Our Visit to Grounds for Sculpture in Hamilton, NJ

Eolith

My dear friend Colleen and I were due for an adventure.

We'd both heard such good things about 

Grounds for Sculpture, 

but neither of us had yet visited.

So, we set our sights, and the GPS, on Hamilton, New Jersey.

A fun fact: this location had once been the site of the New Jersey State Fair.

It was a sunny, brisk autumn day, perfect for an outside activity like this.

First, though, we enjoyed a delectable lunch at Rat's Restaurant, on premises.

A bit pricey, but the decor was exquisite; a perfect spot for a special day out.

We meandered along winding pathways that cover 42 acres.

Interspersed among gorgeous trees and landscaping were over 270 sculptures.

We observed the works of art, many of which were ultra-contemporary,

 with open minds and attitudes to fully appreciate the artists' creativity.

Although we strolled at a relaxing pace to take it all in, 

we just couldn't see everything.

Reason to return!

Please put Grounds for Sculpture on your list of places to see!

La Promenade, and several other sculptures like it,

are by Grounds for Sculpture founder Seward Johnson.

Space, Conquer or Die - Swiatowid

Urchin

Sagg Portal

Dorion and its lovely reflection.

Tower

Worth a closer look... the sun shining through the glass was brilliant!

Arch II, Set II

Garden State

The Chamber of Internal Dialogue by Seward Johnson,

inspired by The Scream by Edvard Munch, 1893.

More info here:

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Rat's Restaurant

Incredibly Realistic Glass Berries

Berries. One of my very favorite things.

Succulent, juicy, red raspberries!

No, these aren't real, but they sure look real, don't they?

They're made of sculpted glass. Amazing, right?

I came across them in Beth Johnson's Etsy shop, GlassBerries.

Here's a great story:

As Beth worked to perfect her sculpting technique, and was finally satisfied,

she strung a few raspberries and wore them as a necklace. 

When some one asked her how she kept the berries from staining her shirt, 

she knew that she'd achieved her goal of creating a lifelike berry!

Beth also uses her glass berries to make fabulous jewelry!

Visit the GlassBerries shop on Etsy.

Images used with direct permission from Elizabeth Johnson.

Tiny Polymer Clay Sculptures by Svetlana Pavlova

Ukrainian Svetlana Pavlova is self-taught artist.

Her specialty? Polymer clay miniatures.

Teeny, tiny works of art that are so realistic, you'll do a double-take!

Inspired by her children, she turned her hobby into a business,

calling it Sweet Mini Doll House.

Take a look at these amazing mini sculptures!

Much more of Svetlana's work here:

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Paper Artist Diana Beltrán Hererra's Gorgeous Bird Postage Stamps

When it comes to paper art, it's tough to top the 

exquisite work of Diana Beltrán Hererra.

Her paper bird sculptures are so detailed, you'd expect them to take flight.

I'm showing off her bird postage stamp project. 

A shout-out to Jessie, who did mission work in Papua New Guinea.

And this one is for my friend Ruth, who rises with the roosters.

Want more? Read this previous post I wrote on Diana's paper birds!

Also, you can check out her website and Facebook page.

Images used with direct permission from Diana Beltrán Hererra.

Amazing Driftwood Sculptures at Baliker Gallery

The Baliker Gallery in Florida is a must-see if you're in the area!

It's located at 5928 North Oceanshore Boulevard in Palm Coast.

Paul Baliker collects driftwood branches and stumps with the roots attached.

Many of his findings were stockpiled in the courtyard in front of the gallery.

Paul envisions what each piece could become,

then works his magic by carving out the details.

Absolutely fascinating!

We loved the variety of sea life represented in this huge sculpture!

A closer look-

And inside the gallery...

An impressive owl mirror with a photographer's reflection.

This seahorse is my favorite piece!

Much more here:

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