Michael Le Grand fondly remembers his first time competing in the Sculpture by the Sea event in 1997.
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"It was a one-day event back then and I remember I drove down in the truck – I bolted the sculpture which was a massive eight metres I think, down at 7am and I unbolted it and packed it up at 4pm," he said.
He was a co-winner on that first trip to Bondi, and now, the Canberra-based artist has participated in the event more than 10 times.
"I actually can't recall how many times I've done the Sculpture by the Sea, but I know I'm in the decade club," Le Grand said.
This year, he joined three fellow members of the "decade club" in receiving the Artistic Excellence Program for his piece, Recoil.
The program has been running since 2012, and is a $10,000 award, donated to a selected sculpture by Leonie and James Furber who base their choice on the artist's substantial career.
Le Grand said receiving the award was unexpected.
"It was out of left field and it was surprising but it was exciting and an honour for me to receive it," he said.
"It's definitely an enabler for me – it will allow me to keep working on my artworks and get a few more things done."
Stephen King's The Folly, Orest Keywan's Provincia Deserta, and Koichi Ishino's April, Cherry Blossoms received the Artists Excellence Program in 2014, 2013, and 2012 respectively.
A lot of work went into Le Grand's Recoil, which is made using pipe and box fabricated stainless steel elements.
Canberra Times art critic Sasha Grishin described Le Grand's tubular steel work as "one of his most refined and accomplished pieces to date".
Le Grand said Recoil is a little different from his other artworks.
"I have a colour repertoire which is kind of automotive colours and this time I've changed, I've gone for a softer grey colour, which is a bit unusual for me," he said.
As for his work process, Le Grand said a lot of time is spent anxiously shuffling around in the studio before he begins; he then has to spend time sourcing materials before he can even begin creating a project.
"Sculpture forms like a person to present a particular character and that's what they end up being," he said.
Le Grand's Recoil is one of four works in Sculpture by the Sea by ACT-based artists this year.
It is joined by Stephen Harrison's Hamlet's Lament, Samantha Small's Stalemate MK II and Philip Spelman's Middle Ground.
