For Immediate Release: February 18th, 2026 — Visual Artists Newfoundland and Labrador (VANL-CARFAC) is pleased to announce Luca Apel as the recipient of the 2026 Pivotal Point Grant.
Luca Apel is a sculptor and installation artist based in St. John’s who works with scavenged and off-cut wood to create works inspired by physiology and his heritage as a Polish immigrant. The Pivotal Point grant is in support of a trip to the Carving Studio and Sculpture Centre in West Rutland, Vermont. This trip is meant to build on his current practice, with workshops on new techniques in wood sculpture and in carving in alabaster, limestone and marble.
“I’m compelled to push the boundaries of my technical abilities, while also realizing that this means overcoming substantial technical challenges.” Luca said. “At a certain scale wood sculptures begin to exceed the size of available trees – especially here in Newfoundland—but joinery makes that possible. The Carving Studio and Sculpture Centre is one of the few places where I can learn both advanced woodworking joinery and stone carving together. I can create my own pieces with hands-on mentorship from a skilled professional and access to the sorts of specialized tools and safety equipment that would otherwise be prohibitively expensive.”
“Luca’s application articulated with exceptional clarity how pivotal this grant would be to the evolution of his practice,” said this year’s jury. “Having only recently transitioned from two-dimensional carving to freestanding wood sculpture, and now beginning to work in stone, he stands at a significant moment of growth. This opportunity offers an ideal context in which to both deepen and expand the skills he has so thoughtfully developed, while applying them within an entirely new medium. Luca’s work is already distinguished by its remarkable detail and expert craftsmanship, and the jury is eager to see the compelling directions his practice will take from here.”
For media enquiries, please contact VANL-CARFAC at vanlcarfac@gmail.com or (709)-738-7303
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