2017 Wollombi Sculpture in the Vineyards

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Curator’s Note “Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.” Pablo Picasso This year's exhibits remind and challenge us to reflect on the world we share. Environmentally we are on shaky ground facing an uncertain future. The arts similarly, face a struggle to find a place in an increasingly noisy and 'commercial' world. Humanity is restless, jostling for a safe and rightful place to call home.

Here in the Wollombi Valley, artists come together each year for Sculpture in the Vineyards to make their statement, bring us their interpretation of their views and ideas. This year, as I met each artist installing their work, I was privileged to hear the concept of each artwork first hand. In addition to that, and more surprising, each artist spoke about the outdoor 'gallery' they were to exhibit in. Wollombi Valley – its peace, its pace, its Aboriginal history and culture, the warmth and generosity of its inhabitants.

In this annual event, they remind us of this beautiful place we live in. They come to share with us. In my role as Curator this year, I saw that Sculpture in the Vineyards is a meeting place for these artists, not just another sculpture show on the calendar and that was an unexpected privilege.

Holding an event like this requires a lot of preparation, support and commitment. My thanks go to the artists, our Director Tara Morelos, our three supporting host vineyards – Undercliff Winery, Noyce Brothers Wines and Stonehurst Cedar Creek – and Wollombi Valley's inhabitants.

KES HARPER Curator and Exhibitions Manager

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1. Cathy and Jim Hamilton

8. Gavin Vitullo

2. Alison Dent

9. John Logvyn

3. Alison Dent

10. John Logvyn

4. Ella Szpindler and Pam Dunne

11. Ebony Secombe

5. Rhonda Castles

12. Tony Bruck

6. Akira Kamada and Kerry Laws

13. Pamela Lee Brenner and Johannes Muljana

7. Tobias Bennett

14. Ralph Tikerpae

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1. Cathy and Jim Hamilton Muttama, NSW

Allium marine grade stainless steel, stump, 70 x 70 x 30cm

Price: $2,200

This sculpture is inspired by the large allium heads of the garlic plants in our vegetable garden.

Jim and Cathy Hamilton sold their sheep property in rural NSW and moved to a smaller property where they began using Jim's welding skills and their beautiful garden as inspiration to create outdoor sculpture.

Initially designed for their own pleasure and then as gifts for relatives, when displayed at the local cafe, word spread and their client base grew quickly. Recently their work has been invited into 'Artisans In The Garden', Sydney Royal Botanic Gardens, 'Sculpture in the Gardens', Mudgee, 'Millthorpe Garden Ramble', Millthorpe and 'The Iris Country Fair' Frensham School, Mittagong, NSW.

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2. Alison Dent

Gulargambone, NSW

Shipwreck old machine parts, mild steel, old horse shoes, 125 x 110 x 25cm

Price: $1,450

Ship Wreck is a creation of that old wreck which may be seen washed up on some far flung shore. Old wrecks are around the coast lines all over the world and there are graveyards for ships as well, where they rust and break down in the seas that pound them. Imagine the life that was aboard and the journeys undertaken. Made from pieces from the tip which were once part of useful machines. The body of this sculpture is from an old water tank used for fighting fires.

3. Alison Dent Rooster old machine parts, mild steel, old horse shoes, 200 x 200 x 150cm

Price: $1,450

'Now, where is that Little Red Hen!' An everyday occurrence across the country, a rooster crows at dawn and alerts his hens to the fact that the day is here and it is business as usual.

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4. Ella Szpindler and Pam Dunne Coolongolook, NSW

SAVE IT! wood, wire, expanding foam, steel, perspex, resin, paint & concrete pavers, 100 x 50 x 150cm Price: $4,000 We were thinking of the use of energy in the world today . It seems that more and more mines are removing minerals from the ground for use by people living expected lives of comfort and travel. It feels like everything is pouring away. We need to step back before we totally destroy the Earth and use of natural resources in the way of solar, wind and water for our power.

Ella is a ceramicist . She also works with a variety of other materials such as wood, wire and metal. Pam is a painter mostly working in water colour. The ideas for this sculpture came from Pam and the knowledge for construction come from Ella.

Between us we have constructed this sculpture as we have done previously.

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5. Rhonda Castles Wyong, NSW

Moonlighting corten, steel, lighting, 200 x 60 x 30cm Price:$4,100 The name Moonlighting is a play on words and meaning. The moon universally represents the rhythm of time and embodies the cycle. The phases of the moon symbolise immortality and eternity, and by slightly changing the title, it also eludes to other notions.

