Well your votes are in for the “People’s Choice Award” for this years highly successful Wood Sculpture Live event and outdoor exhibition. With 59 votes John Fergusson was the popular choice with his exquisitely made pair of giant scissors, delicately carved to reflect a male and female form within and positioned into the earth to look like it was carving through the soil.

Well your votes are in for the “People’s Choice Award” for this years highly successful Wood Sculpture Live event and outdoor exhibition. With 59 votes John Fergusson was the popular choice with his exquisitely made pair of giant scissors, delicately carved to reflect a male and female form within and positioned into the earth to look like it was carving through the soil. John said he called it “Ploughing through Life together” as it was a reflection of the connections and solidarity among the participating artists. The sculptures will remain on site for a few months to come, so there is still time to view them.

The 6^th Wood Sculpture Live event has come to a close and the result is a magnificent, majestic exhibition of healthy wood and challenging artworks which will remain on display in the grounds of Lake House Arts Centre for some time to come. The official opening took place on Sunday 17^th April and New Zealand renowned Judge Marte Szirmay found the challenge to select three winners significantly difficult with the high calibre of work produced by the 26 participating sculptors.

The premier Becroft Award for best on show was awarded to Joe Kemp who comes from Lake Rotoma, with his competent Macrocarpa and Pohutukawa Sculpture and the incredible feat that this resolved work of art was achieved in just 10 days.  The runner up was awarded to first time entrant, Huia artist Matthew Williams with a tall, bold sculpture carved out of the 100 year old Oak tree that recently fell down in Parnell Road. The owners of the tree were nervous that their beautiful tree would be turned into fire-wood, instead it has been transformed into three significant pieces of art. The Interactive Sculpture Award was presented to Ron Reichs with his “Pouncing Panther’, this work is so powerful in spirit and form that its presence implores the viewer to engage with it. The Panther’s raised tail looks as thought it will come to life and twitch any minute.