More Wanderings In A New Jersey-Based Sculpture Garden

 With its Giverny-inspired landscaping, this fine-dining restaurant at Grounds for Sculpture is also perfect for sipping a chilled Pinot Grigio or an iced coffee on the shaded terrace.

As I walked through a particular grassy expanse at this sculpture garden in Hamilton, New Jersey, I was captivated by this giant that appears buried in the lawn. (I took a separate photo of his foot.) This striking sculpture by Seward Johnson was cast in aluminum.

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An Expansive Sculpture Garden In New Jersey

 It’s easy to spend the whole day at Grounds for Sculpture, an expansive and ultra creative sculpture garden in Hamilton, New Jersey. After all, there are surprises aplenty in niches, alcoves, beside bodies of water or snuggled in the woodlands. This is “Birth of the Messenger” that was carved from granite by the American sculptor, Viktor who was born in Odessa.

Surprises galore await as you roam the trails networking this 40-some-acre property. This bronze set in a mist-laden venue is “Redon’s Fantasy of Venus” by Seward Johnson.

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Curious Sculptural Works in Nyack, New York

 You never know what you’ll find at the Catherine Konner Sculpture Park when roaming about the lush grounds that are part of the Rockland Center for the Arts.

Barely two miles from downtown Nyack, New York, the grassy lawns and paths at this sculpture park are dotted with some curious works of art that are worth examining.

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Exploring Ridgefield, Connecticut

 As I’ve continued my explorations in Ridgefield, Connecticut, I found that the Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum has been hosting an outdoor sculpture exhibition. Frank Stella’s Stars are perfectly placed in the snowy landscape.

A few minutes from Main Street, I found a tranquil hiking trail in the Seth Low Pierrepont State Park that paralleled the lakefront and then angled into the woods.

What I love about Ridgefield, Connecticut is that just outside of downtown there are a variety of trailheads easily accessed off the road. The red-blazed Jones Trail, which starts beside a cul-de-sac, gradually climbs an undulating, wooded landscape peppered with boulders.

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Chattanooga's Art Scene in Photos

Art aficionados who delight in the contemporary will delight in Chattanooga, a city sprinkled with the cool and the creative whether it’s the Sculpture Fields at Montague Park with its three-dozen-some, often avant-garde, pieces; the Hunter Museum of American Art with an extensive array of paintings housed in its glass and steel confection; outdoor murals on myriad facades in downtown; experimental installations along a few of the city's alleyways; or newly-opened hotels that pepper the interior and exterior with some curious works. These are a few discoveries I made on my most recent trip to this vibrant city.

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A Connecticut Coastal Town Not Far From Manhattan

On Connecticut's scenic coast, not far from New Haven, the town of Madison is a true gem. The downtown is walkable and chock full of contemporary works of art, like this sculpture. (Pick up a self-guided brochure at the visitor's center and try to find all the public works of art.) In addition, it’s a short stroll from main street to three public beaches and an easy bike ride to a fourth. Among the must-dos: sipping a glass of wine at Bar Bouchee, a French bistro with a large selection of wines by the glass; browsing the numerous staff recommended titles at R.J. Julia Booksellers, a large independent bookstore; and enjoying a lunch of crab cakes or mac and cheese at the low-key Elizabeth's Cafe.

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Art Beyond the Paintings at Arkansas' Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art

Art and nature are intertwined at the stellar Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Arkansas. The minimalist structure, designed by Moshe Safdie, allows for picture postcard views of the woodsy landscape dotted with water features and sculptures. In fact, the property is also networked with walking trails that allow the visitor to make an intimate connection with the dense foliage in this ravine but also some contemporary sculptural works. Also lovely and in keeping with this connection of architecture with nature is the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Bachman-Wilson House that the museum acquired a few years ago.

These images reflect how there's plenty to treasure at this museum beyond the obvious stellar paintings.

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Madrid's Other Amazing Museums

The Prado, Reina Sofia and Thyssen-Bornemisza seem to attract all the touist attention. But there are other museums far out of the limelight that are worth exploring.

• Housed in a turn-of-the-20th century mansion, the Lazaro Galdiano Museum displays the immense private collection of Jose Lazaro Galdiano, a Gilded Age entrepreneur and writer. The exhibits include everything from 4th century BC gold jewelry to the works of Goya, and unique small and miniature paintings, a mere one to four inches in size. Surrounding the museum is a garden landscaped in an 18th century style, one of the few surviving examples in Madrid.
• The Sorolla Museum is the former home and studio of Joaquin Sorolla, Spain's most famous Impressionist painter. Here, you'll find his most noteworthy works, including "Strolling along the Seashore", as well as his Spanish ceramics collection and antique furnishings. After wandering through the house and viewing the paintings, stroll through the lovely garden that was inspired by Andalusia, with shade trees, water features and ceramic tile work.
  

• The Monastery of Descalzas Reales is an elaborately designed convent turned museum where the nuns who were daughters of artistocrats donated precious works of art. On the tour, which is usually in Spanish only, you'll explore the many rooms and hallways displaying gold holy relics, frescoes and tapestries, including one woven from work by Rubens.
• For a completely different experience, walk through the Museo de Escultura al Aire Libre, an outdoor sculpture garden directly under an urban bridge. A small waterfall and a bubbling pool drown out most of Madrid's traffic as you explore the dozen or so contemporary pieces, mostly bronzes, by notables such as Eduardo Chillida, Joan Miro and Julio Gonzalez.
• The Real Academia de Bellas Artes houses a premier collection of classic works of art, mostly religious, by such great masters as Titian, Raphael and Van Dyck. Here, unlike the Prado, you'll find plenty of peace and quiet with more security guards than visitors.
• Given its distance from downtown -- though still accessible by the metro -- it's no wonder the Museu del Traje (Costume & Fashion Museum) is little visited. It's a shame more visitors don't take the opportunity to examine the vast collection of historical and contemporary dresses, gowns and costumes. This modern museum, with a lovely glassed-in restaurant, located in a garden with shaded paths, stands of bamboo and a pond with more than 60 spouting fountains.

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