The National Sculpture Society (NSS), in collaboration with the Sausalito Center for the Arts (SCA) presents “The Art of Form: Perspectives from The West”, a juried sculpture exhibition showcasing contemporary works from 23 accomplished sculptors across the western United States. Opening May 22, the exhibit features 36 works selected from nearly 80 submissions and runs through June 21, 2026.

This dynamic exhibition celebrates the power and presence of sculpture—its dimensionality, tactile appeal, and ability to transform space. Jurors include NSS sculptors Lori Shorin, FNSS and Pati Stajcar, NSS, along with SCA Executive Director Shiva Pakdel. The exhibit emphasizes traditional craftsmanship and natural inspiration, a hallmark of NSS’s 130-year mission to promote excellence in sculpture.

NSS Associate Lance Glasser is the ambassador of the NSS Northern California Community and is responsible for retaining and organizing the exhibition.  This is the second year the NSS Community Show has exhibited at the Sausalito Center for the Arts; the 2025 exhibition attracted more than 1,000 visitors and was a highlight of the SCA season.  In 2023 and 2024, Glasser successfully coordinated NSS Community shows at the Reno Sparks Convention Center in Reno, NV.

Artists included in the exhibition are: Isidoro Angeles; Catherine Bohrman; Manuelita Brown; Robert Cantor; Konrad Dunton; Jacquelyn Giuffre; Lance Glasser; Nina Goldfeather; Jane Grimm; Edward Holecko; Christie Janis; Kiran Joan; Ku-Tsang Lin; Adam Matano; Cornelia Nevitt; Luna R. Paesch; Pokey Park; Moana Ponder; Mickey Quinn; Mohammad Ranjbarsadeghi; Paul Reiber; Duncan Sherwood-Forbes; and Nathalie Whisman.

Adam Matano, a Los Angeles resident, looks to animals for his inspiration. “My artistic pursuit lies in a reverence for life and a deep-seated connection to the natural world,” Matano begins. “Grounded in a lifelong affinity for both the arts and nature, my mission is to provoke introspection, evoke emotion, and to cultivate a deeper reverence for the interconnectedness of all living beings. Through a dynamic interplay of visceral reactions, reverence for nature, and exploration of humanity’s relationship with it, my work emerges as powerful conduits of contemplation and emotion.”

Utilizing wire, sculptor Duncan Sherwood-Forbes literally pulls his figures out of the air. “My approach to wire is fundamentally rooted in drawing. Rather than constructing volumetric forms, I focus on using wire to divide air, treating space itself as the primary medium,” says Sherwood-Forbes. “The work is indebted to the discipline of contour drawing, where line is used to separate and define the illusion of volumes by outlining their form.”

Moana Ponder searches for the power and grace in her subjects and gently allows them to reveal their stories in bronze. She says, “Usually the subject is a female figure, but the theme or inspiration for the piece is either something to do with the natural world and environment or something more introspective like the growth and development of the inner person as it is shaped by life events. I like to use subtle symbolism in the gestures and details. Because I had years of training in dance, there is an underlying rhythm and grace that I try to capture in each piece.”

The Robin R. Salmon Award of $1,000, sponsored by the Fantasy Fountain Fund, will be given to one artist during the run of the show, along with 2^nd and 3^rd place honors.

Set against the scenic backdrop of the San Francisco Bay, Sausalito offers the perfect setting for this immersive art experience. The Sausalito Center for the Arts provides an expansive, accessible venue where form and creativity come to life.

In 1893, a group of prominent American sculptors founded the National Sculpture Society in New York City. Its members have created much of this country’s public sculpture, coins, and medals. The National Sculpture Society is dedicated to promoting excellence in sculpture that is inspired by nature.