New exhibit to stick around near Gastonia

  • 2019-12-08
A new exhibit has been opened at the Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden in Belmont.

Residents of nearby Gastonia will not want to miss “Stickwork” by Patrick Dougherty, a North Carolina artist. Special exhibits such as these are often promoted throughout a region by flyer printing.

Dougherty has created an unusual exhibit of seven jar shapes in various sizes made from tree branches. He uses primarily maple, sweetgum, and willow branches as he has found these to have the greatest flexibility and strength.

Some of his pieces are standalone object while other wrap themselves around larger objects such as trees, buildings, and railings. The latter are ones through which guest can walk and view their surroundings through windows of the branches and walkways. Dougherty has created over 300 of these pieces over the past 30 years and makes about 10 per year. He has had exhibits of his work across the country and in Asia and Europe and has earned several awards for his work.

The pieces are constructed on site with the assistance of volunteers. The materials for this exhibit are from a previous one at a botanic garden in Washington, D.C.

Admission to the Botanical Gardens includes this exhibit which is opened indefinitely. Hours of operation are 9:00 am to 4:00 pm and during the holiday season from 5:00 to 9:00 pm, with seasonal lights around the displays.