Rhonda is a mixed media artist who integrates stainless steel, Corten, sandstone, acrylic, timber and found objects in her work. She explores the use of these materials and experiments with a variety of techniques to produce sculptures that convey emotional energy through dynamic forms. Her background in construction and graphic design contributes to the expressiveness of her work.

Rhonda is involved with many local Central Coast community events including curating Sculpture on the Greens, Sculpture at Kooindah, Yarramalong Arts Trail, Forest of Tranquility and holding workshops focusing on Youth vocational activities. She also supports and facilitates community workshops in sustainable management practice for many collaborative works on the Central Coast. In 2015 Rhonda participated in the Rylstone Wood Symposium, producing a public sculpture now installed between Rylstone and Kandos.

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6. Akira Kamada and Kerry Laws Tomerong, NSW

Rainbow Circle I Vines, branches, wire, twine, cable ties, fishing line, strips of hand-dyed fabric,

Price: NFS

This work is a reflection on and celebration of the interwoven spectrum of people within and behind the rainbow colours that have come to represent sexual equality, diversity, freedom, acceptance, and inclusiveness in our world. It acknowledges the individuals as well as the masses who have fought for their own rights and to support and encourage all people to be true to themselves. The 8 colours reference the original gay pride flag devised by US artist Gilbert Baker in 1978.

Akira and Kerry have worked together on a number of collaborations over the past 30 years - though bringing different ideas, still sharing a similar feel for what they do.

Increasingly they are inspired, through their collaboration, to make work that speaks to current events or issues.

Akira creates his art from materials he finds around him in everyday life often using natural materials such as twigs, branches or vine bundled or woven into various organic shapes. Kerry works on paper and is also drawn to textiles and natural fibres.

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7. Tobias Bennett Leeton, NSW

Heart of Stone basalt rock and steel, 160 x 100 x 80cm

Price: $9,000

My heart of steel and stone sculpture is my interpretation of an answer to a long standing human puzzle, the meaning of life, the universe and everything.

This still life is representative of life, the universe and everything as the lines go this way and then they go that way and then they intersect, much like life, the universe and everything.

Tobias creates sculpture in the fertile, flat land along the Murrumbidgee River in the rice bowl town of Leeton NSW. Working mostly in new and reclaimed steel, he seeks most of his inspiration from mother nature's infinite fountain of possibilities.

As well as figurative flora and fauna work, Tobias also muses on the abstract side of our existence.

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8. Gavin Vitullo

Belmont North, NSW

Breathe concrete, iron bark, bronze, soil, fig (ficus rubiginosa). 120 x 14 x 14cm Price: $3,800 As the self-proclaimed apex species we may be advancing futuristically and technologically in quantum leaps and bounds, yet paradoxically we are ignoring the most consequential and basic of implications; sustaining the life that sustain us.

The natural environment gives us shelter, food, water and oxygen, and has done throughout time.

Breathe is a contemplative, physical examination of the future prospects for all species in a constrictive, malnourished landscape, where a single breath may not be a surety. We associate the oxygen tank as a life preserver, perhaps the last ditch effort to sustain life through an alternative means of breathing, either in dire circumstances or in alien environments for which we are not acclimatised to.

A slight, solitary Fig (ficus rubiginosa) becomes a metaphor for the fragile balance of life in a pivotal moment of reflection.

Gavin is a multi-disciplinary Newcastle based artist who is most recognised for creating works of art from natural sustainably sourced materials like stone and wood, his practice is organic in nature and is driven by uniting concept and craftsmanship harmoniously. Gavin believes in the power of creativity as a global messenger and that art is the catalyst for change. A slight, solitary Fig (ficus rubiginosa) becomes a metaphor for the fragile balance of life in a pivotal moment of reflection.

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10. John Logvyn

9. John Logvyn Thornton, NSW

Thornton, NSW

Sawhopper

Letter Box Bird

saw blades, shovels, hoe, reinforcing bar, tin snip handles, washers, mild steel weld, 600 x 700 x 1000cm Price: $3,500 Sourcing unwanted or unneeded items, he creates a bird or animal giving them new life thus removing material from the waste cycle and doing something positive for the planet. They become an upcycled object for indoors or outdoors to be enjoyed for many years.

shovels, picks, reinforcing bar, trowels, old hinge, hoe, mild steel weld, 1400 x 600 x 900cm Price:$3,500

Originally a hobbyist welder, John's interest has progressed into larger artworks with recycling always the underlying ethic in his work.

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11. Ebony Secombe Rydalmere, NSW

Tourism tarpaulin, hazard tape, 900 x 900cm

Price: POA

Tourism responds to my personal experience of and connection to the site, which is limited, as the only time I have spent there has been as an artist creating work for an exhibition. In this way I act both as a tourist and a producer of a tourism attraction.

