Learning Our Lines

by Diana Plasberg, Volunteer, Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden

Note: Over the next few weeks, we will bring you updates on the progress of the Patrick Dougherty stick sculpture installation at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden. We are calling this 3 week transformation of the Anderson Meadow  a “Meadowmorphosis.” We will celebrate the completion of the fantasy-like structure with a naming ceremony at Spring Fling on May 22nd. When the work is complete, you will be able to walk through it and peek out openings. The sculpture will be part of the Garden’s landscape as long as Nature allows, so look forward to enjoying it with seasonal changes (and even lighted at GardenFest!)  To get an idea of the type of structure he is building, take a look at some photos of Patrick Dougherty’s other work.

The sculpture, nearly finished and yet to be named.

Before I work a shift volunteering at the Meadowmorphosis stick sculpture, I begin to think about what I’ll blog about. With this morning’s deluge, I figured it would be pretty easy to write about working in the rain. But, as the saying goes, if you don’t like the weather around here, wait fifteen minutes. When I arrived, the sky cleared and we worked in sun and mud. The atmosphere is now a little different at this stage of construction. The artist is focused on refining the sculpture and completing it on time. It takes a bit more skill and craftsmanship than earlier stages of the project. The stick lines have to be defined and stabilized at this point, which is not always an easy task, as I found out. I’m sure its tough for Patrick to have to stop and help us volunteers who have never done this before. I think it will be bittersweet when the work is finished, as so much excitement and energy has gone into the process. The last leg of the journey may be the longest, but I know the end product will be worth the trip.