Sculpture and 2014 Yard Garden and Patio Show

I spoke with garden designer Linda Meyer months ago about new art for her Yard Garden and Patio  garden. How would my paper cut, the little tree, look as a 40 inch square steel panel?

It's been a an expensive learning curve.

The sunflower panel was pretty straight forward. But on this project, because of the scale and the detail involved the laser factory used nitrogen instead of oxygen. That doubled the price. An oxygen cut would have melted the metal. And instead of a shiny surface, there is this dull nickle coloring that has no contrast. No time for powder coating. Get the spray paint......

 Once there is a decent contrast, I'm pleased with how it looks.

 In fact, I love it. It's like an illustration for a dream or fairy tale.

With many different people working on a big display garden, there are things you can't predict.
The circle on the left is centered on the entrance to the women's bathroom. Not an ideal focal point. But it has better contrast of light with the dark panel than the panel on the right that looks into the neighboring garden.

A three day garden show takes months of work!

Sculpture and Siting Art - Saint Gaudens Studio, President Lincoln Portrait

Saint Gaudens monumental portrait of Lincoln is sited off off main courtyard.

The bust is tightly framed by a clipped hedge, that creates a tension in the space.

The tight approach feels as if you are having a private interview with President Lincoln.

(Who chose that bright blue paint for the pedestal though? Bad idea.)

The narrow space limits the number of people and creates a greater feeling of intimacy.

Sculpture and Siting Art - Saint Gaudens Studio, Pan and his pool...

 

This gilt bronze Pan figure is the focus of a small pool near Saint Gaudens studio.

The big leaves of the planting anchors the art and contributes to a feeling of primal lushness.

 The Pan figure is not large, maybe 3 feet tall? (I should have measured.)

Imagine this sculpture without those big leaves, it would appear insignificant, much less magical. 

You'd look at the house, or out past it to the forest.

The clever planting allows the art to change in emotional content throughout the year.

Think how differently Pan's music sounds in fall when those big leaves are tattered and yellow.

Imagine what flute notes he's playing when those strong shoots emerge from the ground 

(or the greenhouse) in late spring as if his music is charming them to unfurl.

Context matters with sculpture.

Context shapes Meaning.

Look at those lovely water spouts, one cast repeated four times. Leaping golden fish.

Across from this pool, there's a lovely bench, with another Pan and his pan pipes on either end.  

The better to pause and enjoy it all.

Sculpture and The Animals of Paris

It's monkey busine$$ in the Rive Gauche Hermes display windows.
We were hurrying by, but stopped in our tracks to look and take these photos.

It was total chaos.

Animals cavorting in the boudoir and drawing room. Not just any animals, anatomically correct orangutangs of both genders. Mon Dieu!

 What the hell is going on? Who's idea was this?
Leila Menchari is the designer. Read more about this window here, and Leila's work here and here.

The windows are very funny, very detailed, with vignettes within vignettes.
The party was out of control, you had to be there........ and for once, I was.

Sculpture and Context

After vacation, it's always fun to return to the studio and garden to find it full of naked ladies.

The bright pink flowers, Amaryilis belladonna, are like a chorus in front on my little lion carving,
...and suggest he's singing the song, from the movie the Wizard of Oz,  "If I only had the nerve."
 
"I'm afraid there's no denying 
I'm just a dandelion, 
a fate I don't deserve. 
But I could show my prowess, be a lion not a mouse,  if I only had the nerve."

Sculpture outdoors is seen to best advantage when you consider and establish as many relationships as possible between the art and the site. 

The lion, usually surrounded by tall blond grasses (Lion stalking or cat in the grass) now has an added twist of questionable courage from the late summer surround of pink flowers.

Sculpture and Presentation

See how much easier it is to see the sculpture now?

Finally you can see the art. The sawblade is not junk sitting around, now it's the perfect backdrop.

The dark color of the stone and the quiet forms of the sculpture needed a very quiet background in order to be seen. Pedestal top and shaft were painted a rusty brown.

(I'll probably paint a bit of faux rust patina on the pedestal to break up that expanse of solid color.)

This is the first thing you see as you enter the garden through the little gate. A perfect welcome for next month's open garden and open studio.....


The dual nature of the saw blade / halo makes me laugh. Always a good sound in the garden.