National Sculpture Society is pleased to announce the opening of the 88th Annual Awards Exhibition at Brookgreen Gardens in Pawleys Island, SC on June 12. The juried show features the figurative works of 55 contemporary sculptors and is on view through August 22. The 17 prize winners from the show will then exhibit their work in the Award Winners Exhibition in the NSS Gallery from October 4 to December 10 in New York City.

The Annual Awards Exhibition is National Sculpture Society’s most popular show. Hundreds of artists apply to the juried competition which offers thousands of dollars in cash prizes. The variety of subject matter and media exhibited represents the diverse styles, backgrounds, and disciplines of NSS members. Fellows (FNSS), Elected Members (NSS), and Associates make up the levels of sculptor membership in the organization, which is international in scope and appeal. National Sculpture Society is dedicated to promoting excellence in sculpture that is inspired by nature. Highlights of the exhibition include a basketball team in a pre-game huddle, a sneering pugilist, a drowsy rhinoceros named Aristotle, and varying depictions of abolitionist, Harriet Tubman and civil rights activist, John Lewis.

Artists in the show include Elisa Adams, Douglas Aja, Marlys Boddy, Ezra Bookstein, Jeremy Bradshaw, Lindley Briggs, Kate Brockman, Mary Buckman, Craig Campbell, Carol Cook, Eugene Daub, Beverly Davis, Angela Mia De la Vega, Erik Ebeling, D.L. Engle, Steve Flom, Lynn A. Fraley, Jacquelyn Giuffre, Jim Green, Mark Yale Harris, Timothy S. Hooton, Lee Hutt, Scott Johnson, Tuck Langland, Elizabeth Lind, Linda Lindsay, Jacqueline Lorieo, Roger Martin, Walter Matia, Janice Mauro, Georgene McGonagle, Dora Natella, Olga Nielsen, Timothy Nimmo, Peregrine O’Gormley, Ombasa Peter Okechi, Joe Palmer, Bryce Pettit, Gary Lee Price, Ed Smida, Gary Staab, Brittany Ryan, Stefan Savides, David Richardson, Pati Stajcar, Allison Streett, Oceana Rain Stuart, Nicholas Thompson, Ellen Tykeson, Kathryn Vinson, Pen Volkmann, Susan Wakeen, Basil Watson, Maria Willison and Eva-Maria Wohn.

The Jury of Selection and Jury of Awards play an important part in the annual exhibition and each jury is comprised of two sculptors and one curator. This year the Jury of Selection chose the 55 works from the 492 entries received from around the world. The Jury of Selection included D.L. Engle, NSS Fellow; Michael Evert, Sculptor; and Melissa Ralston-Jones, Gallery Curator, Western Connecticut State University.

A Jury of Awards will convene after the show is installed and will include Heidi Wastweet, Sculptor/NSS Elected Member; Angela Cunningham, Sculptor; and Mary Martin, President/Owner, Mary Martin Gallery. The 88th Annual Award winners will be announced at a closing reception on August 21; the Brookgreen Gardens People’s Choice award will be announced at that time as well.