Plants
of current interest Plants
of current interest ...................................................................................................................................................................................
Sat 23 May to Sun 31 Oct
Art in the Garden returns to celebrate its 10th anniversary. Over 70 new and established artists, graduates and local Hampshire artists have been given the opportunity to show over 150 pieces of purchasable art and design. All the sculpture is displayed in a beautiful outdoor setting within the 180 acre Gardens.
The artists work in many materials, both traditional and contemporary, including stone, plastics, stainless steel, wood, photography and glass. There are even sculptures made from mud!
We welcome many pieces which have been created using recycled materials. Daren Greenhow returns with his amazing metal creatures, such as a graceful 10 foot tall flamingo, and a fierce looking dinosaur and soon to arrive - Pike on a Trike – all made from unwanted bicycle parts! There are also elements of surprise and humour with a New Forest pony and foal made of chicken wire, as well as stained-glass animals including smiley worms that are popping up from the ground. Pompey fans will be amused to see footballer Peter Crouch carved in stone!
Inspiration drawn from the Gardens can be seen in many of the artists’ work, such as ceramic autumnal leaves tumbling in a colourful cascade from the trees or magnificent steel 'plants' standing in the borders.
Ceramic artist Nici Ruggiero has been awarded Lottery Funding by Arts Council England for her fascinating conceptual outdoor installation ‘Keep off the Grass’. Nici has drawn her inspiration from ‘fairy ring’ mushrooms and their strong link with myth, legend and enchantment and has created thirty-three porcelain forms containing steel pins and text, which are arranged to encircle a five metre area of grassland.
Our annual featured artist this year is Sara Machej with her big, bright, white cement organic 'growths'. Her sculptures situated on the banks of the pond seem to be emerging from the soil and pierce the water, creating beautiful reflections. Sara's work reflects small organic forms such as coral, bones and seed pods which would normally go unnoticed by passer-by - she recreates them on a large and impressive scale.
YOUTH ARTS PROJECT: Local Secondary school students were invited to submit work for exhibiting in Art in the Garden 2009 as part of a display of Youth Art. All of the work draws inspiration from the Gardens. Their work is displayed at the Gardens.
Come and see for yourselves!….
Free with normal admission
Art in the Garden is curated by Elizabeth Hodgson of Underground Art + Design which is an arts organisation to promote the work of artists and designers. For information on how to participate in 2010 please contact: Elizabeth at: underground_artanddesign@yahoo.co.uk.
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In its ninth year, our established contemporary art and crafts exhibition Art in the Garden proudly displayed over 200 sculptures. In 2008 we welcomed MENTORED ARTIST IN RESIDENCE - Rebecca Newnham, with her wonderful glass mosiac sculptures, inspired by plant and seed forms from the Gardens. Rebecca worked in the Gardens from 11th to 17th August, as mentor to an emerging artist as part of their career development programme, and visitors had the opportunity to follow their progress as their sculpture project unfolded over the week she was here.
Rebecca has been creating sculpture since leaving The Royal College of Art in 1991. Her work has been bought by a prestigious list of collectors and museums and has exhibited widely. In 2007 prior to her residency here in 2008's Art in the Garden, the Gardens offered her access to our research facilities, herbarium, extensive plant collections and liased with our world experts. Rebecca developed a body of work informed by this exciting collaboration which was then displayed as part of Art in the Garden 2008 in her own 'gallery space'.
Rebecca’s sculpture is a metaphoric exploration of triumphant life via symbolic botanical forms. This body of sculpture explores the concept of energy, photosynthesis and geometry within a language of botanical structures. In particular it focuses upon the production of energy within plants.
The following is information on just some of the plant-inspired sculptures that Rebecca displayed:
‘Quercus’. The two largest pieces are 5m and 6m tall and were inspired by the Sir Harold Hillier Garden’s world famous collection of oaks. They consider a characteristic of the oak, the lobed leaf profile. The scale challenges the vast heights the oak grows to and has geometric proportions of the ‘golden mean’ a ratio found in growth patterns.
One group of sculptures shown was‘Nanocrystals’. The four armed structures were suspended within a mighty oak and explore the concept that ‘leaves are the solar panels of trees.’
‘Buckyball’ is just one form that carbon takes. Carbon is much discussed but seldom visualised. It is in everything and fundamental to plant energy production.
Another group are called ‘Ginkgos’ and are inspired by the fan shaped leaves of this intriguing tree. The ginkgo is classified in its own group, it is neither a conifer nor a deciduous broadleaf. It is known as ‘a living fossil’, with ancestors thriving during the Jurassic period. It is a link to ancient plant forms, unlike the dinosaurs it has survived. There is a tree in Hiroshima which is known to have survived the atomic bomb! Recently Ginkgo has become a popular ingredient of Western herbal remedies formulated to increase blood supply. By dilating blood vessels it is said to increase oxygen to the brain so aiding concentration and memory.
Sponsored by Southampton Saab - with our grateful thanks for their support of our Artist in Residence 2008.
