The Association of Sculptors of Victoria is an inclusive, not-for-profit collective of contemporary artists whose purpose is to inspire,stimulate and advance the appreciation, creation, and exploration of three-dimensional art in society.

Acting President's Message

Our holiday in Italy and Netherlands, September this year, impressed us with the popularity in Europe of the whole range of sculpture. A few classical museum exhibitions attracted very large numbers. We pre-booked, and then queued for an hour, to see the Villa Borghese in Rome which included, for example, Apollo e Daphne by Bernini, and Napoleon’s Sister as Venus Victorious by Antonio Canova. We queued again for over an hour for the Vatican Museum. An early morning visit enabled half an hour of awesome solitude in Basilica di San Pietro with Michaelangelo’s Moses, but soon after crowds would obscure it from view. In Florence, some 500 years after Michaelangelo sculpted “David”, people still say “Wow” on sight, and mass 6 deep around it.

Exhibitions of relatively recent works did not entail queuing. People traffic through the Peggy Guggenheim collection of modern artists in Venice was brisk but not daunting, and its dignified garden presentations of works such as Three Standing Figures by Henry Moore, and Leonie by Alberto Giacometti, could be enjoyed without pressure. In the Kroller Muller Museum of modern art in the Netherlands, enormous lawns and woods maximized the impact of works like Aristide Maillol’s L’air, and Jacques Lipchitz’s Song of the vowels.

I returned to Australia with a comfortable feeling that the ASV made a very wide spectrum of art welcome here. Emerging sculptors can experiment in classical realism and modern abstract, and combinations, without feeling out of place.

After a year in which the ASV expanded its exhibitions from 3 to 4, returned a new management Committee, and re-wrote its constitution, we turn to a consolidation period. The commitment to 4 exhibitions per annum is being maintained. This newsletter features some background on Committee members. However in the absence of more hands to the wheel some non-exhibition activities may be curtailed. This newsletter contains vacancy notices: it is important that members contribute their bit. Please respond.

Members are reminded of Herring Island exhibition opening 23 January 2009. Entries close 2 January 2009. This is an ideal venue for small indoor sculptures with good presentation conditions, and it is fun to participate.

Please also make responses to Leon Frankcom and/or John Bishop on the membership of the ASV. We need member feedback on whether your preference is for association of exhibiting sculptors, or for an association of members from wherever who are interested in sculpture.

Geoff Williams, Acting President

Season's Greetings

Season's Greetings and a
Creative New Year

to Everyone
From the ASV Committee

ASV Diary Dates

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

2nd January 2009

Closing date for sculpture entries Herring Island Summer Arts Festival. Entry forms are on the ASV web site at www.sculptorsvictoria.asn.au/hisaf_entry_2009.pdf and www.sculptorsvictoria.asn.au/hisaf_information_2009.pdf. And will be posted to sculptors with post delivery of the newsletter. This time we have a limited number of sculture stands available to members with specific needs – contact us early to see if you are eligible for one and if they are the right size for your work. The trolley on Herring Island has been supplemented with some new nursery trolleys so we look forward to an easier time setting up.

23rd January 2009

Set up sculpture exhibtion on Herring Island in the morning – Gala Preview with Melbourne River Cruises in the evening.

24th January to 8th February

Herring Island exhibition and demonstrations.

Monthly Meeting 11th February

Activities to be advised – but this promses to be an eventful year.

23rd February

Closing Date entries for MIFGS 2009

entry forms and conditions of entry can found on

http://www.sculptorsvictoria.asn.au/mifgs_entry_2009.pdf http://www.sculptorsvictoria.asn.au/mifgs_information_2009.pdf

Monthly Meeting 11th March



1st to 5th April

Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show

CONSTITUTION - Membership Clauses

John Bishop and Leon Frankcom are collating members' feedback on the issue of the membership clauses. If you would like to make some contributions, please contact them at:
John Bishop 9885 2660 after 7pm and Leon Frankcom 93971410.
Alternatively for post, you may send mail to me as follows and I will send it on to them:
Geoff Williams,
GLW Analysis Services Pty Ltd,
PO Box 245,
Collins Street West PO, Vic 8007.
Geoff Williams Vice President

What's on at Heide this Summer?

The art of existence, Les Kossatz 22 November 2008 – 8 March 2009

***********

Purchase or renew a Heide Membership before 31 January 2009 for the chance to win a sunrise hot air balloon ride over the Yarra Valley for six people.

There are also twenty-five Domaine Chandon tour and tasting vouchers to be won.

Heide Membership offers a growing list of benefits, including unlimited free entry to all ticketed exhibitions and a 10% discount in Heide Store. A number of different levels of membership are available, click here for more details or download a Heide Membership Brochure.

