Meijer Gardens

Today we explored The Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Garden taking in the newly changing leaves into which were tucked an amazing collection of sculptures. Most impressive was a 24 foot bronze horse based on daVinci's drawings. Apparently Leonardo had constructed a full scale model out of clay only to lose it to an ememy army's target practice. The new version is grandly imposing and by a woman artist. There is one here in Grand Rapids and another in Milan Italy.

We saw Degas, Keith Haring, another gigantic Calder stabile, Jim Dine, Henry Moore, Deborah Butterfield and I notice now that I missed Andy Goldsworthy and Louise Nevelson. What a collection! We finished off our tour eating lunch under a ceiling loaded with Dale Chihuly Persians. Below is a really cool depiction of a neuron. Chris thinks it goes well with the Symphony of Science "Ode to the Brain."

We chose our favorites from the ArtPrize entries displayed inside. There was an amazing sculpture/painting of light. Artist Stephen Knapp refracted light from glass to divide the light into fragments, a gigantic Persian rug made of copper, and my favorite though the on-line photo doesn't do it just, a pyramid of honey bear jars filled with floral and butterfly specimens. Here is a link to a detail.

Sorry for all the links but I found out after my first indoor photo that photography is 'interdit' as the french say.  Just as the guard chided me someone said "border patrol" and Chris and I chuckled thinking they were making a joke but it turns out that is the title of one of the entries on display.

Here are some links from yesterday's favorites:

Mesmereyes: A gorgeous wall of watercolor ovals in front of which dangled magnifying glass discs.

The Dripping Tree: Cat Forster's digital photographs of water drops enhanced and printed on metal.

Numinous Community: David Huang is the Dale Chihuly of metals.

And the there's me. How amazing that there is an event open to such a wide range of artists? Inspiring.