‘Stickwork’ by Patrick Dougherty opens at Huntsville Botanical Garden

HUNTSVILLE – Stickwork, a novel art form using locally sourced sapling branches, will open at the Huntsville Botanical Garden on Mar. 4. Designed and built by artist Patrick Dougherty with the support of community volunteers, the giant sculpture will offer guests of all ages a chance to play, imagine, and find inspiration in nature.

“Stickwork inspires a sense of delight, wonder, and curiosity, inviting guests to explore their role in the natural environment,” said Sue Wagner, chief executive officer of the Garden. “Patrick Dougherty’s art is renowned for its beauty and connection to nature, and we are delighted to host one of his pieces here at the Huntsville Botanical Garden.”

Inspired by his love of nature and empowered by his skills in carpentry and sculpture, Dougherty has built over 300 Stickwork installations around the world and has received numerous awards for his work, including the 2011 Factor Prize for Southern Art, North Carolina Artist Fellowship Award, Pollock-Krasner Foundation Grant, Henry Moore Foundation Fellowship, Japan-US Creative Arts Fellowship, and National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship.

“As a sculptor building site-specific work, I am always eager to work in a new place,” said Dougherty. “In February, partnering with a new organization, working with new volunteers, and learning about a community new to me was a great pleasure.”

Under the guidance of Dougherty, over 100 community volunteers will support the construction of the sculpture by harvesting and weaving local saplings to create an installation of massive scale. The installation site will be visible to guests throughout the month of February, allowing visitors to watch the sculpture come to life.

Stickwork will open to the public on Friday, Mar. 4. The experience is included with regular daytime Garden admission and free for Garden members. For more information, visit hsvbg.org/stickwork.

Stickwork is presented by Window World.