Tom Bass has been a sculptor of community works for 50 years.  He developed his philosophy of sculpture as a totemic art form in the years following his graduation from the National Art School in Sydney in 1948.  His works express ideas of particular significance to communities or to society at large. Examples of these are: eg ‘The Trial of Socrates’ and ‘the Idea of a University’ at Wilson Hall, Melbourne University; the winged figure of ‘Ethos’ in Civic Square, Canberra, representing the spirit of the community and the ‘Entrance Sculpture’ at the National Library, Canberra, representing the idea of the Library.

Communities of any size, whether they are families or nations, have cultural and social objectives.   These are statements which say who they are as a people and which express values of significance to them as a group.  Sculpture can express through content, and portray through form, those beliefs, values and aspirations which sustain and mould them as a people and that define the particular community.  In the contemporary world of flickering images, sculpture makes tangible emblems that a community can embrace and reconnect with, and which ground them to a physical reality as a reminder of their identity, purpose and values.

It is in this sense that the sculptor serves society professionally – just as any other person with a professional vocation carries out certain duties and function on the basis of specialised knowledge and experience.  The civic artist working in a fully professional way consults and cooperates with those directly involved in any given civic project.  The sculptor’s task is to identify the need and work out the creative solution from his or her own resources.

Clients

Clients include government and semi-government authorities, schools and universities, social groups, the churches, industry and commerce or private individuals.  They may approach the sculptor directly or via an architect or planner.  Sculptor, architect and/or client are collaborators in a common endeavour in which they each in different ways serve the same end. 

The Studio Workshop welcomes prospective clients or their representatives to visit the studio to look at works in progress, discuss ideas with Tom Bass and see what can be done.  Tom Bass will then discuss the project with one or more of the sculptors connected with the Studio Workshop and continue to be involved in their work to varying degrees.  The sculptors who are part of the Studio Workshop have exhibited and have prior experience with commissioned work.

After meeting the client/architect the sculptor designs the concept and presents this in the form of a maquette.  A design fee will be discussed.  On the basis of this maquette a costing is prepared. If there is a strict budget this will be incorporated in the initial design.   Precise estimates of the cost and fee can be made for the making of the sculpture and its installation.