A previous work, Conditional Space, was an exploration of how people are able to navigate space to varying levels in accordance with certain kinds of privilege. Tourism continues to explore the dynamics of how spaces are experienced and/or explored by different people, this time with a focus on tourism and its after effects, which are rarely seen by the tourists themselves. Visitors are invited to partake in the work through playful and enjoyable acts of walking over the top of or picnicking on the artwork, mimicking popular tourist acts and deepening the relationships between the artwork, site and audience.

Tourists leave marks or traces on the places they have visited. Tourism creates a visualisation of this effect. The work – a large tarpaulin covered with hazard tape – is pegged down flat over grass and will reveal dead/yellow grass at conclusion of exhibition.

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12. Tony Bruck

East Lindfield, NSW

Horse, Power, and Wine steel, 150 x 100 x 50cm Price: $10,000 A realistic power generation plan is essential for our society to continue to excel. My interactive artwork highlights the significant contributions the Hunter region makes in the horse, power and wine industries.

This metallic horse head, supported by a rustic wine bottle and half wine barrel, has a subtle link to the power industry by the use of a copper braided wire bridal representing power lines. The red lights on the wine bottle symbolise red wine - press button please.

This artwork links the massive horse and wine industries to their essential need for readily available power.

Tony has recently embarked on this new path of designing and creating steel sculptures to promote awareness and have a social conscience message. Many of his works utilise bare stainless steel, whilst other sculptures are made from mild steel and painted.

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13. Pamela Brenner and Johannes Muljana Bondi Junction, NSW

Re-evolution PVC, PET, recycled bicycle wheels, sisal rope, paint, 240 x 400 x 250 cm Price: $3,000 We created this work to discuss contemporary environmental and energy generation issues. It is a play on the word revolution, suggesting revolving parts, social movement for change and the cyclic nature of things. Its appearance is like a stylized giant flower silhouetted against its surrounds - manufactured yet referencing nature and growth. It turns with the wind according to its structure, root-like forms streaming.

Pamela Lee Brenner and Johannes Muljana, have collaborated over the last ten years to develop installation, interactive and experimental works under the names a9project and Frolic and Gambol as well as themselves. Outdoor installations are generally made from mostly recycled materials and are demountable. They often have a kinetic element and a technological component that makes everyday and throwaway items into a source of delight to inspire considered thought.

Their award winning outdoor works have been exhibited at On the Shore, Sculpture in the Vineyards, Art on the Greenway, Strand Ephemera , Sculpture by the Sea and SWELL. Public Artwork proposals have been shortlisted for Eumundi Sculpture and Energy Australia Sculpture Commission.

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14. Ralph Tikerpae Wyalong, NSW

Pegasus III recycled metal & utensils, paint, branches, 130 x 95 x 130 cm

Price: $ 2,100

I have always been excited by the concept of the horse acting as symbol of the artist, with its strength, agility and unpredictability. This is part of a series of horse sculptures that explores mythical to modern themes. This work originated from Greek Trojan Horses and became this latest Pegasus series. Its patina fades from verdigris of a Greek bronze to the warmth of preloved metal emphasising the connection. It is a delicate blend of horse with an insect-like form from which extend its geometric wings. This is the moment when Pegasus lands, his wings unfurling with an encaged being upon its back. While having references to the past it also contains unexpected elements like wheels and a cage - aiming to surprise and delight the audience.

Having the luxury of working and living in a vast and well-equipped studio entirely dedicated to the production of sculpture and painting, Ralph works in an environment devoted to the worship of art.

Ralph sculpts in a variety of media both subtractive and additive. His sculpture attempts to pare images down to a basic element or essence and has been described as drawing in space. It includes theatrical elements of time and postion overlapped with positive and negative elements.

Enjoying the 'chance found' element found within the construction of the metal sculpture, Ralph believes in the resurfacing of past lives through an artist's subconcious trance when creating art. In a similar way, he hopes people's past experiences are awakened when regarding an artwork that connects with their past soul.

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16. Emilia Krumm 17. Nicole Allen 18. Allison Mitchell 19. Jason Farrow 20. Tobias Bennett

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16. Emilia Krumm Lisarow, NSW

Lola reinforced resin, 100 x 100 x 200cm

Price:$5,000

Sculpture is a wonderful way to add value, and in this case humour, to any room or landscape. It is a way of interpreting a message using three dimensions with form, colour and texture. In this case I created Lola to appeal to peoples sense of fun and nonsense, as she is easygoing, out to enjoy life and have a laugh!

