President's Message July 2009

The fire at Manningham Gallery has been a disaster for those participating in the Annual Exhibition, after many hours of hard work by Marija, Bronwyn, and Gillian in planning and setting it up, and a great start. The exhibition had opened in a party atmosphere; the exhibits looked to be good standard, well laid out, beautifully lit, and with a great sound from the band, thanks to Rod. The hall was full of people as an opening night should be – really buzzing. Now the closure of the council complex has sadly limited sales to John Bishop (2) and Meredith Plain. Well done by those two in surmounting trials by fire and financial recession. The council is now arranging cleaning of exhibition sculptures by professional art specialists. Patrick Culshaw on behalf of the Exhibition Sub-Committee is liaising with the council curator, and exhibitors, and any enquiries should be sent to him.

I heard Edward Albee, playwright (“Who’s afraid of Virginia Wolf”) and three times Pulitzer prize winner, recently discuss his 30+ works and approach to art (Radio National Artworks 12 July 2009). It seemed to me that some of the pearls cast over the air waves had a wider impact, and are maybe relevant to the art of sculpture:
• Has it been done well, and was it worth doing?
• Reading really bad plays is enormously encouraging.
• I (Albee) write plays to make people different. All art to be any good must be useful. It is not enough to be decorative. Art must be useful. It must change our perceptions. That is the function of art.

I wonder how many of us would agree. It might be interesting to have a discussion on what each of us aims to do in our sculpture.

The AGM looks to be full of boring business stuff so we are going to try to have a social for those brave enough to attend. Do come and let your hair down in frank discussion, including where we are going, and where we are not going. Please note the date is Wednesday August 12 at 7.30 pm. We missed an error on the Agenda showing a date of August 18: that is incorrect. Our apologies for that.

Geoff Williams

ASV Diary Dates

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

it is unlikely that reminders will be issued before the AGM on 12th August - if you aren’t financial you can’t vote.

The ASV Annual Exhibition runs from 15 July to 31st July.
Well a fire put paid to our exhibition - by the time of the AGM we should be in a position to say what happened - right now the committee is totally involved in finding out where we all stand and what can be done. Information will go out as it comes to hand.

Monthly Meeting 12th August
This will be our Annual General Meeting. See the president’s note for the activities of the evening.

Monthly Meeting 9th September
There are two reasons to meet in September - one is to arrange car pooling to get to Lorne to visit Qdos gallery on the weekend of the 19th. The other is because Jenny Rickards will talk about Herring Island and the Summer Arts Festival - coming up again in January to April 2010.

19th September
Check the information in this newsletter - Graeme Wilkie has invited us to Qdos Gallery in Lorne - car pooling can be arranged at the meeting on 9th September.

Tesselaar Sculpture Exhibition
16th September to 13th October

Visit to Qdos

Saturday the 19th is the day that begins the
6th Annual Sogetsu Ikebana Workshop and Exhibition at Qdos.

Ceramic works by Graeme Wilkie and Sogetsu by Christopher James and his students.
(Christopher recently assisted in the creation of a major works in the sculpture garden at the NGV and appeared on the ABC Arts Show talking about Sogetsu and that particular piece)

The Exhibition:
Sunday 20th Sept - 4th Oct 2009 9:00am -5:00pm daily

The Saturday workshop is only for practitioners of Sogetsu, the gallery is open to the public as the works are assembled around the ceramics. This annual exhibition concludes of the annual making/firing cycle of the ceramic studio, all the works in the show are fresh from the recent anagama wood firing.

www.woodfiredceramics.com.au

Visiting sculptors can enjoy the new works in the gallery and grounds and Graeme is happy to show all his studio and kilns.

After, perhaps have a bit to eat at the Qdos cafe.

New Members

New ASV Members! This month we welcome Anthony Kim

2009 Annual Sculpture Exhibition and Awards

A Great Exhibition - A Glittering Opening - and then .....

It was indeed a glittering opening - the work looked great and was the culmination of the sculptors’ and the sub committee’s work. The staff at Manningham proved up to the demands of a sculpture exhibition and all promised to go well - alas! Disaster struck - and a fire has closed the building and the gallery. We are all waiting and hoping that the work is ok - it’s not burnt but smoke and dust affected. Good luck everyone and the images are on the web site now - details on winners still to be put onto the main ASV website.

and this is what the gallery looked like when it was all set up - brilliant work everyone!

Margaret Gunnersen and William Hoggan Thomas Award

First Prize
$1000.00 and medallion donated by Estate of Margaret Gunnersen
Betty Collier, “Nouveauesque Motif” huon pine








Second Prize
$500.00 (sponsored by ASV)
Michael Meszaros, “The Battle of Polygon Wood 1917-2007” bronze











Third Prize
$250.00 (Sponsored by ASV)
Lise Toft, “Row of Boats” ceramic, mixed media











Tina Wentcher Sculpture Prize
First Prize
$1000.00 and Medallion donated by Dame Elisabeth Murdoch
Marija Patterson, “Temptation” bronze, polyethylene












Second Prize
$500.00 sponsored by ASV
Vladimir Chirokov, “Siren” New Zealand kauri

Highly Commended
One Year Membership to ASV (sponsored by ASV)
Tim Kervin, “Rakish” scrap metal
Jenny Whiteside, “Miss Lulouella” alabaster


Dalchem Prize
Product valued at $350.00 sponsored by Dalchem
Ron Davis, “Make Waves” lead
Peoples’ Choice Award
Product valued at $250.00 donated by Bulleen Art and Garden Centre.
Announced on last day of exhibition.
Box of assorted wine donated by Kooyonga Chapel Winery for lucky voter.
Announced on last day of exhibition.
Other Sponsorship:
Kooyonga Chapel Winery for wine at opening night function.

Tina Wentcher Sculpture Prize Judges’ Comments

1st Prize No. 72 Temptation

This work evokes the maxim that the biggest is not necessarily the best. It incorporates the clever use of two disparate materials – bronze & polyethylene. In Temptation there is an interesting dynamic of the open hand ready to accept a tenuously hanging apple. There is also an inviting temptation for the viewer to touch the crocheted apple from the snake like branch which is an extension of the hand.

2nd Prize No. 52 Siren

This is a well carved, grafted & proportioned piece with strong lines. Siren exudes seductive animalism & a lithe suppleness, with full lips & a come hither cheeky face. Imploring are you man enough?

Honorable mention

No. 67 Rakish

This piece reminds you of your inebriated aunt: good fun, loud & abrasive. This work exhibits a clever use of garden implements & found objects. It has funkiness about it.








No. 79 Miss Lulouella

The Alabaster stone is well worked & the piece has a number of interesting aspects three dimensionally. It has a strong presence with its arched torso & the head & hair flow majestically.

Judges:
Savaad Felich,
Elaine Pullum,
Michael Meszaros

Judge’s Comments for the
Dalchem Prize
54 Make Waves

•The fluidity of the overall piece
•Movement evident in the lead
•Pivot points of the intersecting pieces give a sense of the temporary.
•Optical quality, drawing your eye to all parts of the sculpture creating an illusion of movement of waves.

Judge: Darren McNicholas