Patrick Dougherty Comes to Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden

May 2 - 22, 2011

For three weeks in May 2011, visitors to the Garden will witness the creation of a monumental, site-specific sculpture made entirely of woven sticks and twigs by internationally-renowned artist Patrick Dougherty.

For the past two decades, Dougherty has combined his love of nature with his skills as a carpenter.  Several years ago, using primitive techniques of building, he began to experiment with tree saplings as construction material.

In 1982, his first work, MapleBodyWrap, was included in the North Carolina Biennial Artists’ Exhibition sponsored by the North Carolina Museum of Art.  The following year, he had his first one-person show at the Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.  His work quickly evolved from single pieces on conventional pedestals to monumental scale environments which require saplings by the truckloads.

Dougherty arrives at the site of each new installation with no preconceptions as to what he will create.  Using locally gathered natural materials, and drawing on inspiration from the surrounding environment, he designs larger-than-life structures that when completed may remind visitors of a nest, cocoon, or even a fairy tale dwelling.  At the conclusion of his residency, Dougherty will name his creation and leave the Garden with a distinctive architectural element that will remain in place as long as it survives in the natural environment.

To date, Patrick Dougherty has completed more than 150 works at gardens, universities, and museums throughout the United States, Europe and Asia.  To view more of Patrick Dougherty’s projects, visit his website at www.stickwork.net.

Here's Looking At You (2009)

Bosque School, Albuquerque, NM

Photo Credit: Richard Levy