VERO BEACH — Gazing at the lifelike father and son statues poised at the entrance to McKee Botanical Garden, it seemed perfectly conceivable that the colorful kite they were holding aloft would quickly take flight.
But, despite its startling realism it would have taken hurricane force winds for that particular kite to actually become airborne.
The entryway sculpture, “Out of Sight,” was one of 20 trompe d’oeil style statures on loan for the Seward Johnson Sculpture Exhibition, which will remain on view at McKee through April 27.
The wonderful facility is generally closed Mondays, but opened last night for a special early evening showing of the exhibit for exhibition sponsors, the host committee, board members and McKee Botanical Garden Gatekeepers.
“One of our volunteers saw the exhibit elsewhere and thought it would be wonderful to have here,” explained Christine Hobart, McKee’s executive director.
“As you know, we’re always looking for unique and interesting exhibits. We thought it would be perfect integrated into the landscape here.”
“We’re admiring these two figures; they’re absolutely amazing,” said Florence Persons of two of the sculptures from Seward Johnson’s “Celebrating the Familiar” series of folks just doing what comes naturally.
Like many of the pieces chosen for the exhibition, the two remarked on fit perfectly into the backdrop of the lush tropical Garden. “Best Seller” features a Hawaiian-shirted man so comfortably relaxed in his Adirondack chair, that he has fallen asleep reading his ‘best seller.’
The fisherman in “Midstream” is actually wading in the famed lily pond, ready to catch the big one.
“The minute he pulls in a fish, I know I’ve had too much to drink!” added Persons with a laugh.
Other pieces you will encounter from that series include “Shaping Up,” a fit figure in a baby blue jogging suit walking along the path, and “Getting Involved,” a grandmother knitting while seated on a bench – closer inspection of an envelope on the bench will show you why.
In “Bunnies Don’t Bite,” a sweet boy and girl gently brush a pet rabbit; “Follow the Leader,” captures the fearless balance of children walking where they shouldn’t; “Far Out,” is of a young man sitting on the ground and lost in thought, and “Gotcha,” captures a hedge-clipping gardener pruning the bushes in a comfortable denim shirt.
With “Summer Thinking,” a young woman relaxes on the grass while writing in her journal; “Weekend Painter,” is of a man putting on the finishing touches from what might be his “honey-do-list;” and “The Photo Shoot,” originally commissioned for a grand opening in Beverly Hills, captures what is also a regular occurrence with visiting families at McKee.
Volunteers manned stations all along the winding pathways, offering wine and hors d’oeuvres, and information on the various sculptures.
“Wait till you see the eyes of the sculpture of Monet. His eyes kind of follow you all around the garden,” said volunteer Lin Wells, speaking of “Monet, Our Visiting Artist.”
In this lifelike bronze version of Claude Monet, his canvas is capturing McKee’s beautiful waterlilies.
That sculpture and others are from Johnson’s “Beyond the Frame” series, where characters from famed Impressionist paintings have seemingly walked off the canvas and into the garden.
Viewers are afforded a three-dimensional view of scenes by artists such as van Gogh, whose painting L’Arlésienne inspired “The Land Lady.”
With “A Turn of the Century” visitors will want to take a spin with the couple from Renoir’s “Dance at Bougival;” and Royal Palm Grove presents the perfect backdrop for “La Promenade,” modeled after Caillebotte’s “Paris Street, Rainy Day.”
Works by Édouard Manet are featured in several works, including “Follow Me” where we meet the little boy from “The Fifer;” and in “Eye of the Beholder,” decorative muttonchops adorn the face of the waiter, watching a courting couple in an elaborate tableau based on his “Chez le Père Lathuille.”
Manet’s well-dressed pairs also inspired “A Thought to Consider,” from “In the Conservatory,” and “Sailing the Seine,” inspired by “Argenteuil.”
“You can practically smell his cigar,” said Karen Penny, speaking about the man in “A Thought to Consider.”
“We went to his factory in New Jersey and he uses fabric to make the casting,” said Laura Buck, pointing to Johnson’s intricately reproduced wale on the corduroy pants of the “Weekend Painter.”
“We’ve gotten to know him a little in Nantucket; he’s a delightful gentleman,” added Bill Buck.
In addition to daily viewing, the sculptures will be specially illuminated for nighttime viewing during McKee’s Seward Johnson Twilight Nights events from 6 to 8 p.m. Jan. 17, Feb. 14 and March 7.
Each event will include a live jazz performance by The Coffee Beans from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. on the Garden Patio.
Presenting sponsors of the Seward Johnson Sculpture Exhibition are Dr. David McKenna and wife Barbara Holman-McKenna, who is also serving as McKee’s current board president
For more information, call 772-794-0601 or visit www.mckeegarden.org.
