Supporting 3D artists
2017 The Ruth Tait Award for Young Sculptors
In 2017 the Friends ran an award for young graduate sculptors. This award was designed to provide a challenging real life design, commissioning and exhibition experience to a relatively inexperienced sculptor. Applicants were required to demonstrate an understanding of how to design in a form and at a scale that responds sensitively to a given site. They had also to demonstrate that they have a realistic assessment of the time and material costs involved in turning concept sketches into a high quality finished sculpture. The award was presented to Bristol based artist Alice Jennings.
2015
Our award in 2015 aimed to extend the professional practice of 3D artists by funding an artist to explore working in a medium other than their own. We were able to offer professional mentoring in either metal or glass. Applications were invited from any artist resident or with a workshop in Wiltshire.
Three artists were shortlisted by the panel of judges: textile artist Anna Glasbrook and ceramic artists Sarah Purvey and Philippa Macarthur. These three staged a group show at Pound Arts, Corsham, where they exhibited their current work together with material that illustrated their ideas for extending their practice in a new direction.
The bursary was awarded to Anna Glasbrook. Anna used her bursary to explore a range of glassmaking techniques at the Glass Hub in Wingfield. As a result of this experience Anna has developed an understanding of how glass might be used in her current approach to making 3D textile installations. This would allow her to extend her practice by making installations for both outdoor and indoor settings.
The piece shown on the left below is one of Anna’s light boxes using vibrant stitched ribbon. The piece on the right shows an experimental test piece made during her time at the Glass Hub.
2012
Following our 2012 exhibition we announced the Althea Wynne Bursary competition. Althea was a prominent sculptor who had been unstinting in her support and encouragement to us. We were deeply shocked by her sudden death shortly prior to our 2012 exhibition opening and wanted to remember her in a way that recognised her generosity in supporting younger artist. We were delighted to work with her daughter, the glass artist Ruth Dresman, in planning and taking forward a bursary in Althea’s name.
The award, for a Wiltshire sculptor to commission a professional photographer to take promotional images of his or her work, was won by Bull Mill Arts based artist Olivia Clifton-Bligh. We have been thrilled with the way Olivia has developed this commission in order to significantly raise her professional profile both in the County and beyond. We were also pleased to be able to support some of the shortlisted artists by including their work in our 2014 exhibition.
The images below show Olivia in her studio and one of her bronze long dog sculptures.
2009

2007
