PRS NEWS -- April 2026
Dear PRS Members & Community, We are delighted to introduce our newly-formed Advisory Board and to welcome Anita Wiglesworth as one of its inaugural members. Anita serves as Vice President of Programs and Marketing at the Luther Burbank Center for the Arts, where for over two decades she has helped shape vibrant arts programming and deepen meaningful community engagement across the North Bay. She also stewards the Center’s Sculpture Garden, an evolving landscape where art with large-scale sculpture unfolds among pathways and plantings, inviting reflection, discovery, and inspiration. Since 2018, many Pacific Rim Sculptors members have exhibited work in this dynamic setting, making Anita’s connection to our community especially meaningful. A passionate advocate for the arts, Anita brings a wealth of experience in cultivating inclusive cultural experiences, supporting artists, and expanding audiences. I am especially pleased to welcome Anita to this new role for her insight, generosity, and collaborative spirit will be invaluable as Pacific Rim Sculptors continues to grow and evolve. We are honored to have her guidance as we build this exciting new chapter through our Advisory Board. Next month, we look forward to recognizing Charlie Gadeken for his service on our board and highlighting his new role on the Advisory Board. |
PRS COMMITTEE UPDATESMeMbership CommitteeCONTACT: membership@pacificrimsculptors.orgWe are excited to announce that PRS is offering a new mentorship program that will be launching very soon! More information to come. Be sure to look out for emails. We will have two calls going out, one for mentors (seasoned artist or arts professional who has been in the industry for a while) and for mentees (emerging artists looking for advice and guidance to advance their careers). If you know you would like to be a mentor please send us an email at membership@pacificrimsculptors.org so we can keep you on our short list! EXHIBITIONS COMMITTEE |
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WELCOME NEW MEMBERSWe wanted to give a warm welcome to a few of our new members who have joined this year. Starting with our Student Member and PRS Intern: She is a BFA student at San Jose State University studying Spatial Art. Since January, she has become a vital part of Pacific Rim Sculptors helping expand our offerings to our members, event scheduling, social media and more! We have been beyond thrilled to have you a part of our team Alyssa. Next a big hello to our new Business Members: Engineered Artworks is a leading Bay Area-based art fabrication studio specializing in sculpture fabrication, public art, and custom kinetic installations. They are a trusted fabrication partner for artists, architects, developers, and civic organizations, providing full-service support from concept design through installation.
Known as “Davingy,” David I. McGraw is a sculptor whose work transforms salvaged industrial materials into bold, site-specific forms. Influenced by abstract expressionism and trained at the San Francisco Art Institute, his practice merges welding, architecture, and color into dynamic works that bridge urban and natural environments. Each piece reflects an intuitive process rooted in reinvention, material history, and a sense of play.
Video still from Davingy's website Last but not least our new Regular Members who have joined us since January. Please welcome: Virginia Harrison, Therese Lahaie, Austin Buckingham, Kathy deRosas, Martha Dunham, Liz Lauter, Dan Lythcott-Haims, John Sheridan, and Duncan Sherwood-Forbes Welcome to our PRS community! |
UPCOMING EVENTSApril 2026
May 2026
July 2026
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International Sculpture Day is Saturday, April 25, 2026Register your IS Day Event!Whether you’re planning an event or marking the day with a studio open house, an exhibition, or a social share of your work with #ISDay, we encourage you to participate and help amplify sculpture’s role in our communities. If you are a member of the ISC, be sure to register your event through your ISC member portal! Be sure to tag us on Instagram @pacificrimsculptors and use our hashtags: #pacificrimsculptors #PRS
2022 ISDay participant ARS.NATURA.UTA - A Culture and Arts Center/Bolivia |
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MEMBER NEWSCheryl CoonCheryl Coon’s solo exhibition, ‘Symbiosis,' is on view at Arts Visalia. The exhibition features an immersive installation developed during the isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic. Inspired by microscopic organisms such as viruses, cells, spores, and pollen, the work reflects on the unseen biological forces that shape and impact our physical well-being. Exhibition Dates: April 2-25, 2026
Cheryl Coon, ‘Symbiosis,’ 2026,
'Symbiosis' Exhibition Invitation by Visalia Art Center To learn more about Cheryl Coon’s work, follow her on Instagram: @cherylcoon
Stephanie MetzThe California Sculptors Symposium returns for a weeklong immersive experience dedicated to making, learning, and connecting. Set among coastal pines overlooking the ocean, the symposium brings together artists of all levels for hands-on workshops in stone carving, figurative clay, inflatable sculpture, and more. Participants can expect guided instruction from experienced artists, open studio time, shared meals, and a strong sense of community throughout the week. PRS member Stephanie Metz, who has participated as both an instructor and attendee for the past five years, highlights the symposium as a meaningful opportunity to deepen skills and connect with fellow sculptors. Symposium Dates: April 12–19, 2026
Instructor Jason Arkles teaching stone carving, 2025.
