AFTER only four years honing her craft, Michelle Cawthorn has become a finalist in the Woollahra Small Sculpture Prize.
The awards, run by Woollahra Council, is open to sculptors from around the world and attracted a record 701 entries this year.
They are vying for the total prizemoney of $19,000.
There are four categories, with the main prize of $15,000 awarded to the winner of the main acquisitive award. Other categories are special commendation ($2000), viewers' choice ($1000) and the mayor's award ($1000).
With a fine arts degree behind her, the relatively new skill of sculpting has given Cawthorn, of Grays Point, the chance to give expression to memories and "free expression".
Cawthorn's work centres on the way memories are provoked by triggers and coupled in the human subconscious to form new associations.
Her entry, Bud, represents fragments of memory while some of her other sculptures mimic childhood toys.
She is pleased she is one of the 43 finalists after just her second year of entering.
All entries had to be up to 80 centimetres in any dimension and freestanding.
Woollahra Council started running the prize in 2001 to celebrate artistic excellence.
Art Gallery of NSW director Michael Brand, art adviser and curator Barbara Flynn, and collector and philanthropist Penelope Seidler are judging this year's prize, which is supported by Mark Moran, John Symond, Sanchia Brahimi, Belle Property Group Double Bay and the InterContinental Sydney Double Bay.
The winners will be announced Friday.
A free exhibition of finalists' work will run October 10-25 at Woollahra Council, 536 New South Head Road, Double Bay.
