National Sculpture Society Presents the Alex J. Ettl Grant

National Sculpture Society will present Michael Aaron Hall with the 2017 Alex J. Ettl Grant. The grant consists of an unrestricted cash prize of $5,000, a half-page ad in Fine Art Connoisseur magazine (value: $2,150) and a quarter page ad in Sculpture Review magazine (value: $650). It is awarded to sculptors who have demonstrated a commitment to sculpting and an outstanding ability in their body of work.

Sculptors Giancarlo Biagi, Vala Ola and Dora Natella served as the 2017 Ettl Grant jury. For Natella, Hall’s work calls to mind a quote from Auguste Rodin, “Man’s naked form belongs to no particular moment in history; it is eternal, and can be looked upon with joy by the people of all ages.” In the same way, Hall’s figurative sculpture is evocative and timeless.

Hall’s commission work includes the Beckstead Memorial which commemorates the sesquicentennial of South Jordan, UT.  The commanding monument stands nine feet high and depicts five members of the Beckstead family who were among the first settlers of the Salt Lake Valley.  Several of Hall’s other works are multi-figured, including the four figured Outside the Circle, which Hall uses to explore the universal feeling of exclusion.  As an artist, Hall seeks “the skill of hand and eye, and the sensitivity of emotion that will inspire people the way that I’ve been inspired by those special individuals who have dedicated their hearts and lives to the benefit and progress of all humanity.”  On numerous occasions, Hall has exhibited with ARC International Salon and with the Springville Museum of Art in Springville, UT where he is currently part of the exhibition The Classical Tradition: Serenity, Simplicity and Harmony (through August 5, 2017).

National Sculpture Society will present the Ettl Grant on Saturday, June 24, 2017 at the Honors and Awards Dinner, part of the Sculpture Celebration Conference. The Premier Media Sponsor for the Conference, which takes place this year in New York City from June 23-25, is Fine Art Connoisseur magazine.

Image on Sculpture News page: The Beckstead Memorial