Olive’s Spirit – The Unveiling
Local sculptor W. Perry Arnold and the Key West Tropical Forest & Botanical Garden, 5210 College Road, Stock Island, will unveil “Olive’s Spirit” with a champagne reception on Sunday, March 10th from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm. The event is free and open to the public.
Hurricane Irma felled the Garden’s 80 year old Black Olive tree that had been listed as a Florida State Champion Tree (the largest of its species in the state). Perry Arnold has transformed the stump of this tree into a beautiful wooden throne named “Olive’s Spirit”. The sculpture is adjacent to the Garden’s boardwalk which surrounds the Historic Butterfly Garden.
Olive’s Spirit will also be featured in the “Tom Majors Wood Art Invitational” sponsored by the Studios of Key West. This is a month-long, island-wide celebration that will be held in March. It will showcase the creative potential of wood, and by extension, a statement of faith that the intersection of humankind and nature needn’t be disastrous, but can result in objects and experiences filled with beauty and meaning. The Studios of Key West, in addition to serving as the hub for the invitational, will host “With the Grain”, an exhibition of contemporary wood artists from across the country.
The Garden gates open at 5:30 p.m. The grand unveiling and complete story of how Olive’s Spirit came to be will take place at 6:00 pm. with cello musical accompaniment provided by Gina Maserati. Champagne reception follows immediately in the Courtyard.
For more information contact The Garden at 305-296-1504 or www.keywest.garden.