For more information:
T 03 9850 1500
membership@heide.com.au
Download the full competition
Terms & Conditions (pdf file, 60kb)

The prize draw will take place at Heide Museum of Modern Art on Monday 2 February 2009. Winners will be notified by telephone and mail.

Opportunities for Sculptors

The City of Hobart is inviting artists to enter for an acquisitive prize for sculpture of $15,000. There is another prize for drawing of the same amount and there is a non acquisitive prize of $7500 as well. Info can be got at www.hobartcity.com.au/artprize . Entries have to be in by 27th Feb

Michael Meszaros has been approached by someone seeking a good home for a furnace - it can smelt aluminium. Contact Michael (after the holidays) on 9853 9610

The Art of Gardening Sustainably - An Exhibition to spread the word about sustainable gardening and raise funds for Sustainable Gardening Australia
7th February to 8th March 2009
Bolin Bolin Gallery at Bulleen Art & Garden 6 Manningham Rd W., Bulleen. 98505155 www.baag.com.au
We are asking artists to exhibit works in any medium which respond to the idea of gardening sustainably. Artists can still receive their normal price. Funds will be raised from commission on sales & small artist contribution donated to SGA ( to cover exhibition & opening costs paid by BAG); SGA (Sustainable Gardening Australia) is a not-for-profit, non-government organisation whose mission is to promote the benefits of sustainable horticulture. www.sgaonline.org.au For details about the exhibition contact: meredith@baag.com.au 94398750 bh
or go to http://www.baag.com.au/gallery/ and the "For artists" left side button.

Toorak Village Sculpture Exhibition 2009

FESTIVAL DATES 1ST MAY – 31ST MAY 2009
Artist Entry form
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 month of May we exhibit contemporary sculptural works in the shop windows and on the sidewalks of Toorak Rd. Each year it continues to grow with increased enthusiasm from traders, artists & the public that view & buy sculpture.
2009 will be the 8th year of the Toorak Village Sculpture Exhibition and we invite all emerging and prominent sculptors to submit entries for both interior & exterior installation.
Interior – small to medium sized for exhibition in shop windows & must be displayed on an independent white base (supplied by artist). Remember our shop window sizes do vary & the sculptures must share window space with shops merchandise.
Exterior - large sized, extremely robust & able to be fixed/bolted to footpath for installation along Toorak Road. There will be 8 to 10 sites available
Consultant curator – Malcolm Thomson, presently curator of the Clement Meadmore Gallery at the Australian Academy of Design will assist the exhibition committee with the selection of sculpture for the 2009 exhibition. We plan to have prizes of $5,000, $2,000 & $1,000 for the most innovative sculptural works, a prestigious opening in the Toorak Village, a full colour catalogue, signage, posters & an impressive media campaign. Once again it is proudly supported & sponsored by the City of Stonnington along with Toorak Village businesses.

We look forward to receiving entries for the Toorak Village Sculpture Exhibition 2009.
All enquiries to Tracey Cammock – mobile: 0438 542 713 or email: tracey@toorakvillage.com.au

Meeting Your Committee

Patrick Culshaw

Patrick is an elderly Australian of English extraction by his own description.

He came to Melbourne some 45 years ago and has stayed ever since “The steaks were bigger cheaper and better, and the beer when you got used to it – quite good” he will tell you if you ask him why he stayed.

He worked as an Engineer with ACL/Repco, BF Goodrich and Ajax Mcphersons before being retrenched. He then joined his wife, Bronwyn in her Schools Supply business. Here he taught himself enough accounting so that he now calls himself a Professional Bookkeeper. This is why we have him as our Treasurer. Patrick is the first to admit he is not a sculptor only once being tempted to exhibit (MIFGS2007) – a mistake he swore not to repeat. However times have changed and he is now enjoying semi-retirement and doing woodworking, both carving and boxmaking. He is threatening to show us some of his work next year.

Outside of work and sculpture Patrick enjoys a glass of whiskey or red wine, the occasional golf game; he plays bridge with Bronwyn, enjoys the company of his two children and Four grand children, and watches Rugby union.

The ASV Christmas Party

This year we celebrated the Annual Christmas Party at Tim and Diane Kervin's property . What a lovely place to be! We were accommodated in their indoor entertaining area where we were very comfortable and spoilt. We even had pavlova (gluten free)!

Tim's daughter gave us guided tours of the chooks - quite special ones - as Tim and his brother are into breeding chooks. Everyone visited Tim's shed/workshop which is every sculptor's delight.

