Art in the Garden

Until 2 days ago, my only encounters with garden art and sculpture had been on the grandest of scales - at garden festivals, show gardens, stately homes, sculpture parks and museums - I'm sure you know the kind of thing. But on Thursday, Threadspider introduced me to a place where art is used in a more intimate setting - just a few miles from us - at the 125 Gallery near Bath.

The gallery's at the home of Carole Waller and Gary Wood and Threadspider knew of it because she's been attending a course there, tutored by Carole, for the past few weeks. From the roadside it looks like an ordinary unprepossessing 1930s bungalow, but the inside is totally different. Once there, you're in a huge airy, white space filled with Gary's wonderful ceramics and Carole's beautiful jewel-like painted textiles. As it was so hot, there was a giant fan in the main room and this added to the display as some of the textiles fluttered in the 'breeze'. The work of other artists was on display too, so there was plenty to discover. As you wander through the house, you can't help to be drawn to the garden outside as each window frames some wonderful 'pictures' of it. It's clear the garden has been staged as carefully as the art inside.

You may have come across Carole's work before. Six of her largest textiles were encased in glass to form the entrance to Westonbirt Garden Festival in 2003. She exhibited alongside Kaffe Fassett and Candace Bahouth in Bath last year and she also featured at this year's Chelsea Flower Show. In the garden her work was everywhere - curved walls (similar to the one commissioned for the reopening of The Pound Arts Centre in Corsham), encased banners leading you through the garden, plus the coolest of fountains - the latter most welcome on an extremely hot day. There was pottery on a massive scale such as the large raku pots and fountain, but also in smaller details, like the head shown at the top centre of the collage, plus a large circle of blue pottery balls (see Gary's website) placed on the grass. I also liked the touch of using a planter to go underneath a table or just in front of a bench.

The whole garden was a masterclass in focal points, surrounded by exquisite planting. I was surprised to find the Spirea I was so doubtful about in my recent post about my front garden providing just the right highlight amongst a mainly green planting of Sedums, Astrantia, horsetail and mind-your-own-business. And for anyone wanting a Mediterranean look but knowing an olive tree won't survive in their garden, look no further than using a beautiful contorted willow to drape over your white rendered walls.

The garden's on a very steep hillside and the art plus a winding pathway of slate and plentiful benches lead you upwards to views back across the Avon valley and towards the house. Here you can appreciate - from your bench - just how much hard work must have been put into both home and garden. It's been an eleven year project so far. There's an exhibition held at the gallery twice a year and I'm now on the mailing list so that I have an opportunity to visit again. Since coming home, I've been eying up my patio to see where a wonderful raku pot could be placed, or perhaps the most colourful of banners. Something else to be added to my fantasy garden alongside Wednesday's pleasure-dome...

Comments

  1. Karen - An Artists Garden4 July 2009 at 19:15

    What a fabulous post - I am green with envy at your visit. artists and gardeners, perfect combination ;)
    K

    ReplyDelete
  2. VP4 July 2009 at 20:41

    Karen - I was thinking of you as I wrote the post - I was saying to myself, 'Karen will love this'. I've just come in from watering the garden where I've been musing about suspending long, painted banners from the pergola to provide a curtained entrance to the garden! Check out Carole Waller's website it's inspiring. I adore pottery too, so would urge you to look at Gary's work as well. I think you'd like the results of the layered glazing plaques he does. And to think they nearly moved to Cornwall, but the house we visited came up for sale just before they'd finally decided to move. Phew!

    ReplyDelete
  3. VP4 July 2009 at 20:42

    PS I also think we visited on a day when the light was perfect. It certainly helped the windows to frame the garden - almost Japanese in its feel.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Threadspider4 July 2009 at 21:24

    We were blessed with the weather, weren't we? Thanks for articulating this so clearly VP. I will link to it from my blog, if I may.

    ReplyDelete
  5. VP4 July 2009 at 21:31

    Threadspider - we certainly were blessed, both with the weather and Gary's personable hospitality. I've checked out his website and I love what he says on there. We touched on some of it during our long chat with him on Thursday.

    And of course you may link here: if it wasn't for you, I wouldn't have had such an inspiring day :D

    ReplyDelete
  6. Anna4 July 2009 at 22:21

    What an exquisite and inspirational setting .Oh such beautiful creations. I really enjoyed magnifying the collage. Thanks VP :)

    ReplyDelete
  7. Anonymous4 July 2009 at 23:47

    Oh my, what a lovely garden. You've just given me a brilliant flash of an idea -- if it comes to fruition, I'll let you know. :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Frances5 July 2009 at 20:06

    Hi VP, looks like a place ripe with ideas you could use in your own garden. My ears pricked up when you said it was a steep slope too. The banners were especially intriguing, very zen.
    Frances

    ReplyDelete
  9. easygardener5 July 2009 at 20:15

    I love garden art. Clever that the windows frame some of the artwork outside. I'd like some glass in the garden...and a ceramic wall panel would be nice. Hope that lottery win happens soon!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Joanne5 July 2009 at 21:26

    Always something new with gardening and art. It all looks lovely but I agree that windows framing garden scenes are so important.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Phoenix C.7 July 2009 at 11:03

    What an inspiring place - wish it was closer so I could visit! I'll have a look at the artists' websites this evening.

    Crook Hall in Durham usually has Art in the Garden through August - maybe you have visited this too?

    ReplyDelete
  12. VP7 July 2009 at 17:45

    Anna - thanks. I always try and get the collages clickable so you can have a good look at the images

    Nancy - I can't wait to see where that inspiration takes you :)

    Frances - it was extremely steep and sloping up from the house. It made my garden look like it was on the flat.

    EG - it looks like a lot of us are after that lottery win so we can have the garden of our dreams!

    Joanne - these are the best I've seen. I particularly liked the sea of lavender with the light catching it just so in the front garden - middle photo

    Phoenix C - I think you'll find them inspirational. Must add Crook Hall to my 'to do' list for when we're up north next...

    ReplyDelete

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