Creating sculpture is like unpacking a treasure chest from deep within myself. It is an interpretation of memories that I have accumulated over the years, from my travels and my experiences. My Italian heritage combined with my African upbringing and life in Australia has had a symbiotic effect on my work. I have found familiar inspirations in all these countries that resonate in nature's organic shapes and forms. The introduction of humour to my work creates a levity that I hope will appeal to the viewer. Working with reinforced resin, Perspex and stainless steel, my work seeks to develop a ‘Chiaroscuro’ effect which enhances the modelled forms and gives them depth resonant of the Renaissance period. The use of negative and positive spaces fascinates me and creates a particular kind of tension in my sculptures.

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17. Nicole Allen Yinnar South, VIC

In Too Deep corten and stainless steel , 110 x 47 x 36 cm Price: $7,800 When things just get too hard.

When things are too difficult to explain or just too tiring to understand and there seems to be no common sense. When things really piss you off and when things are too intense or when...things are just, too deep.

Nicole experiments with the human form in her sculpture practice, maintaining aspects so it is always instantly recognisable. The formal elements of her work - human and non human - create an impression or illusion that can change the narrative.

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18. Allison Mitchell Raymond Terrace, NSW

Future Generation_#1 wire, cut timber, 250 x 100cm

Price:$900

My favourite theme for any art project revolves around the natural environment, in particular trees. I have explored this subject through various mediums – charcoal, watercolour, pencil and paint and through my new exposure to sculpture, I have found a new medium and method to focus on trees.

Alison has been drawing and painting from a young age, and especially enjoyed visual arts during her high school years. Recently she received one on one mentorship through the Mai-Wei Creative Arts Program with creative arts mentor Denise Duffy, where she was exposed to the a variety of new mediums including sculpture.

She really enjoyed working with wire, and achieved her goal of creating this large wire tree and participating in exhibitions to gain more exposure and skills. This is the largest piece she has ever made.

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19. Jason Farrow Darlinghurst, NSW

Mark polystyrene, polyurethane, brass, patina, 115 x 110 x 114cm

Price:$4,950

Giant busts have typically been reserved for political heads of state, religious figures, philosophers and virtuosos throughout history. This bust pays respect to the working class. A few friends and I moved into a split-level house in Coogee, 2014. Mark lived in the level above us. We only really saw him on the weekends. He worked late at night on the roads, laying bitumen as part of the extension to the Great Western Highway. I worked on this effigy of him in the garden area we shared. I would position the carving to face his front door. It was the first thing he saw every morning when he came out for a coffee and a cigarette. He never asked me if it was a depiction of him and, sadly, he never got to see the finished product. I think that he would be really chuffed knowing that someone would go to all that trouble for him. The expression on Mark’s face is charged, showing a sense of bewilderment as well as a sense of despair. He struggled with alcoholism. Many of his friends had passed away that year. The sad realities of an unforgiving lifestyle.

Jason Farrow (b.1990) is a multidisciplinary artist born and based in Sydney, Australia. He studied at the College of Fine Arts (Sydney), completing a BFA majoring in sculpture in 2013. Jason’s curiosity is concerned with legend and folklore within his local community. He is particularly intrigued with the stories of outsiders. Mark making is fundamental to his process. He combines traditional and experimental techniques to create paintings and sculptures that reflect observations and imaginings of the everyday.

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20. Tobias Bennett Leeton, NSW

Rearing Horse steel pipe, 300 x 200 x 100cm

Price: $10,000

My rearing horse sculpture is my interpretation of an answer to a longstanding human puzzle, the meaning of life, the universe and everything. This still life is representative of life, the universe and everything as the lines go this way and then they go that way and then they intersect, much like life, the universe and everything.

Tobias creates sculpture in the fertile, flat land along the Murrumbidgee River in the rice bowl town of Leeton NSW. Working mostly in new and reclaimed steel he seeks most of his inspiration from Mother Nature's infinite fountain of possibilities. As well as figurative flora and fauna work, Tobias also muses on the abstract side of our existence.

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25. Nathan Sawczak 26. Dean Winter 27. John Karran

36. Edward Milan

28. Albert Kraan

37. Bridget Whitehead

29. Jared Glaser

38. Leesa Knights

30. NIcole de Mestre

39. John Logvyn

31. Kylie Fountain

40. Cathy & Jim Hamilton

32. Alison Mortiss

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33. Terri Graham

42. Sharon Taylor

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21. Kylie Beynon Avoca Beach, NSW

The Journey wire, twine, vine, sea glass, 150 x 100 x 150cm Price: NFS The Journey is a weaving representing the interconnectedness of people. No matter where a person is on their journey they are connected to the earth and each other.

