Sculpture is a magic word
This is my presidential letter opening the 70th Anniversary Book of The Sculptors Society
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Welcome to this wonderful book celebrating the 70th Anniversary of The Sculptors Society.
Sculpture is a magic word.
Our sculptures emerge from our hearts, hands and minds. We work with alchemy – the makeup of bronze, glass, ceramics and stone – which started thousands of years ago.
Our Sculptors Society is reflective of our human artistic relationship – with sculptured works stretching back to the first meals in clay dishes, and ornamental pieces dating back at least to 40,000 BCE.
The oldest forms of statuary were conjured up by people carving materials such as stone, wood, marble, jewels, ivory, jade, metals and whalebone. The Venus of Willendorf is estimated to have been made around 30,000 BCE, carved out of oolitic limestone. The Venus of Hohle Fels, carved from mammoth ivory, unearthed in a cave in Germany in 2008 and dated between 35,000 to 40,000 years old. Ceramic figures made of earth, clay, fire and water have been discovered all over our world since early days. Bronze was developed independently in China, South America, Egypt, India and Africa.
Funerary sculpture and carvings have been discovered in Egypt, Asia, Mexico, Russia, Roman cities, Greece, the Americas, Inuit carvings from Alaska, India (including the 40 acre rock garden of Chandigarh), China’s Terracotta warriors, Scotland’s memorial cairns, England’s Stonehenge, Ireland, Korea, Istanbul and the Gobekli Tepe archaeological site in Turkey, Ceylon, Indonesia, Denmark, the Easter Island stone heads. Australia’s First Nations people have left a huge body of sculptural carvings across the entire continent for tens of thousands of years. There are many more instances of artists wishing to express themselves.
Modern artists now have new materials – paper, fibreglass, straw, ash, coal, lead, shellac, plastic, cloth, resin, foam rubber, sand, plants, human and animal bones – anything to shape and form.
Some artists seek recognition and some are happy to make work just for themselves – performance art or more ephemeral art. Some artists seek to make a fortune, some just to pay their bills and survive.
We as The Sculptors Society – for 70 years now – have supported all types of sculpture and artists.
My first experience with The Sculptors Society was long before I joined. I was excited to see the variety of sculpture. Once I became a member, I was invited to be on committee as Vice President which I did for three years. Ten years ago – invited by president Jenny Green and V.P. Babette Forster-Gomme – I became your President. One of the things I love most is that I get to be the first to see sculptures submitted to exhibition, and I particularly enjoy seeing the range and the growth of all our artists. We always encourage young members to join us, as we feel they give us so much and inspire us in our own journeys. To stimulate new membership, we waive their first year’s membership.
An important part of my job is searching out new venues in which to exhibit our members’ works, interviewing building managers to ensure the best outcomes for them and for us, and vetting requests. Also I apply for gallery exhibitions and liaise with committee and members. I open and judge exhibitions as well as participating myself as an exhibiting, working artist. Promotion is another part of my role, as I have many great contacts after years of running my own galleries.
The Sculptors Society offers prizes in several external exhibitions to encourage our members and increase exposure. We provide educational forums – this is the work of Forum Director Gary Grant. Eva Chant is our Honorary Secretary and Website Coordinator – her job is to keep all the membership informed as well as friends and outsiders. She collects and prepares articles for our bulletins, and sends out the many opportunities that are sent to us. Shirley Li has taken over Membership as well as being our Treasurer (under the eye of Feisal Ramadan). The Wufoo account Shirley prepares for applications makes all of our jobs a lot easier, and, during this Covid year Shirley has also led us through our online video conferences.
The rest of our Committee – Lee Blattmann, Chris Cowell, Philippa Graham, Amanda Harrison, Eva Kellermann, Vera Robinson and Michael Vaynman – are on hand at every meeting to make suggestions, to approve and discuss ideas.
Vivienne Lowe (Vice President) has taken it on board to collect and prepare this book to celebrate our 70th anniversary – a compilation of our artists and their works. This is no mean feat, and I thank her for her time and energy.
I hope you enjoy this book, as we look forward to another 70 years (at least!) as a supportive society for Sculptors.
Yes, Sculpture is indeed a magic word.
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Feyona van Stom, President
The Sculptors Society 70th Anniversary Book
2021