“Sculpture IS: In the Garden 2023,” an outdoor exhibit of more than 90 sculptures, has just opened at Sierra Azul Nursery and Gardens in Watsonville. In its 17th year, the annual exhibit, produced by Pajaro Valley Arts (PVA), features artists from around the Monterey and San Francisco bay areas.
Over the years, Sculpture IS has been curated and juried by different volunteers supported by PVA staff, and has showcased the work of hundreds of California artists.
This year, the exhibit was curated by Susana Arias, Hedwig Heerschop and Jeff Rosendale.
Jeff and Lisa Rosendale, owners of Sierra Azul at 2660 East Lake Ave., opened a huge swath of their garden years ago for the exhibit and the success and attendance has blossomed. That success led the PVA Board to apply for a planning grant through the Community Foundation Santa Cruz County, which was awarded through the Rydell Visual Arts Fund.
“The show is diverse,” Heerschop said. “It has stone, marble, wood, glass, ceramic, steel, kinetic sculptures and much more. Each artist is allowed to bring up to five pieces each. It’s an open theme. One element about the show is that when a piece is sold, the artist has the opportunity to replace it right away; the show runs so long that we like to have the garden filled with new art as that may occur. There’s a lot of room out here for a picnic, there are restrooms and plenty of space to spread out and enjoy this beautiful place and exciting art in an outdoor setting.”