Kylie has been working with one of her local artists, Willemina Villari who has been a mentor to her. This is her second public exhibition of artwork.

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22. Tobias Bennett Leeton, NSW

Still Life steel pipe, 200 x 200 x 200cm

Price: $6,000

My abstract Still Life sculpture is my interpretation of an answer to a longstanding human puzzle, the meaning of life, the universe and everything. This Still Life is representative of life, the universe and everything as the lines go this way and then they go that way and then they intersect, much like life, the universe and everything.

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23. Ralph Tikerpae Wyalong, NSW

Red Sails recycled metal, 170 x 138 x 55cm

Price: $1,800

Obsession with things nautical appears to be part of my Baltic background and heritage. Red Sails attempts to capture the underlying essence of the boat or ship.

Its large sails of coloured metal appeartobe floating against a dock or skyline.

Their rich colours and archetypal shapes a thing of beauty.

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24. Vicki Laverick Tingira Heights, NSW

Hybrids 2017 reclaimed rusty steel reo saddles (tripod), plastic cable ties - dimensions variable Price: $71 per cluster of 9 Hybrids 2017 is both a figurative and abstract work. The forms appear like a clan gathering in whispered conversations, enclaves of alike creatures clustered in groups in the undergrowth, perhaps afraid to emerge into the light. Something unnatural growing and unfolding. Created from everyday, throwaway, multiple unit materials which I am captivated by – rusting metal objects rejected, discarded as junk.

These simple pieces are inspired by the observation of pattern and form in the industrial world as well as pattern and repetition in the natural world.

Hybrids 2017 expresses the unlikely pairing of 2 types of materials of our throwaway world - steel and plastic. An 'introduced' hybrid species; a symbol of displacement, Hybrids 2017 is about creating an awareness of what we discard and the imaginary consequences of what otherworldly, impossible outcomes that that might have.

Will they continue to grow in numbers like a weed, a fungi invading our pristine wilderness or can they be controlled at the source ... Us! Vicki enjoys the meditative creative space of making sculpture and is happiest when creating; planning, collecting, playing, solving and combining. Vicki has studied under established assemblage artists and sculptors whose guidance, advice and generosity have enabled her to move from purely compositional work to more considered narrative works.

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25. Nathan Sawczak Terrigal, NSW

Birds of a Feather recycled metal and utensils, paint, branches, 100 x 60 x 60cm

Price: POA

Birds are indicators of the environment in that they either adapt or move on.

Nathan has a desire to take something that was once practical and now possibly not noticed, or taken for granted and recycle, reuse, repupose, rethink & remake it.

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26. Dean Winter Newcastle, NSW

Twelve Turtles glass, stainless steel, plastic, electronics, 10 x 20 x 20cm each Price: $400 each The family of tortoises, which are an endangered species, is travelling in order to find a safer home.

It was the international day of the turtle (and tortoise) on the day I submitted this entry. As they are a slow species this is a perilous time and full of dangers. They can also be seen to represent our own individual selves on our journeys in this present dangerous era. We are all tortoises compared with big business and governments – fragile, slow and vulnerable.

Dean is a theatrical lighting designer and production manager who spends his days dealing with complex issues and situations, developing creative strategies to deal with them on short notice and very limited budgets. As a consequence his artwork repurposes common everyday items, turning these discarded objects into artistic items - they are, after all, cheap.

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27. John Karran Cedar Creek, NSW

What Lies Beneath firewood log, 80 x 32 x 37cm

Price: $3,800

The decay of the wood and its effect on the finished layer is the inspiration for this piece. Finding the beauty beneath the surface of material seen as flawed is a reoccurring theme in my work, and is a comment on our current view of someone's apparent worth in society.

John's work is heavily influenced by current social and political issues. His use of mainly discarded or valueless materials and traditional 'inefficient' techniques is a reaction to a disposable culture. His professional background in mental health and 'welfare' inform this. Figurative wood carving using antique tools and found wood to address current issues is the mainstay of his work.

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28. Albert Kraan Wollombi, NSW

Transparent Interactive Classical Art wollombi sandstone, glass Price: $8,000 This is a carved diagonal Ionic capital mounted on a fluted shaft and base with a hardened glass round top. At a height of 95cm this makes a functional bar table and conversation piece whilst enjoying a glass of wine at the table. The transparency of the glass ensures the view of the piece is not obstructed. The reduced column is carved from local Wollombi sandstone.

