'“Precarious' alludes to the finely balanced forms, some of which appear to defy gravity whilst others could collapse at any moment, hinting at the vulnerability of human existence…”

“Nicky and I have been friends for approx. 30 years and together we have exchanged ideas and influenced each other’s artistic creativity. We have discovered our commonality in the love of the abstract…”

“I grew up with sculpture in my life as my oldest friend’s father, Alan Ingham, was a sculptor. (Alan was Henry Moore’s assistant for four years in the early 1950s and when he came back from the UK he worked with Tom Bass for a while.) Alan’s studio and bronze foundry were down the back of the bush block in Newport where my friend Jane and I grew up. We were always visiting Alan in the studio…”

“When you draw a life model, you’re not just experiencing a unique, intimate and challenging creative process, you are also touching the ‘golden thread’ of knowledge and understanding that comes from centuries of tradition in this practice. Countless artists before you have used life drawing to hone their skills and their ability to render creative ideas…”

“The experience was deeply immersive and intense with the sounds of marble being mined and occasionally pushed down the hillside serving as a backdrop while they were carving…”

“Sculpting has been on my radar since I created my major work for year twelve in high school, ‘Lady in the hammock’. There was a gap from then until Tom Bass Sculpture Studio School became an essential part of my week about 7 years ago…”

“I have always loved working with my hands. Both the sculpture and photography allow for this. Lith photography is a very specialized process of hand printing in the darkroom…”

“Sculpting is an amazing outlet to release stress, and once that goes, the creativity seems to come. I love the feeling of immersion and freedom that you get when you’re carving a piece of stone. It’s physically demanding, tactile and earthy... and in the end you get a three dimensional object that will hopefully bring joy to someone…”

Last month, we were very glad to welcome back Georgina Mills, a figurative realist sculptor and TBSSS guest teacher from Tarntanya/Adelaide, to run two ¾ Life-Size Torso Workshops. We spoke with two of the students who participated about their experience.

Clara Street Gallery invites you to our upcoming exhibition of sculpture and photography, 'skin' by Jenny Pollak. Please come along to meet Jenny and join us for the exhibition opening on Saturday 9 August, 2 - 4pm.

“I recently had the absolute pleasure of taking part in Michael Vaynman’s 2 Day Wax Workshop, and it was honestly just what I needed…”

“As Anni Albers said: “art is something that makes you breathe with a different kind of happiness.” I’ve never done any kind of studio art before, so sculpting is a new kind of happiness for me. I love the challenge of drawing from the right side of my brain for a change… though I still cannot follow map directions…”

In March 2025, members of the TBSSS Board were devastated to learn one of Tom Bass’ earliest civic sculptures had been destroyed in a catastrophic fire in October 2023. In light of this tragic loss, and an investigative article by art critic John McDonald, TBSSS uncovers the history of The Herald Sculpture…

Having lived at the Sydney Children’s Hospital for the last 35 years, we collected the sculpture earlier this year with its chips and scratches, having seen a lot of use, appreciation and play in its life.

It's been a busy couple of months for TBSSS teachers and guest teachers, whose work has been included in sculpture prizes and exhibitions. We thought we'd share news of recent achievements, as well as extend our congratulations.

The opening of the Sydney Metro this month saw Tom Bass’ famous ‘Fountain’ sculpture wonderfully restored and reinstated at the new Martin Place Metro Station.

Tom Bass Sculpture Studio School is celebrating 50 years! We will be sharing interviews with members of our community to mark this milestone. Today, TBSSS alumni Donna Littlejohn.

Tom Bass Sculpture Studio School is celebrating 50 years! We will be sharing interviews with members of our community to mark this milestone. Today, TBSSS alumni William Feez

Tom Bass Sculpture Studio School is celebrating 50 years! We will be sharing interviews with members of our community to mark this milestone. Today, sculptor & TBSSS alumni Brendan Toole.

Tom Bass Sculpture Studio School is celebrating 50 years! We will be sharing interviews with members of our community to mark this milestone. Today, sculptor, TBSSS alumni & teacher Christine Crimmins.