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Although this could very well be a picture of me finding a new treasure at a favorite nursery, it's actually an illustration by David Catrow for a children's book called Plantzilla.

Monday, December 30, 2013

The Ruth Bancroft Garden Part Two; An Art Show

When, on the third day of the Garden Bloggers' Fling in San Francisco, we visited the Ruth Bancroft Garden, we got not only a  wonderful garden to explore but also an art show to admire in the blazing heat!    If you missed part one which focused on the marvelous plants, you can see it here.  

Living in the wet Pacific northwest, I'm accustomed to seeing garden art used as a structural foil to sometimes chaotic and lush foliage.  In the Bancroft garden, the plants themselves are so structural themselves that experiencing garden art in this setting was quite a different experience for those of us with webbed feet!

Before we start the show, here's a really cute idea from the shop.   These are made with small aluminum jello molds and the wire cork holders from champagne bottles.  Something to think about keeping after your New Year's Eve toast!


Here is a sampling of the work displayed for sale as a fundraiser for the garden.  I apologize that I don't have all of the artist's names/titles of the works displayed.  If you know any that are left out, please let me know.




- Monica Waldman

 - Monica Waldman
 - Monica Waldman
 - Monica Waldman
 

 One-eye Jack - Joe Bologna
 
 Sue Zuki - Joe Bologna
 
 Stretch - Philippe Lavand

Garden Totems - Liza Allen

-John King
 
- John King

Spheres - Linda Raynsford



- Mary Bayer

 
- Mary Bayer

Big Footed Flock - Mary Bayer
 
 

Bark - Clayton Thiel


Tree House - Clayton Thiel

Crescent Moon - Clayton Thiel

- Clayton Thiel

City Head - Clayton Thiel

 
 What Came First - Eileen Fitz-Faulkner


Peachy Keen  -  Eileen Fitz - Faulkner

Little Lizzy  - Eileen Fitz - Faulkner

Torso  - Christopher Kanyusik

Segmented Bust - Christopher Kanyusik

Standing Figures (Legs)   -  Christopher Kanyusik

Standing Figures (Cop/Robber)   -  Christopher Kanyusik

Exotic Hybrid Chantrelle Bamboo  -  Marcia Donahue

Sister Age in her Fall Outfit  -  Marcia Donahue

Shell Dweller  -  Natasha Dikareva


The Two  -  Natasha Dikareva


Moving Forward - How Horrifying!  -  Natasha Dikareva



Mini 4-Legged Cat - Leslie Safarik


Le Sacre du Printemps - Susannah Israel
 
 - Leslie Safarik

- Leslie Safarik
 
 Pandora - Harry Siter
 
 Ready for the Rain - Lucy Beazley

Tipsy - Laura van Duren

- Laura van Duren

-Steve Cook
-Steve Cook

 Expired - Steve Cook
 
Did you see any pieces that you think would work well in your garden? 


20 comments:

  1. I loved the metal people at the top of your post. I have absolutely no memory of noticing most of the others in your post. I was so astounded at the size of the Agaves, and I think the heat had also just completely fried my brain.

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    1. It was a tad warm. I remember laughing at "Expired" with the expired parking meter and vulture.

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  2. Some very nice pieces there! I presume they were all for sale? As they seem to be presented not in a way to blend in or complement the garden but purely to be sold like in a shop.

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    1. If I'm remembering correctly, the show and sale is an annual event held as a fundraiser for either the garden or a charity and all of the pieces are for sale. At the end of the show, all of the artwork is removed.

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  3. I was surprised to see so much I liked - too bad I don't have a bottomless checkbook. My favorites were the pieces by Dikareva and Thiel.

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    1. At shows like this one, I often find myself wishing for that kind of checkbook too! Oh well, you can't have everything; where would you put it?

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  4. Some beautiful pieces there - I think the ones I think I could find a home for would be the Natasha Dikeriva. Some of the others are just as beautiful but I can't see them in my garden.

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    1. I see some of these pieces being more at home inside than out. Some of my favorites wouldn't work in my garden.

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  5. I have to admit...I don't think I really noticed any of the sculpture at the time...I think my brain had started to resembled scrambled eggs at this point ;-)

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    1. We'd seen a lot of stuff in a lot of heat in a couple days!

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  6. Thanks for bringing back the fun memories of all the sculptures at the Bancroft garden. We would have loved to walk away with one of the cats or the angry chicken. Plus I loved the One Eyed Jack, but I'm not sure that would be a good fit for the garden - maybe for the inside.

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    1. Fun pieces but I agree that many would look better inside than out. Although, it's an issue of placement/context I suppose.

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  7. Wow, what a fantastic collection of garden art. Your point about the difference in function between garden art in the wet, PNW and drier climates is spot on!

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  8. I really like these garden sculptures. There are so many interesting and quirky pieces. My favourites are works by Natasha Dikareva, Leslie Safarik, Clayton Thiel and Pandora by Siter. The others arae great too.

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  9. I don't think any of these would work in my garden (because the boy would hate them) but I love them all. So many cool pieces!

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  10. The only pieces that I would consider adopting are the totems, but I sure did enjoy the show...always fun to peek inside the brains of creative people.

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  11. Interestingly I was going to write the exact same thing as Ricki. I love them all but the totems are my favorite. Thank you for taking so many great photos.

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Thanks so much for taking the time to comment! I love to hear your thoughts.