Sculpere Newsletter: 2026

Editor's Quote and President's Letter for January 2026

“It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see.” (Henry David Thoreau)

Welcome to 2026 fellow sculptors!

Already we are half way through the exhibition in the Herring Island Gallery. The work has been admired by hundreds of lovely visitors, Jude Bridges-Tull has inspired creativity with environmental clay in the courtyard, and a few brave souls have signed up as new members. It makes me proud of the ASV that we continue to offer inspiring exhibitions in a diversity of venues. The work is amazing!

This morning I posted the heat plan for Herring Island on the Festival website and had an online meeting with Alberto about the new website - it certainly keeps us living in the moment! The website is happening - brighter, faster and more under our control… but there are so many little details to keep track of at this stage…. so watch this space!

1 and 2 February Dismantle Herring Island
2 March 2026 Entries close for MIFGS 2026
Meet and Greet If you would like to host a Meet & Greet afternoon or evening, please contact me. It could have an artistic base, or a social or an informative session.

ASV Exhibitions - Herring Island

Sculpture in Place on Herring Island 2026

Sculptors Victoria at MIFGS

Hi to all sculptors.

This is a reminder that the MIFGS 2026 entries close on Monday 2nd March.

Hope that you all had a break over December to plan what you will be entering into the MIFGS exhibition.

Once again, we have Daisy Richmond-Smith as our judge. She did an amazing job last year.

Looking forward to another exciting show where you can all showcase your wonderful sculptures.

Happy Sculpting.

Download the information and conditions of entry here
Complete the entry form here
Pay your entry fees here

Yvonne Monik ASV COORDINATOR MIFGS

Daisy Richmond-Smith
Associate, Landscape Architect at DKO Architecture

New Members and Members' News

We welcome new members

Lorraine Le Plastrier, Judy Witherdin, Piotr Sobiesiak, Alastair Gratton and Therese Coffey

Wishing you all the best and happy sculpting.

Where is our next treasurer coming from?

Our current treasurer, John Ride, joined us after retiring from a different job more than ten years ago.

He has developed all the skills we need using MYOB and so we know where we stand financially.

“It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see.” (Henry David Thoreau)

Most of us operate on the comfortable assumption that today is a continuation of yesterday and tomorrow will continue from today - this is horribly untrue for us in December 2025 - tragedy close to home overwhelms tragedy in far off places even for the most humane of us.

The first blow to normalcy came with the unexpected death of Maudie Palmer AO. Maudie was instrumental in the creation of Heide Museum of Modern Art, Tarra Warra Museum of Art, and she helped McClelland Sculpture Park and Gallery - all as well as being the driving force in the creation of Herring Island Environmental Sculpture Park. At the time of her death Maudie was engaged in work and film making with Friends of the Yarra Birrarung. We can miss Maudie for her dynamic leadership in the arts - and we can mourn her mentorship and friendship to many artists and friends of the arts.

Dates for Your Diary

10 January to 1st February

Herring Island Environmental Sculpture Park exhibition part of Herring Island Summer Arts Festival

Open 11am to 4:30pm weekends and public holidays - images online @ https://sculptorsvictoria.asn.au/virtual-exhibition/2026-herring-island-summer-arts-festival/

Monday 2 March

Entries close for ASV exhibition at Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show

ASV Castlemaine Exhibition

Patrick Duffy's sculpture ‘EQUUA MACHINA’ has won the Castlemaine Exhibition People's Choice Award and will receive the $250 prize.🙂

Other Opportunities

REGISTER YOUR INTEREST

Melbourne Prize for Urban Sculpture 2026 & Awards – $60,000
Additional categories to be offered
Open to Victorian residents only

Click here to register your interest to receive entry information for the Melbourne Prize for Urban Sculpture 2026 & Awards when it becomes available.

Click here for information on the annual Melbourne Prize 2005–2025.

Season’s greetings! With thanks,
Melbourne Prize Trust

Quadrant Gallery

Enter the 2026 Feel Good Art Prize at Quadrant Gallery

Here are some different opportunities for members and friends.

Big build ART Kent Morris

https://bigbuild.vic.gov.au/projects/metro-tunnel/community/art/kent-morris-where-we-walk

The Melbourne Art Library

Piotr Sobiesiak at R.L.Foote Design Gallery

Piotr came to our ASV Christmas gathering and chatted about his journey and his art exhibition.

Dec 13 to Jan 13th
1 Parslow St Clifton Hill
This is “ I have gazed upon the face of Agamemnon’
https://www.sobiesiak.com/sculptures

Gippsland Art Gallery

The Melbourne Art Library | Black Mark

New Members

I have been delighted with the number of new members welcomed into our ASV this year. I wish you all a wonderful Christmas time and would love to see your entries in various exhibitions we offer.

Anne Anderson Membership Officer Carmel Ritchie Newsletter Editor

Sculpere Newsletter

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