Art is a reflection of the world around us through the eyes of a single individual looking to share their interpretation and message with others. We can find it in a variety of styles and locations and often can easily get wrapped up in the appearance and not always read deeper into the underlying motivation or message presented.
I have found over my travels that many communities are fortunate if they can share unique stories through one piece in their community, however when you find a community which has fully engulfed themselves in sharing the unique artistic expressions of many it is something not only worth a stop but worth good long conversation.
Benson Sculpture Garden in Loveland, Colorado is one of two astounding representations of artistic works in the state and could easily sway you into feeling as though you are stepping into a metropolitan area immersed with diverse culture and symbolism. While Loveland might not have been on your bucket list and might not have even been a community you had previously heard of in reference to the great state of Colorado, that should change once you see this garden.
Loveland is known to be a sweetheart city with a love affair for the arts. They formed the Loveland High Plains Art Council in the early 1980s to foster the appreciation for sculptural arts while focusing on cultural and economic impact of the city. 5 local sculptures teamed with city officials during this time to create which now has become one of the communities largest annual events, Sculpture in the Park Show And Sale.
Over the years the show has grown and expanded from the humble first offerings and now is a leading authority for the country in sculptural art sales boasting over $1 million in sales annually. Each year, proceeds from the even help the community expand their own garden and also maintain the property. The property highlights artists from the annual showing in a variety of styles and unique interpretations.
Resting on 10 acres centrally located within the city bounds the park now plays host to over 150 sculptures from a diverse group of sculptures from across the world. Each sculpture is labeled with no only the name but the acquisition date for the garden to allow visitors to walk through and view the timeline of the park’s most infamous points of interest.
For the beauty of the location, the contribution it has become in the art society not only is it named one of the top 20 must see contemporary art sites in America but also within the top 200 in the world.
For those of us who have been living under a rock and might love art but are not an art connoisseur, this garden’s location might seem a surprise. Even more so when you happen upon it, park your car and begin to walk around to see the hidden gems which rest inside the bounds of the Garden amidst beautiful manicured lawns, winding accessible paths and diverse trees and flowers. It is a beautiful setting which might appear a location just for a leisurely walk or relaxing location for reading a book, but the paths are paved with unfound knowledge just waiting to be discovered and appreciated.
Art is something which evokes different feelings and emotions for each person which views the pieces. This garden’s diversity can be truly appreciated for the scale and volume but also on a much more personal level through connection with individual pieces.