The 2024-2025 Rosemary Beach Sculpture Exhibition opened on October 19, 2024, featuring nine captivating sculptures installed across the parks, greens, and town square of Rosemary Beach. After receiving a record number of submissions this year, the RBSE committee, in collaboration with the Rosemary Beach Property Owners Association and the Townscape Enhancement Committee, carefully selected pieces that complement the architectural heritage and natural beauty of the community.

The sculptures will remain on display for a full year, allowing both homeowners and visitors numerous opportunities to experience the art’s beauty, expression, and inspiration.

Additionally, the exhibition showcases six permanent sculptures that enhance the charm of Rosemary Beach.

“I’m most excited about the number of submissions we considered this year, which resulted in a diverse selection of sculptures highlighting each artist’s innovative and unique style,” said Gary S. Handler, owner of Curate 30A gallery. “This year’s Exhibition promises to spark interesting conversations and will collectively elevate the visual appeal of Rosemary Beach, offering a dynamic collection that inspires creativity and appreciation for art, nature, and our community.”

Alisa Ghazvini, Head of the Rosemary Beach Sculpture Exhibition Committee, emphasized the community’s commitment to supporting outdoor art. “For me, this year’s exhibition solidifies the commitment of the Rosemary Beach community to elevate outdoor art as a beautiful complement to our striking natural and built environment,” she shared. “The founder of the exhibition moved out of state two years ago, and a dedicated group of homeowners, merchants, and town leaders have stepped in to ensure Rosemary Beach Sculpture Exhibition continues and grows. When the exhibition began in 2017, there were no outdoor sculptures in the area. Now, we have many, and RBSE continues the tradition of bringing new art to 30A.”

Handler also highlighted the role of public art in fostering community connections: “Public art in Rosemary Beach enhances community engagement by fostering a sense of identity and pride among residents and visitors. It creates gathering points for social interaction, encouraging collaboration and dialogue. Additionally, art beautifies shared spaces, making them more inviting and accessible, which strengthens community bonds and attracts tourism that supports local businesses.”

“Many attendees often appreciate the blend of art with the coastal environment. Common reactions include admiration for the creativity and craftsmanship of the sculptures, as well as the way the exhibits enhance the community’s aesthetic appeal,” Handler noted, reflecting on past exhibitions.

“Visitors often highlight the sense of engagement and inspiration the art fosters within Rosemary Beach’s unique architectural style and natural landscape,” Handler said.

“Homeowners and visitors often remark that the sculpture exhibition has enriched their sense of place and space,”Ghazvini added. “Rosemary Beach has beautiful pocket parks, greens, and focal points, many of which are easily missed in the hustle of daily life. Sculptures draw our attention to not only the art but also its surroundings. They encourage us to slow down, appreciate, and reflect on the beauty around us and how it makes us feel.”

The nine sculptures include:

Idyll by Luke Achterberg

Achterberg grew up in central Wisconsin, the grandson of welders and the nephew of automotive customizers. He completed his undergrad at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, studied welding at Western Technical College, and worked as a certified welder and fabricator at a custom job shop before completing his Master of Fine Art in Sculpture at the University of Kentucky.

Dingbat by Earl Dismuke

Dismuke is a Mississippi-based sculptor who is dedicated to enhancing community life through the power of public art. He earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with an emphasis in sculpture from the University of Mississippi and is a co-founder of the Yokna Sculpture Trail, a bi-annual rotating outdoor sculpture exhibition in Oxford, Mississippi. He works out of his studio in Oxford, Mississippi, where he lives with his wife and four children.

Jubilation by Paul Saviskas

Saviskas completed educational training with the Artists as Educators through Kennedy Center for the Arts and Partners in Education with Hawaii State Foundation of Culture and the Arts. He has been in multiple exhibitions in Hawaii and Hawaii’s sister city in Incheon, South Korea and currently has an exhibition in Panama City. His works are in private collections in Hawaii, California, Massachusetts, and New York.

An Oar for Odysseus by Raine Bedsole

Bedsole received a Master of Fine Art from the San Francisco Art Institute and Bachelor of Fine Art from Auburn University. She has been a prizewinner in the Florence Biennale and a recipient of the Joan Mitchell Foundation public sculpture grant, and her work is in the permanent collections of the New Orleans Museum of Art, South Carolina Museum of Art, and the Mobile Museum of Art.

Nucleus by Gregory Johnson

Art scholarships sent Gregory to Bowling Green State University of Ohio, to Europe, and Illinois State University, where he earned a Masters of Art Science. He currently produces 20-30 unique sculptures each year from his studio located in North Georgia.

Vasanzio ‘Troy’ by Steven Buduo

In 2020, Buduo received the Sean Scully Fellowship at Burren College of Art and in 2023 was a finalist for the William and Dorothy Yeck Sculpture Award at Miami University (OH). Based out of St. Louis, MO, he is affiliated with Pryor Fine Art in Atlanta, GA; Marshall Gallery in Scottsdale, AZ; J Petter Galleries in Douglas, MI; and Chauvet Arts in Nashville, TN.

Positivity in Negative Space by Cecelia Moseley

Moseley is a mixed media artist from Meridian, Mississippi. She earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts with a concentration in sculpture from the University of Mississippi in 2020. She is currently finishing her Master of Fine Art in Sculpture at Louisiana State University (LSU). Over the past three years, Moseley has captivated audiences throughout the southern region with her public installations and permanent sculptures.

Maman by Adam Walls

With more than two decades of work, Walls has art included in nationally juried exhibitions in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. He received a BA in Art Education from Limestone College in Gaffney, South Carolina and a Master of Fine Art in Sculpture from Winthrop University in Rock Hill, South Carolina. An art professor since 2006, Walls currently serves as Sculpture Professor at University of North Carolina – Pembroke.

Embrace by Jim Weitzel

Weitzel has a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Columbus College of Art and Design and is the recipient of multiple grants, including Emerging Artist Grant and Regional Artist Project Grant. He has also received multiple first and second place exhibition awards, and he has participated in exhibitions in North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas.

These nine sculptures join six sculptures in the Rosemary Beach permanent collection, including:

· Colors of My Mind by the late George Rodrigue (special placement for the 2017-18 Exhibition and later donation by the George Rodrigue Foundation for the Arts)

· Votive by Gregory Johnson (best in show for 2017-18 Exhibition)

· Empress by Nathan Pierce (best in show for 2019-20 Exhibition)

· Holds Water: Kneeling Rock for Standing Rock by Kimmerjae Macarus (best in show for 2021-22 Exhibition)

· Extinction Blues by Charles Pilkey (second place best in show for 2021-22 Exhibition)

· Bradbury by Kirsten Kainz (purchased from the 2021-22 Exhibition and donated in memory of Jan Stevens)

In-person tours are available by request (visit our website at www.rosemarybeachsculpture.com ). Additionally, photos, information, and recordings of the artists talking about their sculptures will be available on the free OtoCast smartphone app.

To learn more, visit the website at rosemarybeachsculpture.com. Stay up-to-date on news and announcements by following the Rosemary Beach Sculpture Exhibition Facebook page.