Albert started his trade in Stonemasonry in 1986, engaging in structural stonemasonry as well as enjoying carving and sculpting sandstone. He has always had a passion for drawing and it was inevitable this would lead to not just cutting stone to dimension, but sculpture as well. Sculpture with a functional twist is his goal, producing both function and art.

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29. Jared Glaser Kingsford, NSW

Touching isocyanates, polyol, amine catalysts, acrylic paints, (3-5) x 70cm (3-5) x 60cm (3-5) x 20cm Price: $100 each These works are a collection of experiments exploring the similarities sex has to the interaction of objects and materials. Sex is the ultimate tactile sensation. It is a union of forces and urges. Touching endeavours to expose how objects may have sex too.

Perhaps they meet harmoniously and are fulfilled with the company of one another.

Perhaps their fling is hollow and unsatisfying. Touching is a peep-show into the dualistic nature of this act as it invites its viewer to be both turned on and repulsed. Hard wooden geometric shapes penetrate the soft organic pillows of air and the result‌ it touches us all.

Jared has been in television for just under 10 years building the sets for the most heinous reality TV shows Australia has to offer. His artworks provide him with a therapeutic outlet and the ability to re-intellectualise creation for non-commercial ends.

Through the exploration of material, shape and texture he creates works that rekindle the want in all of us for an analysed existence.

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30. Nicole de Mestre Long Jetty, NSW

Cheers to the Coccospheres! recycled fan guards, cable ties, wires, 80 - 150cm each

Price: $100 each

Limestone deposits are key to the greatness of wine making regions the world over and in recent years studies have revealed that the Hunter Valley is also situated on limestone rich sediments. Limestone is a sedimentary rock formed from the calcified skeletons of countless tiny single celled algae, deposited on ancient sea beds millions of years ago. Microscopic images of the exoskeleton plates of these coccolithophores, bear an uncanny resemblance to the 'shells' of discarded fans. Cheers to the coccospheres!

Nicole can be found either in her overcrowded shed or out on Central Coast streets rifling through kerb side pick-up piles, searching for inspiration. Her art reflects a curious attachment to discarded materials, an increasing frustration with the prolific waste of modern society and a healthy obsession with rusty metal and old rope. She creates an eclectic range of artistic works, inspired by environmental concerns and linked through the use of recycled materials and found objects. She regularly exhibits, and has been a finalist in both North Sydney and Gosford Art Prizes. Over the years she has exhibited in many sculpture prizes, including 'Sculpture at Sawmillers' and 'Sculpture on the Greens', where she was awarded a stipend.

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31. Kylie Fountain Wollombi, NSW

Chrysalis five leaf water vine, wisteria, grapevine, 2.4 x 1.4m

Price: $1,200

I collect vines and weaving materials as I wander around the countryside and then weave them into whimsical shapes. I'm inspired by nests, shapes of trees and the possibilities of the imagination to create structures which both reflect and pay tribute to the natural world. I use only natural materials which have been discarded or are invading places they don't belong.

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32. Alison Mortiss Jilliby, NSW

Portal glass, plywood, 180 x 100 x 100cm Price: $2,800 Portal: a gate, a doorway or other entrance, especially a large or imposing one. A point of transition from one site to another. The intention of Portal is to represent the inference of passing from one dimension to another. The disc of glass strips represents the fragility of life as well as the shattering effect on those left to mourn, yet there is also strength there for the continuance of what is to come. A place to pass from one greatness to another.

Glass is the medium of choice in Alison's artistic practice that spans over 20 years.

Since commencing she has moved on from traditional stained glass, lead light and kilnformed glass to larger scale contemporary outdoor sculptures. She honours century old techniques and skills to produce works that are inspired by her personal response to society and the issues it encompasses. Alison produces commissioned pieces for private, ecclesiastic and corporate sectors as well as participating in numerous exhibitions and shows by creating one off works.

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33. Terri Graham Shelly Beach, NSW

Nature's Pathway cypress, marine ply, wire, metal, plastic beads, plywood, wood, paint , 200 x 200 x 90cm Price: NFS The beauty and scent of wood instantly fills our nostrils, transporting us to its point of creation‌the forest.

The forest itself is a place of mystery and magic and frequently a place where we feel renewed by its energy. We become lost in the swirls, curls and patterns of the wood and become connected with nature's life-force. Forest sprites hide and dance amongst the trees, the sun moving across the sky throughout the day enhancing their shadowy movement. Are they real or imagined?

The mist transforms itself into luminous beads of moisture and light - giving life to the forest and all its creatures; earthly and otherwise.