Figurative clay sculpture students at the Symposium. To learn more about Stephanie Metz' work, follow her on Instagram: @stephanie_metz_sculpture
Susannah IsraelSusannah Israel is featured in La Revue de la Céramique et du Verre (Issue 267), with an in-depth article titled “Susannah Israel, céramiste activiste.” The piece explores her artistic development, core principles, and evolving practice, offering insight into her work as both a ceramicist and activist. The feature includes an interview by writer Scott Hutchins, a former Stegner Fellow at Stanford University, where he now teaches. Publication Date: March/April 2026
Susannah Israel with ‘New Prometheus,’
Susannah Israel, ‘Queen Honeybee,’ 2024, To learn more about Susannah Israel’s work, visit https://www.susannahisrael.com/
Barbara M. BerkBarbara M. Berk is included in 'Weaving Between the Lines: Tradition, Innovation, and Back,' a collaborative exhibition presented by the Golden Gate Weavers Guild and the Bay Area Basket Makers Guild. Featuring over thirty artists, the exhibition explores the evolving relationship between traditional fiber techniques and contemporary approaches. Berk’s work investigates the intersection of metal and fiber practices. Drawing from early experiences with sewing and later training in metalsmithing, she hand-weaves and creates bobbin lace using stainless steel and phosphor bronze wire. Her process transforms flat woven structures into dimensional forms through layering, looping, stitching, and welding. Exhibition Dates: April 8 - June 5, 2026
Barbara M. Berk, ‘For Reva,’ 2023, Stainless Steel, Resin,
Barbara M. Berk, ‘Oskar Schlemmer's Dancer,’
Barbara M. Berk, ‘Vertigo,’ 2015, Phosphor Bronze, To learn more about Barbara M. Berk's work, follow her on Instagram: @barbaramberk
Joseph SluskyJoseph Slusky is exhibiting a selection of painted metal sculptures and wood panel paintings at The Orchard Galleries, a recently opened space in Oakland’s Art Murmur District. The exhibition brings together both recent and earlier works, highlighting his whimsical sculptures made from recycled scrap metal alongside his painted panels. Drawing on influences from metal toys, car culture, and twentieth-century art movements such as Constructivism, the work explores what Slusky describes as “fossils of the imagination.” Exhibition dates: February 28 - May 2, 2026
Joseph Slusky, ‘Circles,’ 2022,
Joseph Slusky, ‘Squiggle,’ 2024, To learn more about Joseph Slusky’s work, follow him on Instagram: @josephslusky
John SheridanAsk the Amerikan (Chakras Rot from the Inside) by John Sheridan is included in Making Your Mark, a juried competition exploring how an artist’s mark expresses identity, process, and meaning across drawing, painting, and sculpture. Exhibition Dates: April 11 - May 10, 2026
John Sheridan, ‘Ask the Amerikan (Chakras Rot from the Inside)’, To learn more about John Sheridan’s work, visit https://www.johnsheridanart.com/ and follow him on Instagram: @johnsheridanart
Barry Beach & John SheridanMembers Barry Beach and John Sheridan are exhibiting in the 2026 Left Coast Annual Juried Exhibition, featuring contemporary artists from California, Oregon, Washington, Alaska, and Hawaii. This year's exhibition is juried by Scott A. Shields, Ph.D., of the Crocker Art Museum in Sacramento.
