Friday October 3rd, 2008
More Sculpture Gardens
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| “Bamboo” view from the south |
Photo by Kenneth Ek |
| The artist, Steve Tobin, found unusually patterned scrap metal up near Reading. There used to be dozens of steel mills and hundreds of fabrication shops in southeastern PA, an embarrassment of riches to a sculptor. | |
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| “Bamboo” view from the north |
Photo by Kenneth Ek |
| I worked on a flower seed farm in Costa Rica for awhile. The house was near giant bamboo groves. They rustled spookily at night and, if the sky was clear and moonlit, struck a memorable profile. | |
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| “Pod” |
Photo by Mary Kliwinski |
| Steve creates these by inserting a large fireworks explosive into a solid cube of wet clay, the outside of which he scores to give it a decorative skin. The firework’s cobalt, cadmium and copper color the inner surface. The piece dries slowly, and the result is a moment of creation caught in time. | |
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| “Pods” |
Photo by Mary Kliwinski |
| These two pieces are in the Happiness Garden. Many more are scattered throughout the farm. | |
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| “Steel Root” |
Photo by Mary Kliwinski |
| Up near the corner of the meadow and just off the woodland path stands the simplest of the steel roots and the only one painted black. Over 15 feet at the top and motioning into the woods, its appearance is striking from any distance. | |
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| “Syntax” |
Photo by Mary Kliwinski |
| The Russian Olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia) to the right sets off the size of this handsome sculpture located just off the southwest corner of the Happiness Garden. | |
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| “Syntax” a closer look |
Photo by Kenneth Ek |
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| “Weeds” at the south meadow |
Photo by Kenneth Ek |
| Steve created this new series when he was inspired by the many different plants he observed at Fordhook Farm. Iron and steel scraps are brought to a vigorous new life. This is the shortest group at about 8 feet tall. | |
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| “Weeds” same group front view |
Photo by Kenneth Ek |
| A bit like a parade of Caribbean dancers. | |
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| “Weeds” at the south meadow |
Photo by Kenneth Ek |
| This large group reaches 25 feet with the figure on the left, the tallest work in the exhibition. | |
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| “Steel Root” |
Photo by Mary Kliwinski |
| This massive sculpture is 25 feet wide, 20 feet tall and finished in a rust colored surface. The most “natural” looking of this new group which is, nevertheless, a dramatic evolution from the realistic bronze roots, such as the one Steve contributed to Trinity Church near the World Trade Center. Energetic work that must be seen to be believed. | |
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| “Sunflower” with sunflower near farm entrance |
Photo by Kenneth Ek |
| One of my favorites, it welcomes visitors both coming and going. Same piece that was portrayed “in the mist” in the previous sculpture post. | |
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| “Catkin” |
Photo by Mary Kliwinski |
| Made entirely of the type of tubes used for the outer row of “Sunflower”, this piece was unusually observed by the photographer, our gardener Mary Kliwinski. | |
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| Side of “Sunflower” with “Catkin” distant |
Photo by Kenneth Ek |
| Birds, wasps, bees and even mice have set up house in some of the tubes. | |
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| “Iron Shoots” in the misty meadow |
Photo by Mary Kliwinski |
| This shows regeneration found in spring in tiny clumps along a forest path. Steel beams from the old Bethlehem mill were used. Reaches 10 feet tall. | |
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| “Pod” at base of American Linden near main house |
Photo by Mary Kliwinski |
| Steve adds a small pool of clear glass at the bottom to capture the surface colors made by the fireworks explosion. | |
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