September Issue 2001
Winners of National Sculpture Society Show at Brookgreen Gardens in Pawleys Island, SC, have Been Announced
Two Sumo wrestlers face off in the work, Introspection, which was named the Gold Medal winner of the National Sculpture Society (NSS) Annual Awards Exhibition at Brookgreen Gardens, in Pawleys Island, SC.
Steven Larson, 26, of New London, CT, sculpted the work from plaster on a wooden stand. This is his first non-scholastic show. The winner of the gold medal and Maurice B. Hexter Prize receives a $4,000 award. It is on display with 64 other pieces in the NSS show, which opened on Saturday afternoon and will be up through Oct. 28.
William Behrends of Tryon, NC, one of the three judges, said Introspection was a unanimous choice for the top prize. "It is certainly in the tradition of the NSS in its strong use of the human figure, and we liked the way the piece was mounted. It is a very visually arresting piece, and has a real mood to it that we just loved. The art needs to have an element of mystery and surprise, and this is not a piece that any of us anticipated seeing. It leaves a lot of room for the interpreter to read what message is there, and it's technically very skillfully rendered."
The winning sculptor, who said he was happily surprised just to get accepted into the prestigious show, said "Introspection" came about from his fascination with Oriental art and philosophy.
"I've always been fascinated by the concept of trying to overcome one's fear," said Larson. "This is called 'Introspection' because it's actually the same figure facing himself, the idea of what a wrestler goes through to get ready for a match."
Fishing Rock was the silver medal winner, a large bronze sculpture by Bob Guelich of San Antonio, TX, featuring four herons, three with outstretched wings, on a rock. Guelich, who is known primarily for his bird sculptures, last year won the gold medal award for his powerful "Serengeti Portrait", a life-size lion head.
"Fishing Rock is a technically very impressive piece," said Behrends. "It's a very complex and difficult piece to do. It's the type of work one sees quite a lot, but this one excels in composition, in the technical handling of surfaces. It's just a visually stimulating piece with very nice lines and angles."
River Run by Tim Cherry of Branson, MO, was the bronze medal winner, a bronze depiction of a fish with smooth, elegant lines. Cherry is a young sculptor who is a professional member of the sculpture organization.
"We all loved River Run so much; we were all taken with the technical mastery, its wonderful patina," said Behrends. "In conception and execution, we found it a beautiful piece of work."
The 16 awards were announced at Brookgreen Gardens by Gwen Pier, executive director of the NSS, and Robin Salmon, Brookgreen's curator of sculpture who serves as chairman of the NSS exhibitions committee. The awards carry cash prizes ranging from $100 for a work by a young sculptor to $4,000 to the top winner.
In addition to Behrends, best known for his larger-than-lifesize bust of Strom Thurmond on the grounds of the SC State Capitol, the other two judges were Daniel Altshuler, a professional sculptor, and Kevin Tucker, curator of the Columbia museum of Art in Columbia, SC.
Other award winners include:
The work, Temperance by Lee Dunsmore of Philadelphia, PA,
won the Leonard J. Meiselman Memorial Award of $700 for a realistic
sculpture done in the classical tradition.
The piece entitled, Bull by Walter T. Matia of Poolesville, MD, was given the Polich Art Works Foundry Prize of $1,000 toward casting charges.
Dancing for the Children by John Coleman of Prescott, AZ,won the $500 Agop Agopoff Memorial Prize.
The sculpture, Harmony by Lincoln Fox of Paonia, CO, won the Ruth Nickerson Prize of $400 for a work of simplicity, dignity and strength.
Just Kidding Around by Catherine Ferrell of Vero Beach, FL, was awarded the Bedi-Makky Foundry Prize of $300 for a bronze sculpture.
The work, Io To Imploro by Ron Beuzenburg of New York, NY., won the Margaret Hexter Prize of $300 for a creative sculpture in the round.
The piece, Jaywalk (heavy metal) by Matthew Brice Quinn of East Lyme, CT, was given the Edith H. and Richman Proskauer Prize of $300 for non-traditional sculpture.
The work entitled, Contemplation by Carol Tarzier of Oakland, CA, won the American Artists Professional League Award of $200 for traditional realism.
Sik Sik Shell Game by Tim Shinabarger of Billings, MT, was awarded the C. Percival Dietsch Prize of $200 for a sculpture in the round.
The piece, Forgiveness by Amy Kann, Philadelphia, PA, won the Elliot Gantz & Co., Inc. award of a $500 credit towards casting.
The sculpture entitled, Beetle by Tony Hochstetler of Loveland, CO, was awarded the Tallix Foundry Prize of $500 which goes toward credit of casting charges.
The work, The Protecting Wing by Ray Madsen of San Diego, CA,won the John Spring Art Founder Award of $500 towards a casting of a bronze sculpture.
The piece, by Jane DeDecker of Loveland, CO, won the Mrs. Louis Bennett Prize of $100 for a work by a young sculptor.
For further information call 843/237-4218 or check out their web site at (http://www.brookgreen.org).
photo cutliness are as follows:
Introspection
by Steven Larson
Fishing
Rock by Bob Guelich
River
Run by Tim Cherry
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