President's Letter and Editor's Inspiration

“Sculpture is the art of the hole and the lump”. Auguste Rodin

We started the photography session for the sculpture garden at MIFGS at 7am - in time to witness the dawn chorus in those magnificent trees. It is a privilege to be exhibiting in the Carlton Gardens and a privilege to participate in an exhibition of so many great sculptures.

Since then, we’ve experienced MIFGS 2024 in all its busy-ness, pageantry and wonder. As our judge, Deborah Halpern, said - the sight of the sculptures in so many media and techniques was such an amazing inspiration that she wanted to rush back to the studio and launch into her own work with renewed spirit.

Numbers of exhibitors, visitors and sales at MIFGS 2024 were all an improvement on 2023 - and were managed by Paul Cacioli with inspired calm and efficiency. A huge thank you to Paul who held the team together and enabled everyone to perform at their best. Congratulations to the prize winners in the three sections of the exhibition. There will be a slideshow in the online newsletter.

The online exhibition was used during the physical exhibition for online voting and many of the sales. It will remain linked to the home page of the ASV for one more day - as announced in our amazing social media. And let’s fit in a thank you to Aukje van Vark who is managing ASV social media pretty much single handed… She'd love to hear from people who want to learn some tips and tricks and help out occasionally.

For the ASV our next exhibition is our Annual & Awards at the Victorian Artists Society in East Melbourne - this will be a great opportunity to see the work of fellow members, new and old, in an indoor gallery - winter warmth awaits us! Watch for the entry information and application forms.

Many sculptors have work in non ASV exhibitions - straight from one to the other in a great contribution to culture and community and hopefully you will make sales as you go.

 

One of the opportunities our members have supported in the past is back - not in May but in September. Entries for the Toorak Village Sculpture Exhibition are open until the end of April.

And we have a visit to the NGV Triennial lined up for 3rd April - see Gunnel’s contact details under diary dates

On 18th April we’ll meet as a committee - it’s not scary - it’s the managing of exhibitions and any other business, of finding venues and working with our partners and each other. You are invited to join us online to get to know how things are managed behind the scenes and to voice your concerns. Contact info@sculptorsvictoria.asn.au for the link to attend the meeting. And in May we want to meet you online or in person - for a studio visit or a “show and tell”... stand by for further information or get in touch to make an offer - we all want to see and talk about your work.

It was a pleasure to meet so many of you at MIFGS 2024 - I’ll look forward to seeing you and your work again soon.

Happy Sculpting

Jenny Rickards, President