Online Sculpture in the Vineyards proving popular

By Jim Kellar

From the catalogue: Actinotus Helianthi, the flannel flower, which thrives on rocky ridge tops, in sandy soil, found in Wollombi Valley, by Amanda Lockton, of Fernances Crossing.

The online catalogue for Sculpture in the Vineyards is certainly proving some consolation this year.

Buyers have purchased more than $36,000 worth of sculptures from the festival's online catalogue which has only been online since September 1.

The event, scheduled for September, was cancelled due to COVID restrictions.

However, organisers had already selected finalists and were to proceed with producing the event's catalogue online.

Pieces sold so far include Oil Drums, by Aaron Crowe; Balance by Kate Gorman; Shadow, by Mark Niglia; Dancing Pairs by Jorg Plickat; Chimera by Laurent Rivory; and Flow by Bridget Whitehead.

The Wollombi Valley Sculpture Festival is the longest-running regional outdoor sculpture exhibition in Australia. It celebrates contemporary sculpture in all its forms, from sophisticated, modernist art works to more whimsical and ephemeral pieces.

From the catalogue: Reasons be to Cheerful, by Margarita Sampson.

"The sculptures include abstract, figurative, representational and hyper-realistic works using a wide variety of materials such as steel, wood, stone, bronze, fibreglass and woven fibres," curator Wendy Black says.

The festival has become a prominent event in the arts calendar of NSW. Last year over 160 sculptures were displayed in four indoor galleries, two vineyards and throughout the scenic landscape of the Wollombi Valley. A similar number were planned for this year from over 300 entries.