BG Independent NewsTucked into a small, narrow lot surrounded by restaurants and shops in Grand Rapids, Ohio, is a pathway meandering between native plants and towering sculptures.The Grand Rapids Sculpture Garden was created by volunteers with the Grand Rapids Arts Council (GRAC) to bring a smile to visitors and give exposure to area artists who work in large scale formats, like metal, glass and mosaics.Diana Votava, GRAC president, said when they were approached by the property owner, Lynn Sylvain, abo...
BG Independent News
Tucked into a small, narrow lot surrounded by restaurants and shops in Grand Rapids, Ohio, is a pathway meandering between native plants and towering sculptures.
The Grand Rapids Sculpture Garden was created by volunteers with the Grand Rapids Arts Council (GRAC) to bring a smile to visitors and give exposure to area artists who work in large scale formats, like metal, glass and mosaics.
Diana Votava, GRAC president, said when they were approached by the property owner, Lynn Sylvain, about doing something with the lot they jumped at the idea of a sculpture garden.
“Sculpture gardens are very popular right now,” Votava said. “They are really fun opportunities for people to see all of the beauty that’s around us. We’ve been able to contact sculptors to loan their pieces to us, and some of them are for sale. This is another way we can enrich the community and promote working artists at the same time.”
Artists currently exhibiting are Richard Alan, Annabelle Bowen, Gail Christofferson, Daniel Leck, Zach McKenna and Kelly O’Neill. Many of the other features have been donated such as the trim around the flower beds, and a group of volunteers, including Terry Green, Amy Laukhuf-Fitch and Gary Fitch, diligently keep up with the weeding and watering of the plants, some of which were donated as well.
“The chair of this committee, Craig Hamilton, is really dedicated to filling the space with native, low-maintenance, drought-tolerant plants,” Votava said.
The sculpture garden is in its second year, and the group has lots of plans for growth and improvement.
“We’d like to incorporate seating, and pathway lighting,” Votava said. “We are planning to finish the pathway to make it more accessible and we’d also like to have signage to identify the plants.”
But, all of those improvements—as well as adding sculptures—come at a price. Current sponsors of the garden include QSI Fabrication, Renewed Outdoors, Black Diamond Garden Center, Ryan Woodring, Chuck Thomas and Sylvain.
“We have one fundraising event each year in the fall, our Harvest Moon Benefit for the Arts,” Votava said. “Through that event, and community contributions, we provide a lot of activities, especially for children, like a summer art camp and gingerbread house decorating at Christmastime. We want to do more things like the sculpture garden, but we could really use the help of more sponsors.”