Sculpture Exhibit at the Gardens

Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens partners with the Arts Council of Mendocino County to present this biennial exhibition of sculptures placed throughout the Gardens. This sculpture gallery features the work of primarily California artists. Sculptures are for sale; contact the Gardens' administrative offices for more information at marketing@gardenbythesea.org or call 707-964-4352 ext. 10. 

2023-2025 Featured Art 

Prince Charming, Eileen Fitz-Faulkner    $5,500*

mosaic; 18” x 36” x 28”
Location: Perennial Garden

My hands create my evolution as an artist. It’s through making my work I can see where I’ve been. I can understand my own transformation as I watch the evolution of my work. As I sculpt, I uncover myself.

Eggs were the first subjects of my concrete work. Large and colorful, they symbolize potential. They are the original container for new life. While my eggs exemplify the beginning of this new work , I have hatched many different fauna. In my current phase, I am working with birds in conjunction with the figure. I see these birds as messengers. While my large birds have the same Seussian exaggerations of the eggs, my smaller birds are quiet: they are my inner voice, mystical and secretive.

After receiving a degree in Design from UC Davis, Eileen entered the world of Visual Merchandising creating whole worlds of fantasy and display. In order to find her true form of art, she reentered California College of the Arts in 1992 studying Sculpture, Industrial Design and Fine woodworking. Since then she has experimented with a wide range of materials including, foam, steel, bronze, and ceramics but has found a deep love with concrete.

The Greenman Stone, Jon & Ann Maglinte    $70*

Concrete (member of a limited edition); 12.5" x 12.5"
Location: Display House

The Greenwoman Stone, Jon & Ann Maglinte    $70*

Concrete (member of a limited edition); 12.5" x 12.5"
Location: Display House

Celestial Mobile, Diego Harris    $7,000*

steel; 11.3' x 7' x 3.6'
Location: Heath & Heather Garden

Celestial Mobile is a large abstract steel sculpture with the addition of a colorful mobile attached at the top. It was made by Diego Harris, who is an artist working in Upper Lake Ca, whose focus is on creating larger-than-life outdoor sculptures. The mobile moves in the slightest breeze and is fun to watch as the different pieces make patterns and shapes in the air. The name "Celestial Mobile" was picked because of the star and moon theme of the mobile portion. The free-standing portion of the sculpture is purely abstract, although there are elements of the design that are based on various types of plants and animal life. It was constructed first with a structure of steel rebar that was then covered over with 16 gauge steel sheeting and completely seam welded. The finish on the sculpture is rust that has been treated with an oil sealant. 

Periwinkle Rime, Ian Wieczorek    $4,800*

Ceramic, glaze; 45" x 18" x 18"
Location: Meadow Lawn

My work as a ceramic artist is deeply rooted in a fascination with the natural world and its cycles of growth and decay. My material practice is centered around large-scale sculptures, that push boundaries of size, form, and traditions of making in clay. I use a press mold to create textured slabs which are attached together to construct forms that evoke both the foreign and the familiar. The textures I create resemble snow-capped mountains, snow build-up on trees, and a deep network of mycelium that is leading the front line of exploration. These ceramic sculptures stand as totems, honoring and attempting to make concrete the beauty, complexity, and subliminality of the natural world that connects all life. The ritual of bringing together elemental materials like clay, wood, and fire, activated through the collaboration of many hours, labor, and artists, is a vital component of my work, speaking not only to the final work, but to a significant artistic process where people come together.

Arise, Eileen Fitz-Faulkner    $7,500*

   
concrete; 40" x 38" x 26"
Location: Woodland Garden

My hands create my evolution as an artist. It’s through making my work I can see where I’ve been. I can understand my own transformation as I watch the evolution of my work. As I sculpt, I uncover myself.

Eggs were the first subjects of my concrete work. Large and colorful, they symbolize potential. They are the original container for new life. While my eggs exemplify the beginning of this new work, I have hatched many different fauna. In my current phase, I am working with birds in conjunction with the figure. I see these birds as messengers. While my large birds have the same Seussian exaggerations of the eggs, my smaller birds are quiet: they are my inner voice, mystical and secretive.

After receiving a degree in Design from UC Davis, Eileen entered the world of Visual Merchandising creating whole worlds of fantasy and display. In order to find her true form of art, she reentered California College of the Arts in 1992 studying Sculpture, Industrial Design and Fine woodworking. Since then she has experimented with a wide range of materials including, foam, steel, bronze, and ceramics but has found a deep love with concrete.

Headless Harmony, Shannon Healy    $7,000*

Ceramic; 13" x 33" x 6"
Location: Fort Bragg Rhododendron Collection

"Headless Harmony" is a captivating sculpture that delves into themes of identity, nature, and evolution. The artwork consists of two ceramic busts—a headless figure in a suit and another in a sweater—purposefully designed to stand together. These sculptures serve as vessels for plants, with the emerging foliage replacing the absent heads.

Central to this artwork is the notion of evolution. The headless figures represent humans as terminal nodes in the grand tapestry of life, existing simultaneously with the vibrant plants that emerge from them. This juxtaposition highlights the shared existence of humans and nature, emphasizing that both are integral parts of the ongoing evolutionary process.

By removing the heads, the artist challenges the conventional understanding of individual identity, inviting viewers to ponder the significance of external appearances and societal roles. The plants, emerging from the sculptures, symbolize the vital role of nature in sustaining life and underline our interconnectedness with the natural world.

"Headless Harmony" prompts contemplation on the concept of evolution, drawing attention to the parallel existence of humans and plants as coexistent beings. It encourages viewers to reflect on the intricate relationship between humanity and the environment, fostering a deeper understanding of our place in the ever-changing fabric of life.

Through this thought-provoking sculpture, the artist invites us to reevaluate our connection to nature, acknowledging that both humans and plants are part of a shared journey of evolution, intertwined in their existence and mutually influenced by the unfolding forces of life.

Wisdom Owl, Clayton Thiel    $3,800*

To be installed September 22, 2023
Ceramic (member of a limited edition); 57" x 18" x 18"
Location: South Trial at the Deer Gates

Visitation, Clayton Thiel    $5,000*

Ceramic: 62" x 18" x 18"
Location: Vegetable Garden

Lono, Tiki God of the Junkyard, Issac Frankle    $1,000*

Antique stove parts, wrenches, hardware; 2’ x 1' x 1'
Location: Vegetable Garden

ell, Loren Madsen    $30,000*

Fir and pine wood; 5'-6" x 20'-6" x 6'-2"
Location: Event Lawn

Loren Madsen has an extensive background in sculpture, conceptual art and other media and has exhibited internationally. His work has been featured in museums nationwide and in France, Japan, and Canada. Originally from the East Bay, he has received the New Talent Purchase Award from the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and other sources, and Honorable Mention in the Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial Competition in 1981.

His first solo exhibition, in Los Angeles in 1973, consisted of precariously balanced bricks rooted by gravity and friction. An earthquake destroyed the show before it opened. “Despite this divine critique,” says Madsen, “I continued with these early sculptures, which mutated into large site-specific installations, of which the only record is photographs.”

By 1994 he was using the Statistical Abstract of the U.S. and other sources to turn data into sculpture and prints. “These are broadly historical if the viewer chooses to engage with the information,” Madsen explains, “and abstract if the viewer does not.” He also designs and builds furniture.

*Sales tax and delivery fee not included in the price

View Past Exhibits of the sculpture gallery.