Denver Botanic Gardens with Chihuly Glass
Adams County Xeric Garden Wins Golden Shovel Award
Beauty is in the details
Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden in Febuary
Kizuna: East Meets West bamboo site installation at Denver Botanic Gardens
http://www.stephentalasnik.com/video_floating.html
Artist Talasnik – Chaos meets Serenity: Float, Surrealist world
Mt Goliath Wilderness Area Wildflower Hike
Denver Botanic Garden volunteers lead wildflower hikes on the M. Walter Pesman Trail at Mt Goliath and July 14 was a perfect day to visit. These are a few of the photos that capture the views, the wildflowers, the bristle-cone pines, and the early afternoon storm. It is not only a spectacular trail but so much more informative to have the history, ecosystems, plant names and other bits of knowledge from the guides to increase my appreciation. From the top of the trail in alpine tundra with spectacular views of the continental divide…
to the super busy pollinators…
to seeing the work of the wind with the twists and turns of the trunks, now sun-bleached and full of character harboring miniature gardens…
to the details of the living bristle cone pines…
to the bright red Indian Paintbrushes splashed against sun bleached scrags…
to the edge of the pending summer thunderstorm…
and as a finale: to the DBG maintained garden of native plants at the Dos Chappell Nature Center, where seeds have been re-cultivated to create a marvelous learning opportunity.
Allan Houser Sculpture at Denver Botanic Gardens
An American Modernist, Allan Houser was the first Native American artist who broke the boundaries and didn’t follow the traditional styles. His Warm Springs Chiricahua Apache heritage, his love of nature, his inspiration from Henry Moore and other contemporaries are shown in his bronze works. On loan from the Allan Houser, Inc. south of Santa Fe, New Mexico, this wonderful exhibit is very interesting to view after having the Henry Moore sculptures here last year. These sculptures are smaller and more intimate but still hold their own with beautiful form, texture, and symbolism.
Imagine Allan’s father Sam telling this story that was passed to him by his uncle Geronimo: A long time ago, the Apache suffered during a drought. After much discussion, they chose a young man – not the biggest or strongest, but the purest of heart – to take the special blessed arrow to the top of the highest peak. There into the darkness of night, he shot the arrow asking for rains to sustain his people, the plants and the animals. The rains came and the Apaches survived.
Really powerful and beautiful sculpture. Notice the arm is out of proportion giving emphasis to the act of shooting the arrow. There is a special edition of this at the Smithsonian. An edition was at the entry to the Olympic Village in Salt Lake City in 2002, and the image has graced the license plates for Oklahoma since 2004. This edition is owned by Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center – but for some reason we had an exceptionally rainy May and July so it is working its magic in this location on Anna’s Overlook.
This is perhaps a self portrait of Allan in his mother Blossom’s arms. I think it speaks to the nurturing needed for all of us, the plants and the earth – this is the essence of life especially to the native American cultures. It was originally carved in stone and he used that to make this bronze casting. It has wonderful texture and dual colors of patina. I love the smoothness and shape of the hair in the back as well.
This piece is made out of flat bronze, shaped with darts as you would make a dress. It is so smooth it is impossible to find any “seams”. You can really see his modernism showing, how he has simplified the figures of a Mother and Child theme. The gardens were really spectacular after all of the May rains especially this day in the Rock Garden.
This is a small piece with a beautiful reflection in the pond at Sacred Earth Garden. There is much to wonder about what they are calling, singing, shouting that is echoed repeatedly off the canyon walls. A wonderful mixture of nature and culture – the reflection reminding us to reflect on the stories and songs of our history.
This reclining figure has walked away, left her blanket with a void that shows us her form. The exterior is very smooth but the interior is textured like we would see in the biomorphic (bones) examples of the Modernists. In the early morning before the gardens are fully opened, you can very much feel the Solitude and peacefulness in this Romantic Garden.
The storm clouds were brewing and gave this sculpture some great lighting as well as a formidable back drop. This is a Dineh (Navajo) shepherdess depicting the first drops of light rain on her face. I love the green patina which looks like it was created with natural moisture. The angled lines give a nice definition, to make you pay attention to the art.
I caught this eagle eye looking back at me from the shadows and thought maybe this was a sculpture about the flight of birds? Or is it a couple dancing? Or a dust devil spinning across the plains? Here we feel the force of the wind but this sculpture is constructed of flat pieces of bronze, expertly put together, polished smooth. This sculpture fascinates me and is probably my very favorite. I think I could live with it every day and enjoy all the variations of light, shadow and mood. I really am enjoying all of these sculptures and experiencing them at the Gardens. Hope you get the chance to enjoy them somewhere in your wanderings.
California Gardens
What great color to see outdoors in January! The Getty Center used a variety of succulents planted in a contrasting ground cover, like these hand-sized echeverias, to appear like the blooms – clever.
Check out the size of this agave americana. I enjoyed the variety of cactus and succulents at the South Coast Botanic Garden on the Palos Verdes Peninsula. There were also nice woodland gardens – and we saw iris blooming…probably a first for me to see in January.
Relatively near by in an LA sort of way, is the Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden on the campus of California State University Long Beach. This is a gorgeous pocket respite (from traffic) to stroll and relax. Very nicely designed. Perfect spot for a picnic lunch in January!
The following day after we walked around Batiquitos Lagoon near Carlsbad and enjoyed a picnic lunch on the coast in Encinitas, we visited San Diego Botanic Garden (formerly Quail Gardens). In addition to this succulent garden, they had another planted in such a way that it looked like an underwater coral reef. There were also succulent topiaries which were quite fun.
The Getty Center and Gardens in LA
On 20 January we had the pleasure of seeing the public art documentary “Robert Irwin: The Beauty of Questions” at UCR Palm Desert Graduate Center. With more knowledge of the artist and designer of the central gardens, we particularly enjoyed a docent led garden tour on 25 January.
This was our fourth visit to The Getty Center and it is really such a treat to savor: one of our favorite built environments. It is an incredible site and there is so much attention to detail. We marveled at Richard Meier‘s attention to design from the overall to the minute. Robert Irwin‘s art-garden has matured very pleasantly over the years, and it was great fun to see in the winter without the leaves of the sycamores blocking some of the sight lines.
It was quite amazing how much color was in the Central Garden (The link takes you to the Getty Center Plant list). Gorgeous succulents and grasses of all shades. There was subtle playing of shades of green, textures, and heights. The docent reminded us that this was planned as a work of art first, not as a garden: rather the plants are the medium to express the art. I appreciate this approach!
The design features a “natural” ravine and tree-lined walkway that led us through an experience of sights, sounds, and scents. Everything in the garden was selected to accentuate the interplay of light, color, and reflection. Irwin’s statement, “Always changing, never twice the same,” is carved into the plaza floor, to remind us of the ever-changing nature of this living work of art.
After lunch in the excellent “cafeteria” and the garden tour, we enjoyed exploring the buildings and the art collections. What a collection! Everything from tiny illuminated manuscripts to large sculptures. After having the Henry Moore sculptures in Denver, this one particularly caught my attention. This relationship between the mother and child represents so much of the essence of this architecture – the undulating form that reflects an exaggerated landscape, a shallow cave carved in the side of a rock to shelter her child, creating a haven and nestling place. So it is with the Getty as it gazes out at LA – an independent physical form but so much a part of the spirit of the city. Thanks J.Paul for sharing with all of us!
