On Wednesday, April 22, 2020, Fellows Favorites opened online at National Sculpture Society’s website.

NSS Fellows were asked to submit a personal favorite from their own body of work for a special online exhibition. Artists responded with a variety of sculpture: from public collections to museum acquisitions to one-of-a-kind carvings to rarely seen treasures. The pieces on exhibit give the viewer some insight into what inspires each artist and/or how they measure success in their own work. Highlights include a 22-foot tall mastodon; a dragon-slaying knight; a humorous portrait of Ruth Bader Ginsburg; an angel in deep-thought; and a European monarch in repose. The dozens of figurative and animal sculptures on display represent the diverse styles, backgrounds and disciplines of NSS Fellows.

Sculptors featured in Fellows Favorites are: Anthony Antonios; Béla Bácsi; Joy Kroeger Beckner; John Belardo; Richard Blake; Kate Brockman; José Buscaglia; Eugene Daub; Darrell Davis; Thomas Durham; D.L. Engle; Kathleen Friedenberg; Zenos Frudakis; Jay F. Goldstein; Ben Hammond; Norman Holen; Lee Hutt; Carter Jones; T.D. Kelsey; Joshua Koffman; Simon Kogan; Kirsten Kokkin; Tuck Langland; Jim Licaretz; Gwen Marcus; Roger Martin; Walter Matia; Janice Mauro; Herb Mignery; Paul Moore; Dora Natella; Lawrence Noble; Leo Osborne; Tanya Ragir; Rosetta; Sandy Scott; Sandra Shaw; Joseph Sheppard; Tim Shinabarger; Lori Shorin; David Turner; Kent Ullberg; Willy Wang; Dale Weiler; Myra Weisgold; Wesley Wofford; and Rod Zullo.

When asked to elaborate on their favorite works, NSS Fellow and Connecticut resident, Janice Mauro, felt her piece, She Waits, best reflected the world’s current crisis. “I chose this image because l feel the severed head in her sterile environment metaphorically best describes the uncertainty and fear of our pandemic world, the disconnect with our lives as we knew it, and the waiting for safety to return.”  In rural North Carolina, NSS Fellow Wesley Wofford enjoyed the challenges he faced while creating his bas-relief Serenity. “What I enjoy about these animal monumental relief commissions is the artistic freedom to explore how mountains and valleys of clay can define form.  Unlike a sculpture in the round, there is a freedom to the abstract nature of a relief that emphasizes the act of sculpture in the final piece. Discovering a symbolic yet informative shadow that captures the essence of an animal is an exhilarating sculptural experience. “

National Sculpture Society was founded in New York City in 1893 by a group of America’s most prominent sculptors. Its members have created much of this country’s public sculpture, coins, and medals since the late 1800s. It is the oldest organization of professional sculptors in the United States and has been hosting exhibitions for over a century. Fellows (FNSS), Elected Members (NSS), and Associates designate the types 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.

Fellows Favorites is on view on the National Sculpture website and then will remain in archives for easy access.