Awards Announced – Texas Society of Sculptors Exhibit
The Texas Society of Sculptors has announced the award winners in their eighth annual summer show, which is hosted by the Georgetown Public Library and funded in part by sponsorship from the City of Georgetown Arts & Culture Board.
Art historian and curator Sarah C. Bancroft was the judge for this year’s competition. She has held curatorial positions at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and the Orange County Museum of Art. She specializes in modern and contemporary art. Awards, which were made at the artists reception July 19, are below along with Ms. Bancroft’s comments.
First Place
Emergence by Dianne Sonnenberg (stone). “Small and perfectly formed, the simple elegance of this sculpture beautifully captures the essence of “emergence” through abstract organic form. A wholly satisfying and mesmerizingly beautiful sculpture.”
Second Place
Thumb Sucker by Bob Ragan (stone). “This straightforwardly fantastical sculpture of a thumb sucker is, like [Ragan’s] Donkey Fish and Water Wheel, a spectacle of nonsensical whimsy. Witty and well-executed in limestone.”
Third Place
Cowboy by Janette Keating (bronze). “This small, detailed sculpture captures the silent gumption of a lone cowboy at rest, shirt off, legs askew, head in hand, hat on. A successful and lighthearted portrayal of a Western archetype.”
Honorable Mention mixed media, clay, plaster, concrete
When in Doubt, Be Kind by Dar Richardson. “A lovely portrayal of rabbits as caricature, these two beasts are a vision of contentment and friendship. Charming and goofy rabbits make good.”
Honorable Mention metal
El Alacran by Tom Bishop. “The large-scale rendering of a scorpion in bronze is beautifully complemented by the wooden base on which this frightful creature perches.”
Honorable Mention wood and stone
Trumpeter Swan by C. D. Weaver. “This striking sculpture wonderfully utilizes found wood to celebrate and convey the Trumpeter Swan. An approachable and arresting work that also nicely represents the surprising scale of real-life swans.”
Juror’s additional honorable mentions
Jazz by Pat Moberley Moore. “An evocative sculpture that successfully brings to life the power of song in the form of this soulful jazz singer. Of particular note is the patterned patina on this lovely sculpture, and the elongated nature of her form.”
Librarian by Olaniyi Akindiya. “The delicious variety of the public library’s offerings conveyed through the use of delectable boxed foodstuffs from the pantry. Using materials at hand to create a work both immediately recognizable and wholly original.”
Library Staff Pick
Forty Million Years too Late by Bob Coffee. The library staff makes the choice for one of the awards each year. This sculpture of a raccoon family’s encounter with a fossil captured the library staff’s imagination.
More than 60 pieces were entered in this year’s exhibit, which will remain in the library until September 25. The exhibit can be viewed all the hours the library is open: Monday-Thursday 9 a.m. – 8 p.m., Friday 9 a.m. – 6 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., Sunday noon – 5 p.m. The library is at 402 W. Eighth Street, Georgetown, Texas, 78626.
For more information, call the Georgetown Public Library at (512) 930-3551.
