Wind, Waves & Light
by Celina Colby
The Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens in Boothbay, ME, feature 248 acres including a mile of coastline. The grounds are lush with gardens, walking paths, and serene natural spaces. And until October 12, the gardens will also feature the sculptural work of George Sherwood.
Wind, Waves & Light couldn’t be a more accurate name for Sherwood’s solo exhibition. Not only does it reflect the hypnotizing kinetic sculptures Sherwood is known for, but also the rambling landscape and natural wonders the Gardens have to offer. Sherwood’s work is inspired by nature, reflecting the swooping motion of a flock of birds, the uniform weaving of a school of fish, and the shimmering reflection of light on water. He uses stainless steal to reflect color and light as the sculptures move. The exhibit includes five monumental pieces previously shown in the Hudson River Park in New York City.
Flock of Birds
Sherwood’s love for the natural world is no coincidence. He grew up in the coastal Connecticut town of Fairfield and attended school at both the University of Hartford and the pastoral University of Vermont. With degrees in both art and engineering, kinetic sculpture was a natural next step.
The sculptures in Wind, Waves & Light are often comprised of geometric shapes in bright steel. Despite the harsh medium, the sculptures have the movement and flow of the natural world they depict. In Flock of Birds, Sherwood has bent and molded the steel in such a way that it looks like it might flutter and fly away at any moment. Similarly, Wind Orchid is so thin and delicate, and so artfully curved that it might be a rare flower rather than a sturdy piece of art.
Wind Orchid
Oftentimes the juxtaposition of metal and nature creates a contrast, a piece of modernity jutting into our primal past. Yet Sherwood’s works seamlessly fit into the landscape as though they were a part of it all along. He has found a way to make hard and soft coexist, beautifully.
Wind, Waves & Light
June 1–October 12
The Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens
Boothbay, Maine
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Image Credit: Images courtesy of June LaCombe.
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Celina Colby is the editorial assistant at Art New England magazine and the blogger behind Trends and Tolstoy.