24
Country Hare by Carol Bryant
the exhibition
The Savill Garden
by Andy Bendix and Denise Jaques
We were all in the same boat - COVID19 wasn’t kind to anyone. In truth, we struggled in 2020: exhibitions cancelled, unable to obtain materials we needed for our work, difficulties accessing studio space, no models, and so on. But we mostly managed to keep our creativity simmering and gurgling along, and we should congratulate ourselves that, against all the odds, the 2020 Savill Garden Exhibition opened in September as scheduled.
We came in a timed sequence to keep us safe, we bellowed at each other through masks, we resisted the urge to hug old friends and we failed to identify others from amongst the band of masked Lone Rangers. But, seeing all the exhibits coming together on set-up day we felt proud to belong to this amazing group of sculptors.
The Exhibition was very well attended, despite the COVID-compliant requirement to pre-book tickets to the Garden, and we received some great publicity. The staff at The Savill Garden were as amazing as ever in their efforts to promote and support the event, us as individuals and the Surrey Sculpture Society as a whole. We couldn't wish for a nicer, more professional bunch of people to work alongside.
Amazingly, despite the pandemic, despite the lockdown and uncertainty, by the end of the Exhibition we had sold a record-breaking 114 sculptures with a couple of after-show sales trickling through towards Christmas. In cash terms, this doubled the previous year’s total. We were all delighted and a glass or two of Windsor Great Park Sparkling Wine (highly recommended) were raised to The Savill Garden.
Yoga by Maggie Butler
Pheasant by Holly Hickmore