Two works by Aberdeen artist Stephen Irwin were acquired for the Mudgee Sculpture Walk at Sculptures in the Gardens at Rosby on the weekend.
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The Mid-Western Regional Council Acquisition prize went to Mr Irwin’s Take the Plunge.
Mr Irwin also won the Moolarben Coal Acquisition Prize for I’ve Always Wanted to Do That.
Both works will be installed in the new Lawson Park as part of the growing sculpture walk.
Mr Irwin said the two works were the first he has sold for a public collection.
“To have my children be able to come in 50 years and see my work on public display is something that I have dreamed of,” he said.
Mr irwin said Take the Plunge, originally created for Bondi’s Sculpture By the Sea, took 67 metres of steel and 240 hours to complete.
The sculpture’s message is “get up, do the best you can, and let’s do it”.
I’ve Always Wanted To Do That, was inspired by the people who say “I’d like to paint, I’d like to do that, this is what I’d like to create”.
“You can picture what you want in the picture for yourself,” Mr Irwin said.
A third work, Josephine, by John Fitzmaurice, was acquired by Friends of Sculptures in the Garden for the Mid-Western Regional Council collection and will also be displayed in a public space.
Former Art Gallery of NSW director Edmund Capon, who was part of the panel which chose the winning works from 234 entries, said the pieces acquired were chosen on the quality and interest of the works.
“Judging can get quite feisty, but there was uncontentious agreement,” he said. “We were surprised to find that the second work chosen was by the same artist as the major work.”
Winners in the children’s section were Katelyn and Alex Hadley’s The Tin Brothers That Went To Space, Audrey Walker, who submitted three sculptures, and Cudgegong Valley Garden Club for To The Succulent Moon.
The “best in show” award went to the Mudgee Preschool Western Room’s Space Rocket.
Amber Norton Knight of the Sculpture in the Gardens committee said while gate taking were still being tallied, crowd numbers were up on previous years, with an estimated 3000 attending over the two days. Sculptures in the Garden assists Guide Dogs NSW/ACT.