Moana Ponder is an artist from Novato, California who has called the Loveland Sculpture in the Park show her “favorite show in the country.”
She and more than 150 other artists from across the country displayed their sculptures Saturday at the Benson Sculpture Garden in the largest outdoor juried sculpture exhibition and auction in the United States. The exhibition is the 40th edition of the city’s premier event, which began in 1984.
Ponder, who has been participating for 16 years, exhibited nine sculptures inspired by broken butterfly wings, self-portraits by Vincent Van Gogh and a pregnant friend.
“It’s like thinking out loud,” Ponder said when asked about her approach to her art. “The mental creative energy and the time it takes to get the inspiration across are part of the process and should be included when you ask, ‘How long did that take?'”
The artists in the exhibition were of varying levels of experience. Robert Klose is a Fort Collins artist who presented his detailed birch wood sculptures at Sculpture in the Park for the first time in his career.
“It was great, I’ve already sold a lot of things,” said Klose. “I’d never been there before, I’d already applied once and this year I was accepted by the jury for the first time.”
St. Louis native Gary Mitchell returned for his ninth show, exhibiting his aluminum sheet sculptures inspired by famous French and Greek statues.
“I don’t sell much of my stuff, I lack marketing, so I need better marketing,” Mitchell joked. “That’s why I’m back.”
At the other end of the experience spectrum was Virginia-based artist David Turner, who attended his 32nd show on Saturday and was not surprised that the show has been running for four decades.
“I’m not surprised that it’s like that,” Turner said. “I’m from eastern Virginia, which is the only place you can get to, so it’s a really long trip. It’s really neat to come here and see what people are doing.”
Turner has four permanent animal-inspired sculptures in the Sculpture Garden and enjoys returning to the exhibition each year because of the atmosphere.
“That’s true for both the people who come to the show and the artists who are represented there. The people who come to the show are pretty knowledgeable about sculpture, and I always learn something from other people, too,” Turner said.
Hundreds of art-loving visitors streamed through four large tents displaying sculptures made of metal, wood, bronze, marble and other materials. The park also featured a silent auction tent where visitors could bid on smaller, less expensive sculptures. The weekend’s sunny weather was interrupted by an afternoon rain shower.
Melanie Simms volunteered with the show and moved to Loveland in 2019 to be closer to and join the Loveland arts community. She said she has no regrets at all.
“It doesn’t matter if you love abstract, modern or realistic art,” Simms said when asked what she likes most about the annual exhibition. “You can find a piece of art that you can feel, touch and take home. This exhibition has a different vibe, and that’s what I love about it.”
Sculpture in the Park continues Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Children under 14 are free and tickets can be purchased at the gate for $10.
