Director's Choice Prize—Alex McGlade, Mother and Child, plaster (pictured far left)

The sculpture, an adaptation of an Ironbark carving by Margel Hinder, was designed to commemorate the birth of our first child in April. After a lot of back and forth with the clay to arrive at the final form, casting and finishing became a real race against time, with lots of extra classes and holiday workshops required to get it done before the due date. But with plenty of help from my tutor Christine, I managed to take the sculpture home a week before the birth, which made it very special. A massive thanks to Christine for all her guidance over the past few years, and to all the Wednesday night crew for their creative energy and inspiration. I am honoured to have received this prize, especially given the calibre of talent at Tom Bass.
   
Highly Commended Prize—Liz Scott, Berylus, alabaster (pictured centre left)

Berylus marks my first exploration of alabaster, which I have dedicated to the memory of my late mother, Beryl. Her lifelong love of horses shaped my childhood and inspired the creation of this piece. Mum was determined that my sister and I grow up with horses, and while our father bemoaned the cost which he claimed kept him poor, we learnt to ride from a young age and became active members of the local pony club while developing a shared passion for these beautiful creatures. I was still carving when Mum passed away, and the sculpture has become an enduring bond between us.
   
Emerging Sculptor Prize—Jem Cresswell, Kindling, marble (pictured centre right)

I began Kindling by allowing the character of the stone to guide the work. As I carved, the form gradually suggested both a flame and a leaf, two shapes that sit in quiet tension with one another, evoking ideas of energy and transformation, growth and renewal. The marble carries its own history, with veins moving in conflicting directions and warm ochre tones that recall the arid Australian landscape of my youth along the Great Australian Bight. I chose to polish the flowing surfaces while leaving areas of the original stone untouched, placing refinement and rawness side by side. I’m increasingly interested in the dialogue between intention and what the material is willing to reveal.

People's Choice Prize—Lachie Vild, Accidental Self-Portrait, plaster (pictured far right)

This was the first bust I have attempted and I went in without a plan or a model. It was quite the learning curve discovering the complexities of the human face and somewhere along the way, my hands quietly defaulted to the face I am most familiar with. So of course the face that emerged was the one I see in the mirror each day.