Terri has been an artist for over 30 years. Whether in sculpture or painting, she tends to include fantasy elements in her work, having tremendous patience with fiddly things like working with wire and beads. As a self confessed tree hugger, she turns to bush walking and nature for inspiration. She enjoys creating artwork that taps into the viewers emotions, connecting them to their inner child. Working with wood, she is excited by the different patterns wood grains produce as Mother Nature creates her own unique paintings.

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34. Will Maguire Branxton, NSW

Contrary Man forged steel, 600 x 300cm Price: $11,000 Angular yet straggly graceful forms expressing the confusion and contradictions of modern life.

Will is a contemporary blacksmith based in the Hunter Valley. With a background in industrial blacksmithing and a keen interest in design, Will creates meaningful work based on the context and life which surrounds it.

Over the last few years he has harboured a growing interest in sculpture, the allure of the indistinct, incommunicable emotions a work can create, often individual to the viewer.

This has started a journey of unquantifiable quandary and enquiry.

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35. Ralph Tikerpae Wyalong, NSW

Little Red and the Wolf recycled metal, 170 x 138 x 55cm Price: $2,400 This is part of an evolving series of works begun for an exhibition at Orange Regional Gallery based on fractured fairy tales. Ten years on and I have repeatedly used the theme of Little Red Riding Hood and the Wolf. This work blends her little girl’s hair and frilly skirt and the wolf’s mechanical gnashing of teeth, with a see sawing change of balance and power. Little Red is a modern woman with modern issues. She regularly deals with a wolf and rarely ends up on the downside of the see saw.

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36. Edward Milan Kotara, NSW

Ghostship steel mesh, wire, fabric, 480 x 300 x1200cm

Price: $5,000

The Ghostship idea comes from the ship motif which I use in a lot of the objects I make. A ship emerging from the forest creates a strange juxtaposition, think Werner Herzog's Fitzcarraldo. I am used to witnessing these large vessels entering and leaving the harbour and wanted to place them in a new context.

Edward works predominantly with found or recycled materials and manipulates these materials, with no real destination in mind. His work is made by drawing, cutting, painting and assembling materials; primarily recycled timber, with three main types of imagery - planes, cars and ships. These motifs started appearing in his work twenty years ago, and have now become concentrated forms of expression in his work. They're not loaded with meaning. He just like to use them for their simplicity and recognisability.

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37. Bridget Whitehead Cardiff Heights, NSW

Equinox gosford sandstone, dimensions variable Price: $600 This basic sundial reflects a desire for a simple life governed by the movement of the sun across the sky rather than the demands of this connected age. The sundial is made to be accurate on a single day of the year - at the equinox - that balance point between winter and summer when day and night are the same length. Stand on the flat rock at midday on the equinox and your shadow will kiss the noon marker.

Of course the simple life is a rose coloured daydream but time spent noticing the natural world can temper the pressures of modern life.

Bridget describes art as a natural progression from her childhood interest in rocks and beach combing, through her career as a geologist to working stone as a sculptor. She works with natural stone and with stone-like materials to make sculpture that is at home either indoors or outdoors.

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38. Leesa Knights Allambie, NSW

Take me to the River fibreglass, wood, paint, 400 x 80 x 30cm Price:$1,800 Having previously installed a canoe sculpture between trees to create an ascending/floating effect I am now interested in installing a canoe into a vertical position so that the viewer's mind is forced to flip the expected horizontal image of the object into an unexpected vertical position. The idea is that the eye is swallowed by the powerful ellipse shape that stands tall and defiant amidst the landscape.

The sculpture has been designed to rotate with the direction and force of the wind offering a changing view and additional element of surprise.

This sculpture is literally a story in motion, one of hope, strength and new beginnings. As I see it, she once had a function, a purpose through the waterways of time. Now she is fully present, her destiny is calling as she fosters the role of guardian to protect the land where waters meet.

Leesa is an environmental artist working across multiple disciplines which include drawing, painting, sculpture, assemblage, installation and public art. Her artistic practice is reliant upon reuse and transformation, utilising both natural and man-made materials that are either foraged or salvaged.

Her objective is to create works that are aesthetically pleasing but also powerful enough to draw intrigue, stir conscience and encourage change.

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39. John Logvyn Yass, NSW

Birds Gone Wild shovels, picks, pitch forks, reinforcing bar, old ball bearings, mattocks, washers, edger blades, hand rake, axe head, mild steel weld Price: metal $3,850, bird $2,100 orange $1,400 John is inspired by wildlife and in this series, particularly the characteristics of birds.

