Patrick Dougherty Speaks about the Meadowmorphosis in a Free Lecture on May 18
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.
by Randee Humphrey, Director of Education, Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden
The Meadowmorphosis continues! We’ve been moving scaffolding around to enable Patrick and his assistant Andy Lynch to work up high on another “rooftop.” Visitors continue to show a lot of interest, and I’m excited by the many guests who already have been following the project on our website and on-line community page. And speaking of community—Community Idea Stations sent a crew out this morning for a quick video interview with Patrick. Some footage that WTVR Channel 6 shot earlier this week will air sometime today, and you can look for Julie Young’s feature story on Patrick Dougherty in Saturday’s Richmond Times-Dispatch.
A few hearty souls will go out today in search of more short pliable sticks. Yes, perhaps we’ve “drawn the short stick” with this assignment, but we hope to do a blitz job on some acreage in Hanover County and truck back to the Garden some choice small saplings so that Patrick will have plenty of material to finish this very ambitious project. Our Hanover Friend in Forestry, Dave Terwilliger, did a great job on short notice helping us identify this additional harvest site. Meanwhile, I’ve just learned that our Chesterfield forester, Rich Reuse, will not be able to join us for Patrick’s lecture next Wednesday evening, 7 p.m. at the Garden, because he’s headed to west Texas to fight the wildfires that continue to burn out there. Be safe out there, Rich, and thanks for all your help on our Meadowmorphosis project.
For those who have not yet RSVPed to attend Patrick’s free lecture, please join us! It will be an entertaining evening, to be sure. Seating is limited, so don’t delay!