John Sheridan, ‘Founding Father (A Boy's Best Friend is his Greed)’,
Barry Beach, from the Folded and Layered series [Malignant], 2025, Reclaimed Wood and Cardboard, To learn more about John Sheridan’s work, visit https://www.johnsheridanart.com/ and follow him on Instagram: @johnsheridanart To learn more about Barry Beach's work, follow him on Instagram: @barrybeachartwork
Renée OwenLast chance to catch Renée Owen in Narrative Threads, a national juried exhibition of contemporary book works incorporating fiber-based materials alongside other media. Jurors selected 36 works by 31 artists that highlight innovative approaches to book arts through techniques rooted in fiber art. Exhibition Dates: February 10 - April 30, 2026
Renée Owen, ‘Your Ghost…or the Evening Light?’, 2018. Wool hand-felt, indigo, To learn more about Renée Owen’s work, visit her website: https://www.reneeowenartandpoetry.com/
John Babcock, Jeff Key, Susan Zimmerman & Renée OwenPRS members Jeff Key, John Babcock, Susan Zimmerman, and Renée Owen are exhibiting in Pulp – Paper – Book, a highly competitive triennial juried exhibition celebrating both traditional and innovative paper-based works by book makers, pulp wranglers, papermakers, and printmakers. This dynamic exhibition highlights the expansive possibilities of paper as sculptural material, surface, and structure, showcasing artists who push the boundaries of process and form. Exhibition Dates: March 14 - May 3, 2026
Renée Owen, ‘As the World Melts’, 2025. Recycled blue jean and plant pulp, recycled consumer packaging, net. 60 x 46 x 46", Photo Credit: Bob Stender
Jeff Key, ‘Vessel #88—Pulse’, 2020, 30 x 12 x 25" To learn more about: Johnathan Babcock's work, visit his website at https://www.babcockart.com/ and follow him in Instagram: @babcockstudio Jeff Key’s work, visit his website at https://www.jeffmkey.com, and follow him on Instagram: @jeffmkey Susan Zimmerman's work, visit her website at https://www.susanfiberart.com/ Renée Owen’s work, visit her website: https://www.reneeowenartandpoetry.com/
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FROM THE INTERNATIONAL SCULPTURE CENTER 2026 International Sculpture ConferenceThe International Sculpture Center (ISC) has announced that this year’s International Sculpture Conference will take place in Minnesota’s Twin Cities (Minneapolis–Saint Paul) from October 22–25, 2026. This biennial gathering brings together sculptors, curators, educators, and arts professionals for talks, panels, networking, and creative exchange. Stay tuned for more details as programming and registration open. Early bird tickets open April 15, 2026!
Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen, Spoonbridge and Cherry, 1988, Minneapolis Sculpture Garden. Image courtesy of Meet Minneapolis Save the Date: International Sculpture Day 2026International Sculpture Day (ISDay) is a global celebration of sculpture organized by the International Sculpture Center. This annual event invites artists, organizations, and communities around the world to celebrate sculpture and its impact through exhibitions, demonstrations, open studios, workshops, talks, and more. This year IS Day is Saturday, April 25th. Tag PRS and ISC in your social posts about the events you are hosting! |
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MEMBERSHIP & PARTICIPATIONPARTICIPATE IN PRS
MEMBERSHIP IN PRS & ISCMembers of Pacific Rim Sculptors receive a 20% discount when joining the International Sculpture Center, publishers of Sculpture magazine (ISC, www.sculpture.org). Just enter "PRS" as the Chapter Code. The online version of Sculpture magazine is now available at SculptureMagazine.Art, which includes archived issues. Also check out the ISC Website Sculpture.org member resources; add photos of your works annually for review by collectors, gallerists, curators, and corporate buyers. |
Reminders to PRS members:
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