Sourcing unwanted or unneeded items, he creates a bird or animal giving them new life thus removing material from the waste cycle and doing something positive for the planet.

They become an upcycled object for indoors or outdoors to be enjoyed for many years.

Originally a hobbyist welder, John's interest has progressed into larger artworks with recycling always the underlying ethic in his work.

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40. Cathy & Jim Hamilton Muttama, NSW

Prickly Pear marine grade steel, timber stump, 30 x 65 x 110cm.

Price: $2,800 All my sculptures reflect some part of nature. This piece is made of prickly components, hence the play on words.

41. Cathy & Jim Hamilton A Field of Agapanthus mild steel, enamel paint, 25 x 25 x 130cm each Price: $160 each A beautiful flower which in some places is classified as a weed - by definition, a wild plant growing where it's not wanted. These Agapanthus don't grow, don't die and spread ... the perfect companion.

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42. Sharon Taylor Newcastle/Lake Macquarie, NSW

Ochre & vines local terra sigillata on recycled clay, shiraz vine prunnings, 1.5m high

Price: $2,800

This work is created in response to my residency at the Undercliff Winery, exploring the property, engaging with the landscape, and collecting resources. As clay is my medium of choice, I was drawn to the clay dug from the old clay pit (now waterhole).

This clay proved rich indeed after refining, providing a striking colour and smooth, soft texture for the ceramic component of the piece. The other materials I chose to try and tame were the discarded Shiraz grapevine cuttings. The resulting ‘towers’ represent the many symbiotic relationships between the clay and the vine, both intertwined throughout history, the vessel and the wine!

43. Sharon Taylor Wollombi HIlls ceramic oxides, local terra sigillata, 60 x 60 x 120cm Price: $2,650 Inspiration for my ceramic sculptures usually comes from the landscape and Australian bush. In this case the hills enveloping the vineyard at Undercliff and the local area of Wollombi provided the muse. The forms are hand built from recycled clay. Earth tones on the ‘hills’ come from clay that was dug from the old clay pit, (now waterhole) at Undercliff winery. The clay was dried, ground and refined to produce ochre coloured terra sigillata, which was painted onto the forms.

Texture is provided by found objects from the property, banksia pods, rocks, bark, twigs and gum leaves.

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44. Akira Kamada and Kerry Laws Tomerong, NSW

Rainbow Circle II Vines, branches, wire, twine, cable ties, fishing line, strips of hand-dyed fabric, dimensions variable Price: NFS This work is a reflection on and celebration of the interwoven spectrum of people within and behind the rainbow colours that have come to represent sexual equality, diversity, freedom, acceptance, and inclusiveness in our world. It acknowledges the individuals as well as the masses who have fought for their own rights and to support and encourage all people to be true to themselves. The 8 colours reference the original gay pride flag devised by US artist Gilbert Baker in 1978.

Akira and Kerry have worked together on a number of collaborations over the past 30 years - though bringing different ideas, still sharing a similar feel for what they do.

Increasingly they are inspired, through their collaboration to make work that speaks to current events or issues.

Akira creates his art from materials he finds around him in everyday life; often using natural materials such as twigs, branches or vine bundled or woven into various organic shapes. Kerry works on paper and is also drawn to textiles and natural fibres.

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Sculpture in the Vineyards acknowledges the traditional custodians of the land where this event takes place.

We acknowledge the Awabakal people to the east, the Wannaruah people to the north west and the Darkinjung people to the south. Wollombi is regarded as the meeting place for all Aboriginal tribes.

SINV 2017 Team

Tara Morelos: Director Kes Harper : Curator and Exhibitions Manager Laura Heslop: Public Relations Officer Nicola Spears: Photographer

SINV Committee

Chairperson: Phillipa Heslop Secretary: Jane Hamshere Treasurer : Michael Winnick Committee: Peter Hamshere

SINV Venue Partners Noyce Brothers Wine The Fireshed Gallery Wollombi Real Estate Cessnock Regional Gallery (CRAG)

Sculpture in the Vineyards would like to thank everyone who assisted in making the 2017 exhibition possible: Adam Drylie, Michael Noyce, Kerrie Basha, Barbara Rodham & CRAG volunteers, Ahn Wells, Braddon Snape, Judith White.

Cover artwork: (front) John Karran - What Lies Beneath, firewood log, 80 x 32 x 37cm, Undercliff Winery and Gallery. (back) Rhonda Castles - Moonlighting corten, steel, lighting, 200 x 60 x 30cm, Stonehurst Cedar Creek Wines.

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28 October - 3 December 2017

Š Sculpture in the Vineyards inc.