MURRUMBATEMAN sculptors Michael Le Grand and Stephen Harrison are among the many artists who’ve made the trek across the Nullarbor to exhibit in the 15th annual “Sculpture by the Sea” at Cottesloe Beach, Perth.

The exhibition is featured from the sea wall all the way along the sand towards North Cottesloe and on surrounding grassed areas, creating a sculpture park for the duration of the event.

A mirror-image of the springtime Sculpture by the Sea at Bondi, the outdoor exhibition this year attracted 71 artists from 17 countries, including Australia.

Canberra/Queanbeyan artist Philip Spelman, who exhibited last year, was on the curatorial panel.

Like its counterpart in Bondi, the emphasis at Cottesloe is usually on site-appropriate works befitting the marine environment.

Harrison’s outdoor lighthouse-inspired work, “The vague but slightly illuminated eye of perception”, made of concrete, steel, bronze, solar light, shot as the sun was starting to sink beneath the waters of the Indian Ocean.

So far this year the accolades have gone to WA artists, with Miik Green taking out the $10,000 Alcoa Aluminium Sculpture Award for his work, “Thicket 018”, and the Western Australian Sculptor Scholarship of $10,000, going to Rima Zabaneh and Berenice Rarig from WA for “Pods”. The scholarship for travel, study and the advancement of the artist’s career includes an invitation to exhibit in Sculpture by the Sea in Bondi and all WA artistsexhibiting were eligible.

Sculpture by the Sea, Cottesloe Beach, Perth, until March 18, details at sculpturebythesea.com