Sculpture Tucson, a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating, exhibiting and appreciating sculpture, marked its 10th anniversary with "The Founders' Show."
The creative visionaries behind Sculpture Tucson are Barbara Grygutis, Jeff Timan and Steve Kimble. Their sculptures can be seen throughout Pima County, including along the Loop, the Jewish Community Center, Hacienda Del Sol Guest Ranch Resort and various locations throughout the city. Some pieces of Grygutis' are even seen in different countries.
Timan, who is a sculptor himself, says the organization's mission extends beyond beautifying Tucson to supporting fellow artists in a challenging field.
"Sculpture is a very difficult business. You know, that's kind of what our calling was – to help sculptors, you know keep creating and making their work because it's hard and there's not a ready market for it, it's expensive, time-consuming," Timan said. "There's very little assistance. No one has a health plan. So the three of us, we're in a position to be able to lend a hand to it and to encourage something that we ourselves loved and love to do — and that's why we're here."
Timan's expertise is sculpting metal. He says the great thing about welding is it's almost instant gratification.
He believes art brings the community together, calling it the epitome of human evolution.
"It's in a way almost useless,and yet it speaks to people and hopefully brings them together in ways that they wouldn't otherwise be. It's a language all its own and it's nonlinear, it's sensual and has so much to do with feeling that it breaks through a lot of barriers that we create between ourselves," Timan said. "There's something about it that let's people get into a dialogue that wouldn't happen otherwise. It's beyond words, and that's what's one of the things that's so great about it."
Sculpture Tucson's Annual Sculpture Festival Show & Sale is each spring at Brandi Fenton Memorial Park. According to Timan, about $350,000 worth of sculpture is sold during the three-day event, with much of that revenue returning to the sculptors. Proceeds are also used in part to purchase, donate and exhibit sculpture in public settings.
The event features more than 50 sculptors from across the country and draws over 5,000 attendees.
Artists interested in showcasing their work in next year's show have until December 10 to submit their applications.
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