From the President

the chips are down...
making sawdust

We are looking forward to the Annual & Awards Exhibition 2023 at the Victorian Artists Society galleries. The entries are in, the images on their way, advertising and invitations are in production or already circulating and the organising of documentation and recording is under way. This is the intense phase of administration and here we see the fine work of a number of volunteers.

The Annual exhibition is the time when, traditionally, we acknowledge the contribution of volunteer members to our community of sculptors. This year we confer honorary life membership on two committee members who have both been quiet achievers for us for over ten years.

John Bishop has served both on committee and as ASV secretary and public officer. When Covid caused us to take committee meetings online, his was the Zoom account that kept us communicating. We’ve moved over to Google Meet since then but we are grateful for that early, smooth transition into the new technology. Thank you John for your quiet contribution over the years and thank you for staying on the committee and assisting with discussion and practical support.

John Ride has been our treasurer since 2012 - he has mastered the intricacies of MYOB and minded our business most admirably. We take for granted the work that goes into telling us how each exhibition performs and how we are travelling financially. Committee could not operate without knowing that our financial records are up to date and accurate and payments made and recorded. And John Ride is not a sculptor! He has made his amazing contribution out of friendship and interest in the ASV’s purposes.

Thank you John and John - it is a privilege to work with you and a pleasure to be able to acknowledge your contribution with the medallion created by Anna Meszaros and honorary life membership of the Association of Sculptors of Victoria.

I hope that all members will be able to view the Annual Exhibition - best in person but also available online through the banner on the ASV home page. We have scheduled a members’ meeting for Wednesday 21st June - online but we should have plenty of images of work in our exhibition and can have a good discussion on the exhibition, the sculpture, the venue and anything else that sculptors discuss when they gather together. A notice will be sent a few days prior with the link and other information. I hope to see you there as well as at the exhibition opening on Saturday 17 June.

Thank you particularly to Gillian Govan, Gunnel Watkins, Yvonne Monik, John Ride and also Jonathan Mendez-Baute for the invitation artwork.

Jenny Rickards President