Valley   Sculpture   Artists

   Valley Sculpture Artists was founded in 1998 by Lois Gaddis, for the benefit of three-dimensional artists.  The Valley Sculpture Artists are a group of non and professional artists consisting of members dedicated to education, networking and the sharing of information related to sculpture.

  The VSA has numerous years of shows that have featured sculpture and were well received at the Sacramento Fine Art Center and for three years in the Witt Gallery at Sacramento State. We typically have visited studios and collaborated with others who have a common focus such as, Kresimir Luckars and Denise Mayfield of Oakwilde Ranch and Sculpture Park outside of Stockton, the High Hand Gallery in Loomis and recently, we have engaged with Clare Bailey, of the Twenty-One-Ten Gallery and Carol Brewer, of the Blue Moon Gallery Sacramento, to host some of our VSA Members Only Shows.  We have primarily drawn from the greater Sacramento area, but have had entries from the bay area and around northern California.  Also yearly, the Valley Sculpture Artists donates a monetary amount along with an award for sculpture at the California State Fair, fine arts division.

  In addition, the VSA have had distinguished judges for our shows, including: Peter Vandenberge, J. Randall Smith, Gerald Walburg, Yoshio Taylor, Tony Natsoulas, Dick Ketelle, Phill Evans, Jerald Silva, Helen Post, Dave Lane, Bryan Tedrick, Steve Memering,  Don Herberholz and Vernon Peasenell.

  When Don Herberholz was judge for a show we decided to honor him by establishing an award in his honor which has been given out annually.  Don was a professor at California State University, Sacramento and an established professional artist.  He selected the first winner of this award and after his death, the show chairs, VSA board and former recipients selected a person in their midst who had made a significant contribution to the annual show to be recognized.  Don Herberholz Award for Sculpture: 2011 – Steve Cook, 2010-Mark Knize, 2009-Betsy Kluga, 2008-Gretchen Ryan, 2007-Majroie Sahs, 2006-Gary Foster, 2005- Sue Anne Foster & 2004- Anne Bradley. Also yearly, the VSA honors an artist at the California State Fair, by giving a VSA award of sculpture.

  The VSA have brought attention to sculpture and sculptors and hosted such speakers as Manual Neri (www.artistsforum.com/Neri/profile.html). Also, Dave Lane, our local Sacramento sculptor and renowned artist, who has hosted meetings and supported our events for many years. In fact, his commanding monumental sculptures consistently prevail at the state fair and along with, our own Fair Oaks friend of VSA, Phill Evans. Equally, one of our most outstanding exhibitions was in 2006 when we managed to get the paintings and sculptures of Ken Morrow together for a most amazing experience at the Fine Art Center.

  We are a casual group of artists that gather and share information and support further explorations in many dimensions.  VSA welcomes all levels of sculptors from abstract to representational, humorous to thought provoking, who work in a wide variety of art media and modes. 

  For further information and membership applications to the VSA, contact our VSA President, Patty Paige Short - psneon@hotmail.com or 916-332-4619. Join the Valley Sculpture Artists and keep up with our activities on facebook.com.

We invite you to become a VSA member 

  The VSA  invites you to become a member of  Valley Sculpture Artists - We offer several benefits for sculpting artists and people who love fine art. We tour outstanding sculpture artists' studios, have members only guided tours to renown art museums, films, field trips, Members Only shows judged by renown sculpting artists, and much more.

Contact our VSA President, Patty Paige Short - psneon@hotmail.com or 916-332-4619. 

Please join us and watch us grow. 





Don Herberholz Award for Sculpture

The Don Herberholz Award for Sculpture was established in 2004 to honor a sculptor and former professor of art at California State University, Sacramento.

Don made and taught art for over 50 years and was the recipient of a Fulbright Grant to study in India. His work can be found throughout Northern California in public and private collections. He was loved and appreciated by many and in 2004 Valley Sculpture Artists featured his welded steel sculptures in their annual exhibition.

The Valley Sculpture Artists decided to establish an award to honor in his name. The first three years Don selected the recipient for this annual award. Don died in December 2006, but is remembered each year by VSA. He was a dedicated artist who served the greater Sacramento Community and inspired many artists in our midst. We celebrate his contributions in the sculptural arts and hope this award will continue to bring visibility to those who create sculptures and for all to appreciate.