibition)
Medium - laser cut styrene, urethane skin (400 x 120 x 100 cm)
Born Cypres, resident of Melbourne
“A life size replica of my ear on my arm was laser scanned. The data was used to scale-up the sculpture to ten times its actual size, becoming four metres in length. The length of my arm is now the length of the finger of the sculpture. The styrene form was laser cut with a skin of urethane applied to produce a tough, water resistant surface. The Ear on Arm project attains a physical presence, a modified bodily fragment that asserts something other. The sculpture was fabricated with the assistance of Cameron McIndoe, and was funded by the Fundere Art Foundry.”
Stellarc is currently Chair in Performance Art, Brunel University West London and is Senior Research Fellow in MARCS Labs, at the University of Western Sydney.

The Melbourne Prize for Urban Sculpture

Bianca Hester in front of a block wall - one of three components of her winning
work. Photography courtesy of The Melbourne Prize Trust

Last November, The Melbourne Prize Trust announced Bianca Hester as the recipient of the $60,000 Melbourne Prize for Urban Sculpture 2011 for her work, ‘A world, fully accessible by no living being 2011’. The recipient of the Professional Development Award 2011 was awarded to Isaac Greener & Lucas Maddock for their work, Apostle No. 2 2011. The
announcements were made at Federation Square. The Professional Development award includes $10,000 cash, international air travel and a residency at the Victorian College of the Arts, Sculpture & Spatial Practice studios.
The block wall at Federation Square was part of her project and is the backdrop for the performance of some of her project’s propositions. For more on this go to:
http://aworldfullyaccessiblebynolivingbeing.blogspot.com/p/about-this-project.html.



Next Issue out February 2012

Read an interview with sculptor, Patricia Piccinini

Available from the NSW Art Gallery, Art Gallery of SA, Portrait Gallery in Canberra, the McClelland Gallery and Sculpture Park, some regional galleries, Magnation and selected book stores and newsagents or available as a pdf on-line at www.sculptureandtheenemies.com.au.
Enquiries to SCATE@netcall.com.au.

Members' News

 

Head of a Child in the Wind
Bronze (20 x 30 x 20 cm)

‘Bird in a Bush’
Bronze
(10 x 30 x 10 cm)

Jean Carson Gray

‘Carnival Horse’
Bronze
(35 x 35 x 20 cm)

The ASV Committee would like to share with members some of the interesting highlights of Jean’s career and achievements from 1953. Both a painter and sculptor, she has been very supportive of the ASV. During travels overseas she gave exhibitions in London and Edinburgh, and in Australia gave solo exhibitions at the Martin Street Gallery between 1980 and 1990. Her works are held in collections at La Trobe University and Benalla Art Gallery. She also launched a book at the Windsor Hotel in Melbourne. She has been a regular contributor to ASV Exhibitions, and works from 2003 are shown on the ASV web site






 Public Sculpture in China

Recently, Geoff Williams toured China. Here are two public works he photographed in Beijing

Viktor beside his work "Young Bride"

Sculpture ClassesProfessional sculptor and jeweller, Viktor Kalinowski, runs ongoing classes where people have the opportunity to work in his studio on their own projects. Viktor offers tuition as needed by the student to initially develop a design, explore mediums and then create a sculpture. The large studio set up and equipment provide the option for students to work in stone, metal, wood, clay and many other mediums.
Classes held every Wednesday and attendance is on a casual basis.
When: Wednesday 1pm – 4pm ongoing throughout the year.
Cost: $40 per class plus materials
Sculpture from Life
The classes will focus on skills such as observation of the 3D form, drawing as the beginning of design and building clay figures. The
group will work with a life model for 3 weeks both drawing and working in clay; students are encouraged to express the essence of the figure in their own style. In the remaining weeks the group will build on their experience and use their completed fi gures as inspiration to build a sculpture in plaster. Techniques covered include creating armatures, mould making, and casting. Beginners are welcome to join this course and options are also available for students to continue ongoing work at the studio in different mediums. The new studio at Mount Burnett is spacious and on a warm day the doors open out onto the gardens.
Dates: 08.02.12 – 21.03.12 [ 7 weeks ]
Time: Wednesday 7.30pm – 9.30pm
Cost: $160.00 plus materials and model fees $55.00
Where: Paternoster road Mount Burnett [ near Emerald ]
Call 59427155 for enquiries and booking


Overseas Travellers
Overseas Travellers Please submit Photographs and a short article on any Sculpture or other worthwhile Art that you see while travelling. (Digital images must be saved as JPEGs of 300 dpi, over 1 MB in size, and be able to be opened in PC format.)

Thanks to Our Sponsors

Calling for more sponsors!
Our Society relies on the generosity from our Sponsors and our volunteers.

We would like to thank the following sponsors of our Society:
Dalchem, Ronald Pitcher, trustee of Margaret Gunnersen Thomas Estate, Bulleen Art & Garden, Daniel and Michael Meszaros, Without Pier Gallery, Kooyonga Chapel Winery, Mary van den Broek and IMG (International Management Group of America Ltd).

Sculptor Organisations in Other States:
NSW: www.sculptorssociety.com
Queensland: www.sculptorsqld.org.au

Note: although all editorial material is checked thoroughly for accuracy, neither the editors, nor the Society can accept responsibility for information in this publication that may be ambiguous or incorrect.