Sculpture and Open Studio Garden

The first Gracewood Studio open garden was a success.
On a perfect sunny day, about 75 people visited the garden. I was still painitng when the first visitors arrived, so they got to see the artist at work. It was good was to stop and enjoy the garden like any visitor. 

 Visitors entered through the little gate, it's a compressed experience walking between the bamboo hedge and the garage. The Buddha with the saw blade halo is the Welcome.

Wood fired ceramic pot by Richard Brandt.

Handicapped and elderly visitors were able to navigate all the paths and found many places to rest. There are six permanent benches and many mobile chairs throughout the garden.

Some of the benches are only 8 feet apart, but are completely different experiences due to the screening of the plantings, the art and the design. This was the first bench in the garden.

When you provide places to pause and rest, people can notice the details, like this lovely volunteer columbine at the base of the bench.

Having made a place to rest, what do you see when you sit down?
I planted Mahonia aquafolium to screen the view and placed this ceramic acanthus fragment low. You don't notice it walking, only when you actually sit down is it visible.

Acanthus terra cotta fragment amid the mahonia and rose Bell Isis.

The south facing wall with grapes and bench. On a sunny day in September,  you can simply reach up to pick the grapes.