Patrick Dougherty: Where Art Meets Gardens

in Art and Gardens! by Britt — May 9, 2011 at 2:18 am | 1 comment

In all the years I’ve been going to Dumbarton Oaks I’ve never seen them present an artist’s garden installation.  That is until now.

Patrick Doughterty’s extraordinary organic vision in “Easy Rider” is like walking into a Lewis Carol dream.  For Dumbarton Oaks, it’s hide and seek match made in heaven.

Doughterty, who is mostly known for his work with woven saplings, is my favorite garden artist.

His work is wistful and yet solidly constructive within its structure.  This can especially be seen in the photo below which I took a few months ago before the rows of hornbeams filled in.

Watching Dougherty’s construction process has been fascinating.  First he collected his saplings and planted them stiff in the ground.

He built scaffolding to lift him high enough to weave the branches up into the hornbeans.

According to Dumbarton Oaks he refers to these sculptures as running figures that pursue one another within the ellipse.

His work is on view until the end of Spring, so I would visit while there is still time.  Summer is fast approaching : )

For more information on Dougherty’s work visit www.stickwork.net

For more information on Dumbarton Oaks visit http://www.doaks.org

‘Til Tomorrow…

Britt : )

Related posts:

1. The Topiary Park where Art meets Garden
2. Romance and Wandering at Dumbarton Oaks
3. Dumbarton Oaks: The Ellipse
4. Part VII:The Italian and Kitchen Gardens at Dumbarton Oaks
5. The Lost Gardens of the Brandywine at Winterthur Museum and Gardens through July 25!

Tags: Dumbarton Oaks featured Patrick Dougherty