Art & Sculpture

Bloom with a View

Art and sculpture adds to your visual experience at any garden and also at the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden. The unique pieces featured are focal points anchoring plantings and interacting with the landscape. Because of this, all pieces work together to direct the viewer’s attention or path they follow. While sculpture may be inanimate, its appearance, plus your experience with it, changes constantly when seen in different seasons. Therefore, each visit is a chance to explore something different inside or out.

The Botanical Garden is fortunate to own sculptures that honor the talents of Midwestern artists and beyond. Please read more details about each of them below before or as you visit.

Spectral Liberation

The iconic rainbow sculpture at the head of Robert D. Ray Drive is entitled Spectral Liberation and is a well-known, beloved piece. It was created by internationally recognized artist Christiane T. Martens and installed at the entry to the then Botanical Center in 1984. This is the sculpture donated by the family of Connie Belin, a local civic leader.

The restoration of Spectral Liberation was made possible by a generous gift from the Belin family.

Threshold

The centerpiece of the the Founders Garden is an important botanical sculpture by internationally recognized Spanish artist Juanjo Novella. Threshold pays tribute to the many forward-thinking individuals, especially Tom Urban, who worked toward the Botanical Garden renewal. Tom was one of four whose dreams made this a reality in Des Moines. Finally, this is a must-see piece and given that, is one not to be missed. when you visit.

The substantial steel sculpture is of a Combretaceae leaf and sits at the heart of the Founders Garden space. As the sun moves across the sky, its rays cast shadows through the sculpture’s perforated surface onto the ground below. Because it’s constantly changing, the shadows mirror the intricate natural patterns within the leaf on the surface. Due to its curvature, there’s a sense of it holding you within its embrace. Consequently, it’s a space where you can capture beautiful pictures or simply relax in the shade.

Novella, the artist, is known for his exquisite, large-scale works for the past 37 years. Many of his work enhances urban surroundings. Thus, each one in its own way offers visitors opportunities to interact with the images cast by them.

Persona I, II, III

The sculpture entitled “Persona I, II, III” is by Des Moines native Mark LaMair. It was donated by the Des Moines Herb Study Group and installed in 2008.

Together, the three leaf-like pieces dance at the edge of the Rutledge Conifer Garden. Furthermore, with each one is a different size, they delight the eye and mimic the shapes of the trees in that garden space.

During the Botanical Garden expansion, they were reinstalled in August 2014 by the artist.

Woodland Heritage — Spring Beauties

This mixed-media piece features materials unique to Neal Deaton’s studio. It’s his largest work in amaranth—a technique meaning “flowers that never fade.” By using modern materials, Deaton recreates remarkably lifelike flora & fauna. As a result, flowers, plants, and butterflies, down to each petal and natural imperfections, are replicated.

Deaton studied at the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia. After, he later joined the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum. While there he received an Exceptional Service Award for his work preparing zoological and natural science exhibits.

We gratefully thank Neal Deaton, and his studio, for donating this exceptional piece of botanical art to the Garden.

Iowa Native Species

You can also see Neal’s work in the exhibit of native species in the Evergreen Gallery hallway glass cases. He hopes it inspires you to go out and explore more of Iowa’s nature.

Evergreen Gallery

Botanically inspired artwork by local artists, changing quarterly, can be seen throughout the year. Findout about thefeatured artist(s) here,

Currently Off Display

The former courtyard sculpture by Des Moines artist Peter Marasco was a gift of Robert Sterling and family. The free form resembles a budding flower, ready to bloom. Because the sculpture previously operated as a fountain in the former Botanical Center courtyard, it no longer on display.