A collaborative work by two accomplished artists is the newest installation in A Sculpture Trail at Laurelwood Arboretum, 725 Pines Lake Drive in Wayne. “In Awe of Light,” located near the South Rock Garden, is an immersive composition consisting of three constructions —“Opening,” “Noon” and “Closing.” This unique work by Patricia Lavin and John Richie is organized to reveal a secret hidden in light. An optic, created specifically for this project, is fixed atop a copper stanchion at a height of 8 feet. Along the side is a configuration of material that casts its form and color onto the ground in shadow. In the foreground, a white 3’ x 6’ rectangle invites viewers to cast their own shadows.
Patricia Lavin, who lives and works in New York City, attended William Paterson University and received accreditation in art history from American College in Greece. She completed her master’s studies at the Parsons School of Design in New York. Lavin is a multimedia artist who has designed everything from posters for music venues, theater sets, and costumes to commercial interiors and vintage hot rod cars. After a dozen years in the commercial art world, she returned to her roots as a painter and studied at the Arts Students League in New York. Lavin’s public work can be seen in Playa Ventana, Costa Rica; North Shore, Oahu, Hawaii; and Lavallette, New Jersey. Many of her paintings are in private collections worldwide.
John Richie is a well-known furniture designer and builder. He earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. In 1999, he was awarded a New Jersey State Council of the Arts Fellowship Grant in Crafts/Woodworking. Richie’s work has been exhibited at the International Furniture Fair in New York; the Philadelphia Furniture Show; the Hunterdon Museum of Art in Clinton, New Jersey; the Morris Museum in Morristown, New Jersey; and the Broadfoot and Broadfoot Gallery in New York City.
“In Awe of Light” is the 14th installation in A Sculpture Trail. The multiyear project, which will showcase 15 unique works of art, is sponsored by Friends of Laurelwood Arboretum to benefit the arboretum. The sculptures serve to enhance the park by complementing its landscape and serene setting.
A Sculpture Trail is curated by Scott A. Broadfoot of the Broadfoot and Broadfoot Gallery in Boonton, NJ. All sculptures on exhibit in A Sculpture Trail are available for purchase, with a percentage of the proceeds donated to Friends of Laurelwood Arboretum to be applied towards a capital improvement project.
To follow the progress of A Sculpture Trail installations on Instagram go to https://www.instagram.com/laurelwoodsculpturetrl/ A GoFundMe page has been set up to accept donations for the project. To contribute, please go to https://gofund.me/058cd464