Last month on Saturday 27 September, we held the opening of the 2025 Annual Studio Exhibition, featuring over 70 sculptures completed by TBSSS students and teachers over the past year.
We were thrilled to see so many students, their friends and family, and visitors present at the event. Congratulations to everyone who exhibited this year. The quality of all the sculptures was incredibly high. It was wonderful to see such a variety of mediums, subjects, and styles on display, with everything from the abstract to the figure, animals and reliefs, works in plaster and bronze, sculptures carved in alabaster, limestone, soapstone, and marble.
We would like to extend our thanks to all the teachers and volunteer students who participated in the set-up and pack-down of the exhibition. The studio space was transformed during the ASE period due to all your hard work.
Congratulations to the winners of the three prizes awarded: Director's Choice went to Brad Deane for his portrait Charlie; Highly Commended went to Virginia Lloyd-Tait for her marble figure New Life; and People's Choice went to Emmanuel Pertsoulis for his direct plaster work Love High. Congratulations to Brad, Virginia, and Emmanuel, and read on for each of their artist statements.
If you missed the opening last month, the Director's Choice Exhibition will be open at Clara Street Gallery until Friday 25 October, featuring a selection of works chosen from the Annual Studio Exhibition that display the incredible quality of this year's sculptures. Congratulations to the students in the Director's Choice Exhibition, and it's wonderful to see a handful of new students featured after less than a year at TBSSS. You are welcome to visit the gallery at 1A Clara St Erskineville on Mondays–Thursdays, 9:30–1:30 (excluding Monday 13 October).
Director's Choice: Charlie, Brad Deane
I have a passion for expressive works and seek inspiration from sculptors that embrace and showcase texture in their works. When sculpting I often find myself in a zone where I am totally immersed in the process. Working in clay is also something I find very special, as it can be manipulated to almost limitless potential and present immediate results. This piece was sculpted in clay and moulded and cast in plaster, it took a while to complete and would not have been possible without the tuition from both Monika and Karen who helped me turn the vision into the sculpture.
Highly Commended: New Life, Virginia Lloyd-Tait
The beauty and wonder of pregnancy never fails to amaze me. I wanted to capture that extraordinary form in all its magnificence. At Usama Alnassar's workshop earlier this year, I chose a piece of marble to carve my pregnant torso. I was at least 4 days into carving the torso when I noticed a dark vein in the marble where the lower abdomen was situated. As I carved further into the marble it became apparent that the vein was in the shape of a heart - quite mystical.
People's Choice: Love High, Emmanuel Pertsoulis
Last year I started to make an annual sculpture for each of my two sons, reflecting a significant event in their year. This sculpture, "Love High", is for my eldest son and his fiancée, who are getting married this December. What I tried to represent is how the two of them are so effortlessly comfortable together, connected with a kiss, floating above the clouds. The figures are made from direct plaster to wire. The cloud my son is standing on is of alabaster, a wonderful soft stone to work on that has surprising inclusions. I really enjoy my Wednesday evening class at Tom Bass, running by my thoughts, and getting great advice from Christine, my tutor. Thank you Christine, we share this award. Thank you Tom Bass Sculpture Studio.