Curated by Underground Art + Design. Art in the Garden is curated by Elizabeth Hodgson of Underground Art + Design which an arts organisation set up to promote the work of artists and designers.
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From 26th May until 28th October 2007, the exhibition featured a range of local, British and international artists. The artists used all kinds of materials, both traditional and contemporary, which include glass, stone, plastics, stainless steel and wood. Many artists work to a green environmental agenda using sustainable materials and low impact processes.
Inspiration for the sculptures had been found in many areas; nature’s wonderful process of new growth and plant reproduction is highlighted by Rebecca Newnham’s vibrant mosaic glass sculptures. Of course there was always an large element of humour and surprise with large metal prawns, giant bugs and beasts (including the giant spider on a tree by the pond), colourful dragons and full sized chicken-wire and grass sheep! Children were encouraged to explore the Gardens and interact with many pieces hidden amongst a special grass trail.
We were pleased to welcome back some familiar names to the exhibition such as Steve Blaylock and Paul Harvey with sculptural bugs, animal and bird forms. David McDiarmid, who always provides an element of humour and always raise a smile, visited in June to work on-site creating his cardboard and resin figures. They were displayed at the bottom of the Gardens' vista.
We were delighted that Southampton Saab again provided support for Art In The Garden 2007 and in particular for our Artist in Residence who worked in in the Gardens from the 13th to 19th August. Lisa Yardley created stunning 'flying boats' that gave the impression of floating through the Garden’s borders. The finished result were displayed along the Gardens' summer flowering Centenery Border. Visitors also had the opportunity to ‘take part in art’ on Saturday 18th August, when Lisa ran a workshop to create beautiful metallic, shiny fish.
From Tues 2nd to 28th October there will be an indoor exhibition showcasing smaller works of art. Most of the Art In The Garden is available for purchase for you to take home and enjoy in your own garden or home - and ideal for those unique Christmas gifts!
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Art in the Garden 2006 (was its seventh year at Sir Harold Hillier Gardens), in partnership with Underground Art + Design.
The exhibition ran from 27 May until 29 Oct and featured a range of local, British and international artists – many who had recently shown work at major design events such as the Chelsea Flower Show and the Grand Designs Live exhibition. The artists work in many materials, both traditional and contemporary, which include glass, stone, plastics, stainless steel and wood Many artists work with an environmental agenda and use recycled and found objects within their creations.
Inspiration
for the work exhibited has evolved from many areas; the beauty of the natural
world was shown through Paul Coxs blue ceramic butterflies hovering in the
long grass by the pond bringing colour and movement to the landscape (back by popular demand in 2007!), to
human emotion as shown in the work 'Falling in Love by the internationally
renowned artist Mackenzie Thorpe and the landscape as seen in Julie Taylors
patterned ceramic hills.
There were some familiar names to the exhibition such as Michael Turner and Steve Blaylock with stainless steel bugs and birds, and David McDiarmids cardboard and resin characters. Also exhibiting were furniture designers and makers such as Martin Howard, James Noble and Martin Young inspired by the contemporary move to outdoor living.
We are delighted that Southampton Saab once again provided support for the development of the regions art by sponsoring Art In The Garden 2006 and the Artist in Residence who worked at the Gardens in July and August 2006. Laura Ellen Bacon created a site-specific piece using willow and other coppiced material and wove her organic creations onto and around one of our oak trees thus intertwining her art into her chosen setting. Her work is ephemeral and will gradually decay back into the landscape that inspired it. You can still see her work in the oak field, which should remain standing until 2008 -09! (Follow the slope down the vista and the large oak tree is halfway down to your right).
Visitors were invited to join her and help to complete the final stage of her creation so we were pleased that so many of you enjoyed having 'a part in art'!.Her wonderful work was recently featured on BBC 1's 'Countryfile'!
Ian John, dealer principal of Southampton Saab, said: 'Art in the Garden is an important event for the region and Lauras project is a fantastic way for people to get involved and to directly contribute to a piece of art designed for the whole community to enjoy. We at Southampton Saab are proud to offer our support to the exhibition – it is thanks to initiatives like Art in the Garden that the city of Southampton and its surrounding area are able to maintain their thriving artistic culture. We look forward to exciting new art in 2007'
The dealership hosts an annual celebratory gala evening at the exhibition, allowing invited guests the opportunity to take a closer look at the collection whilst taking a leisurely stroll around the impressive 180-acre gardens. On these evenings, Southampton Saab will be showcasing some of the latest models from the Saab collection within the grounds.
The Art in the Garden project is organised and managed by Underground Art and Design on behalf of all participating artists. Southampton Saab and Hampshire County Council co-fund the event along with the Sir Harold Hillier Gardens who provides the unique venue.
Elizabeth Hodgson, director and curator of Underground Art and Design said: 'I am so glad to once again have Southampton Saab onboard for this years Art in the Garden and that their support has enabled us to bring an exciting new talent to the exhibition – something we could not achieve without this kind of support. Most artists provide work for the exhibition with the hope of making a sale. A residency needs to be paid for and this can only happen if we find open-minded members of the local commercial world to support them.'