Six tons of freshly cut willow branches from Fredonia, N.Y., were delivered to McKee Botanical Garden in the first step toward creating Stickwork, a natural work of art by international artist Patrick Dougherty, who will be aided by a team of volunteers until its Jan. 24 completion.
Defying delivery day downpours, volunteers fashioned temporary rain ponchos out of black garbage bags and began planting saplings two feet into the ground and angling straight up toward the sky. Next, scaffolding was erected so that Dougherty could begin a weaving process that will eventually produce a grouping of structures near McKee’s iconic Royal Palms.
“It has an element of architecture but the sticks are all planted in a certain wave of direction which creates a sense of movement, and all of a sudden it has a life of its own,” said Dougherty, who designed the sculpture after first touring the gardens. “The thing is designed as a kind of labyrinth with various areas which twist around inside so it adds interest as visitors walk through.”
As volunteers scurried about, the process at first seemed scattered, but Dougherty had his vision firmly at hand.
“I have to break it all down into bite-size juniors so everybody can do what needs to be done,” he explained. “Eventually it all becomes clearer and I just call upon what they already know how to do. As things get going it seems to work.”
Brandon Perdoma, a New Yorker living in Vero for the season, especially wanted to volunteer having seen some of Dougherty’s previous work in Brooklyn.
“I am an artist too and I always say that art is in the process and this is community building; making connections between people and in this case between sticks,” said Perdoma.
Another group made volunteering a family affair. South African native Jean Knoesen and husband Les, owners of Ithuba Farm, a Fellsmere shrimp farm, her son and daughter-in-law Allison, Allison’s parents, Orin and Terry Kendall from Montana, and their daughter Kat and boyfriend from Houston all came to volunteer on the project.
“I am a retired firefighter and teacher and have done some construction, but nothing like this before,” said Orin Kendall. “We all met up here as a sort of family reunion but working together on this project is like the crown jewel of our trip.”
“I have been in Vero for only two years now but I just love McKee,” said Knoesen. “When I knew everyone was coming I wrote them two months ago and asked them if they would be up for it. I felt it would be an honor to work for this man Patrick and they all said ‘oh yes.’”
They expected they would need about 180 volunteers, but so many expressed an interest that more than 40 were put on a wait list, said Volunteer Coordinator Ro Van Dright.
“All we require of them is enthusiasm, a little muscle and the ability to work a four-hour shift. I have people calling wanting to help and I tell them maybe if someone drops out,” said Van Dright.
McKee has always had an enthusiastic membership and Van Dright believes it is because of the connection and camaraderie of caring for such a special place.
The construction so captivated Alex, 4, and Sophia, 6, that their mother, Rose Paul, suggested, “We thought we should try to make a den in our garden out of hazel wood which we have quite a lot of, shouldn’t we?” The children nodded in agreement.
Dougherty’s installations generally last about two years. He believes that since the saplings were cut young and are still living, they may root and give this project additional longevity, especially given that the garden is moist and lush.
“I couldn’t envision it before but now that I am seeing it, it is exactly as I had hoped,” said McKee Executive Director Christine Hobart. “I believe this installation should bring between 8,000 to 10,000 visitors into our garden.”
Dougherty is scheduled to work on the project through Jan. 24 and visitors are encouraged to stop by and chat with the artist.
