The Jury of Awards met at Brookgreen Gardens to decide the 16 prize recipients of National Sculpture Society’s 91st Annual Awards Exhibition. The Jury of Awards is composed of at least two sculptors and a curator and this year included NSS Fellow John Belardo; Ann Malphrus, Sculptor; and Helena Fox, Owner/Director Helena Fox Fine Art (Charleston, SC).

The top prize — the NSS Gold Medal and Charlotte Geffken Prize — went to NSS Fellow, Sandy Scott for her bronze, Bred for the Plowland. The inspiration for her award-winning sculpture of a Plow Horse is her memories of growing up on a mid-western farm. “I grew up hearing about my father’s young days on the farm and my mother’s trials and challenges of being a young farm wife . . . especially during harvest. As a little kid, our family visited the old farm often and I learned before the tractor changed farming practices, my Dad was considered the best hand with a team of horses in Dubuque County, Iowa. Childhood memories of the golden age of the working horse are distant, but now when I drive through eastern Iowa, I envision my father as a young man walking behind the plow and harrow with his team, Pete and Bud, over the rolling black fields.  Bred for the Plowland is a tribute to the working farm horse and the men who worked them.”

The NSS Silver Medal and Maurice B. Hexter Prize went to Brendan Johnston for his stone carving Tiburtinus I. Not only is Johnston a first-time exhibitor with NSS, this is Johnston’s first carved portrait. “Tiburtinus I is carved from a block of Red Persian Travertine. The sculpture was enlarged through the pointing process from a terra-cotta portrait that was modeled from life. I wanted to capture the deep interior thoughts of the subject. Red travertine, with its irregular patterning and subtle color variation seemed a perfect stone to complement the portrait. Having only recently learned how to stone carve, this was my first attempt at carving a portrait. The ‘imperfections’ in the stone end up giving the piece its strength.”

Texas artist and NSS Fellow, Mick Doellinger won the NSS Bronze and André Harvey Award for his bronze Classic with a Twist. As a dedicated animal artist, Doellinger knew this portrait of the African cat needed his own special touch. “I have admired & contemplated the classic lion sculptures that cultures around the world have enjoyed for eons. However, my compositions come from within, and not from specific images, so I had to let the ideas maturate for years before the inspiration finally arrived to begin Classic with a Twist. As the title indicates, I was inspired by the classics, but chose to add my own twist to a timeless subject. When you look closely, you will notice the lion’s hindquarters are laid to the left, his fore-end is curving to the right and he’s gazing off in the opposite direction, effectively creating an S-Curve in his spine (the Twist).”

The entire show of 37 sculptures will travel to Indy Art Center in Indianapolis, IN and be on view from August 19 – December 15. In 2025, the 16 prize-winning works will travel to the NSS Gallery in NYC for the 91st Annual Award Winners Exhibition, January 13 – March 22.

LIST OF 91st ANNUAL AWARD WINNERS:

 

1. NSS Gold Medal and Charlotte Geffken Prize of $4,000. For best overall sculpture in the exhibition (First Place, “Best in Show”)

              Bred for the Plowland by Sandy Scott, FNSS

 

2. NSS Silver Medal and Maurice B. Hexter Prize of $3,000. For the second-best sculpture in the exhibition (Second Place)

              Tiburtinus I by Brendan Johnston

 

3. NSS Bronze Medal and Andre Harvey Award of $2,500. (Third Place)

              Classic with a Twist by Mick Doellinger, FNSS

 

4. The Anna Hyatt Huntington Award of $1,000. and a Brookgreen Medal. For a work in any medium displaying high quality in concept, design, and execution.

             Don Quixote by Rett Longmore

 

5. Fred and Cheryl Newby Patrons Award of $1,000.

             Apparition by Diane Collins

 

6. Marcel Jovine President’s Prize of $1,000. For a realistic work, preferably in the form of a bas-relief.

            Sliders, Down by Jeremiah Welsh, NSS

 

7. Marilyn Newmark Memorial Award of $1,000. For a realistic sculpture done in the classical tradition.

           Attitude by Anthony Antonios, FNSS

 

8. Marion and Gilbert Roller Memorial Prize of $1,000.

          Wary Wake by Darrell Davis, FNSS

 

9. Pietro and Alfrieda Montana Memorial Prize of $750. For an outstanding work, either carved or cast.

           Flowing Torso by Ryoichi Suzuki, FNSS

 

10. The Susan and Robert Polack Prize of $1,000. Recognizing artistic achievement by a first-time exhibitor.

          Bloom by Malynda Cooper

 

11. Agop Agopoff Memorial Prize of $500. For a classical sculpture.

           Sunshine by Gwen Marcus, FNSS

 

12. Ortmayer/Corcoran Teacher Inspiration Award of $500.

           Caw of the Wild by Jeremy Bradshaw, NSS

 

13. Jane B. Armstrong Memorial Award of $400.

           Anahit by Stephen Saxenian

 

14. Margaret Hexter Prize of $300. For a creative sculpture in the round.

            Board Meeting by Ken Rowe, FNSS

 

15. Edith H. And Richman Proskauer Prize of $300. For a non-traditional sculpture

           Inhale by Sherry Rossini

 

16. Beverly Hoyt Robertson Memorial Award of $200. and Gloria Medal. For the work of the highest quality by a young sculptor (age 40 or younger)

           Shelter I & II by Taylor Fawcett