It is always a busy time of the year and difficult to get a date suitable for a lot of people. This year Kevin Free held his Annual Exhibition in his home in Landsborough over the same weekend. Working sculptors there were Janet Cameron, John Bishop, Bob Grant and Jenny Whiteside - so that took a few people out of our little group.

They were sadly missed.

Bronwyn Culshaw



I would like to thank
Dianne and Tim for their very
generous hospitality. We were made to feel most welcome. It was disappointing however that our christmas party clashed with so many other events. Perhaps next year we can just have a social day a bit earlier in the year. But many thanks for the company of those members who did come and for their contributions to the meal..Gillian

New Member

This month we welcome a new member: Joel Goodall – happy sculpting -
Ronit Freedman membership officer

Positions Vacant

For contacting existing officer bears please see the article in the November Sculpere: http://sculperenewsletter.blogspot.com/2008/11/contacting-your-committee-2009.html

Wanted –Membership Officer

Your Association needs your help

We need a person to initially understudy and help the existing Membership Officer with a view to taking over the role in the future.

This position looks after all the member records; sending out renewal notices; chasing slow payers; following up on new members and reporting to the Executive Committee

Knowledge of data base systems would be useful but not essential; an outgoing “People Person” is needed, someone to inspire new members with enthusiasm and a desire to join in our exhibitions and other activities.

If you are interested please contact the Secretary, Leon Frankcom (yardart@optusnet.com.au)

Wanted –Publicity Officer

Your Association needs your help

We need a person to be actively involved with the publicity and promotion of our major events.

This position requires contacting print and electronic media outlets, assisting with mailout campaigns and is as big or as small as the incumbent wants to make it.

Experience in advertising or public relations would be magnificent, a god send! But if you don’t have it and you love sculpture and are a bit of an extrovert who likes talking to and dealing with a wide range of people then this job is for You!

If you are interested please contact the Secretary, Leon Frankcom (yardart@optusnet.com.au)

Wanted –Activities Co-ordinator

Your Association needs your help

We need a creative person to help organise our monthly meetings. These should be the cornerstone of our association, so we need a lateral thinker who can plan and organise an interesting schedule of 10 meetings a year.

No Business, Just – Social gatherings, interesting speakers, visits to studios, workshops, show and tell, new member nights and anything else you can think of.

This position requires no experience other than LIFE itself. A knowledge of the Arts community – what is going on in the galleries, etc. would be an advantage, but not essential. Fundamentally we want a CAN DO, sort of dynamic person who is willing to contact and invite guest speakers.

If you are interested please contact the Secretary, Leon Frankcom (yardart@optusnet.com.au)

Wanted –Donor Support

Your Association needs your help

We need a tenacious and persuasive person to help raise funds for the association.

The job involves contacting business and individuals in the community and seeking their financial or other support for our exhibitions and general operating costs

This is an important role and we need someone who can take a long term view of it and is prepared to commit themselves for a few years. Follow up and continuity is important.

The successful person needs to be able to write a good business letter and have a positive phone manner. But most importantly they need to want to help the association

If you are interested please contact the Secretary, Leon Frankcom (yardart@optusnet.com.au)

Entry forms for Herring Island and MIFGS

Entry forms and information including conditions of entry for the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show Sculpture Garden and the Herring Island Summer Arts Festival Sculpture Exhibition are available from the following links:

MIF&GS:

http://www.sculptorsvictoria.asn.au/mifgs_entry_2009.pdf

http://www.sculptorsvictoria.asn.au/mifgs_information_2009.pdf

HISAF:

http://www.sculptorsvictoria.asn.au/hisaf_entry_2009.pdf

http://www.sculptorsvictoria.asn.au/hisaf_information_2009.pdf


Sustainable Gardening Exhibition at Bulleen Art and Garden

The Art of Gardening Sustainably

- An Exhibition to spread the word about sustainable gardening and raise funds for SGA (Sustainable Gardening Australia)

7th February to 8th March 2009

Bolin Bolin Gallery at Bulleen Art & Garden

6 Manningham Rd W., Bulleen. 98505155.

www.baag.com.au

We are asking artists to exhibit works in any medium which respond to the idea of gardening sustainably.
Artists can still receive their normal price. Funds will be raised from commission on sales & small artist contribution donated to SGA ( to cover exhibition & opening costs paid by BAG);
SGA (Sustainable Gardening Australia) is a not-for-profit, non-government organisation whose mission is to promote the benefits of sustainable horticulture. www.sgaonline.org.au
For details about the exhibition, contact meredith@baag.com.au 94398750 bh or go to http://www.baag.com.au/gallery/ and the "For artists" left side button.

Visit SGA on the web at www.sgaonline.org.au