Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Art at the Conservatory: Bending Nature

Recently, my blogging mentor admonished me for my delinquent posting habits. Sorry for the dearth of posts lately; haven't felt very bloggy. Here's a follow-up story about my weekend in Columbus.

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While checking out the orchid show at the Franklin Park Conservatory, we also took in an art show. The theme was "Bending Nature," and all sorts of media were on display. Barbra Arnold, one of the conservatory's horticultural designers, did a series called "Standing Room Only." This piece was subtitled "Dinner Reservations," and consisted of Sempervivum (aka "hens and chickens") nestled into the mesh of wire lawn furniture.


This one was named "Sticky Buns," very appropriate, given her use of dozens of small cacti to upholster the formerly comfy chair.



I don't remember the title of this mobile. It truly did "bend nature." It was made of thin bamboo strips, connected by knots of chenille yarn, and it slowly spun in the slight breeze.



No visit to the Franklin Park Conservatory would be complete without a look at the Chihuly art glass. I have admired this piece before -


- but I had never noticed this glassware over my head in the hallway.



I always take the time to stop by the koi pond, with floating glass Chihuly art work languishing along side the fish.



I'm a sucker for train gardens. Here's a glimpse of the rail yard at the conservatory:


Buh-bye for now! More posts to come ...

4 comments:

Lynne at Hasty Brook said...

I would be tempted to make the trip from here just to see the Chihuly exibit.

Sara said...

The overhead Chihuly displays are my favorite, all that wonderful color and light. At a traveling Chihuly exhibit several years ago, I really wanted to just lie on the floor and look up !
I'd love to see the glass in the koi pond, the water must add a marvelous dimension to all that color.

Anonymous said...

The overhead glass is amazing. I'm in love. It reminds me of those underwater shots on Nat'l Geographic where all sorts of jellies and nettles and whatevers undulate by.

Anonymous said...

In re-reading this entry, I think that the glass reminds me of something you'd see in Willy Wonka's big conservatory (where everything is edible.) And with all due respect to Johnny Depp, Gene Wilder is the real Wonka.