Whenever we are introduced to art it's like meeting someone for the first time and making an instant, instinctive opinion.  It's probably fair to say that most people find an interesting or intriguing person more attractive, and this would also be the case with good sculpture.

Sculpture that has been commissioned for a specific place should not only be a personal response to that space, but should also relate to the natural environment.  Art in Nature is about inviting people to appreciate both the natural beauty and the artistic.

At Calgary the woods have become a very important part of the landscape and need to be preserved.  The trees' upper branches have been sculpted by the westerly winds and the atmosphere within is unique to beech woodlands, being very dry and sheltered.  The trees, majestically tall, with their foliage near the top make the woods feels open and airy.  The cliffs and scattered moss-covered boulders, that sit as if they have been there forever, give an impression of time lost, an ancient wood, a magical place.

The sculptures can enhance these emotions and perhaps encourage people to enter the wood who wouldn't normally go.  Visitors can discover for themselves a different way of seeing and an alternative view of an area that many think they know well.

Placing works of art in such an environment can make one appreciate the wonderful natural shapes which are abundant here in rock and tree.  The sculptures can become the focus, but in between such attention-seekers, there is much more to discover.

Above is our Stag,
 woven in willow by Trevor Leat.

Click here for a short film
documenting the making of the piece.

Click here for a time-lapse video of our chainsaw sculpture by Anthony Rogers (big file - may take some time to load depending on your connection speed).