“It’s a marvelously exciting exhibit for all ages,” said Alma Lee Loy of the delightful Nature Connects, a LEGO Brick Exhibition by artist Sean Kenney at McKee Botanical Garden. “Some of us never grow up – and I’m one of them!”
Loy was among the 90 guests at an invitational dinner to thank sponsors and host committee members for their support of the colorful sculptures. The exhibition will remain on display through April 12. Sure to be the envy of anyone who has ever snapped the iconic LEGO toys together, Nature Connects does just as it implies, with 14 creatively connected installations featuring 27 individual nature-related sculptures.
“The show has actually been touring botanical gardens and zoos around the nation for a couple of years,” said Kenny, who later spoke to guests of the inspiration behind the exhibit.
He said a good deal of time was spent determining what would be best from a storytelling standpoint and then marrying the pieces to the environment. And, although he admitted the impressive bison and calf was a better fit in the Midwest, the others really look right at home nestled among McKee’s lush, winding paths and waterways.
“It was two and a half years of full time work,” said Kenny of the sculptures, which are comprised of roughly half a million LEGO pieces and took 5,000 hours to complete.
“The rose is to die for. We were looking around and all of a sudden the rose comes out at you,” said Barbara McKenna, adding that its bright red color was beautifully complemented by a nearby bottlebrush tree. Barbara and David McKenna are presenting sponsors of Nature Connects at McKee.
“We’re excited,” said Christine Hobart, McKee executive director, pointing out that staff members had created their own LEGO jewelry.
Olivia McManus had also accented her outfit with a quite lovely jewelry set – pendant, ring, earrings and bracelet – made of LEGO pieces studded with multicolored gems.
“Matt went online looking for cufflinks and found these,” she said, referencing her husband. “My boys kept trying to put the bracelet [charms] together.”
Their son Ezra, age 7, had entered McKee’s “Build Your Own LEGO Brick Creation” competition – a miniature replica of McKee featuring animals, lily pads and even cars as a nod to McKee’s annual Motorcar Exhibition. The imaginative submission, displayed front and center on the mahogany table in the Hall of Giants, captured everyone’s attention as guests filtered in for dinner.
“He had fun doing it,” said McManus. “Anything to promote bringing younger kids here; it’s awesome.”
Guests relished a wonderful surf-and-turf dinner featuring salad with shrimp from Fellsmere, domestic rack of lamb and Maine lobster, and crème brûlée with white chocolate and local strawberries, catered by Osceola Chef Chris Bireley, who assumed management of the Garden Café in the fall.
For information on hours and admission prices, visit www.mckeegarden.org or call 794-0601.