THE SIA HONOURS RECIPIENTS OF THE ART OF SHEETMETAL AWARD 2005

The SIA Sheetmetal Industry Association's Sculpture Award 2005 for High School Students was recently presented by the Hon Dana Vale at the prestigious 250 guest Gala Dinner held at the Tattersalls Club Sydney.

The Award, fondly referred to as the “Art of Sheetmetal”, was introduced as a joint High School/ SIA initiative in 2003 to encourage and highlight career pathways into the Sheetmetal and Engineering Sectors. The annual competition is designed to encourage students to use their inner creativity and inspirations to express themselves and the situations around them. It not only recognises the creative talents of high school students, but also publicly promotes the Sheetmetal Industry with hopes of alleviating the skills shortages and poor image currently held by the Sheetmetal Industry.

The 2005 award was open to all High School Students aged 13 – 19 years in New South Wales. Next year the plan is for a National Competition. It is an individual competition, with the criterion involving the construction of a sculpture with a predominately sheetmetal/ metal/ wire/ recycled metal medium. Students are nominated by their teachers and submit photos of their works. This year eight finalists were selected, including amazing works from two high support unit students. Each student constructed unique and compelling sculptures made predominately out of metal, tackling a range of issues and ideas from civil rights to fairytales and flowerpots.

The finalist’s works were exhibited at the National Manufacturing Week Austech Exhibition at Darling Harbour. From there the sculptures were judged by a panel of judges made up of the Patron, Ron Robertson-Swann, established sculptor and Acting Head of Sculpture for the National Art School, Mark Goodsell, Ai Group Director NSW, and Roger McFarlane, President of the NSW Sculptor Society.

The grand sculpture prize was awarded to Shannon Brazier of Newtown High School of the Performing Arts, with her sculpture titled “The Bremen Town Musicians”. The prize included a $1000 cheque for both her school and herself. Catherine Lockyer of Walcha Central with the “Determinator” took second place. Two encouragement awards were presented to Genevieve Babington and Jacob Babington of Finley High School High Support Unit for their amazing works “Rings of Bloom” and “King Neptune’s Fork” respectively. The four winners of the Sculpture Award have secured places to exhibit their works in the NSW Sculptor Society’s annual Darling Park Exhibition in August/September.

The Hon Pat Farmer, Parliamentary Secretary for the Minister of Science, Education and Training, Spokes person for Western Sydney, officially opened the Sculpture launch which was held at the Exhibition Centre in Darling Harbour. The launch gave students the opportunity to be recognised and talk about their works with the judges including established artist Ron Robertson-Swann. The Hon Danna Vale later presented the awards to the four winners at the Tattersalls Club, Sydney.

Colin Johnsen, President of the SIA delivered a statement for the students to carry forward. “If you are going to make it, Make It In Metal”. The award is run in conjunction with the SIA/TAFE Sheetmetal Apprentice of the Year Awards. It was open to students from 2005 and 2006. The details of next year’s award (2006/2007) are due to be released shortly. For more information regarding the awards, please contact: ***