Friends of the Sculpture Park
Sculpture Park Path
Please help us realize this revitalization | Donations are tax deductible
Sculpture Park Revitalization
Located on the grounds of Alverthorpe Manor, our sculpture park is one of many notable features of Abington Art Center. This beautiful 27-acre park is dedicated to the arts, and sees many visitors who come through the trail for nature
walks, morning jogs, bird watching, and other recreational activities.
In addition to recreational use, our sculpture park once housed a vibrant collection of outdoor sculptures, which has since naturally eroded over time. Though it has fallen into disrepair, our park has potential for greatness once
again.
Starting in September 2022, we began our sculpture park revitalization initiative as a means of simultaneously rejuvenating our park and offering opportunities for artists to display artwork on our grounds. Working closely with artists, and with the help of generous donations and support from our surrounding community, our vision is underway!
We look forward to offering space for artists to exhibit work and to giving back to our community through new and exciting public programs and workshops.
Interested in exhibiting work in our Sculpture Park?
Please consider submitting a proposal today!
Currently on Display
Ravenswood
Ravenswood, located off the main pathway in the sculpture park, was painted and installed by Richard Metz in 2023.
A painted tree installation spanning over 50 yards, tells the story of fear, perseverance, and resolution. As the viewer moves along the path they are greeted by a painted dark forest depicted on the trunks of the trees in the park. As the viewer progresses through the forest, the raven looms overhead. This acts as a sign of both dark tidings and renewal. The snake, pointed downward, represents the innerwork each visitor must do in their subconscious. Birds and feathers appear, representing passageways for introspection and the freedom of new perspectives. The simplistic designs of nature and animals inspired by folklore lead the way down the path. Once the viewer reaches the heart of the installation, the artwork challenges them to acknowledge their emotional world in order to progress. Once the end of the path is reached, the artwork becomes brighter and more vibrant. The warmth of suns and the joy of flowers signals the lessons learned along this journey.
The forest offers a space for contemplation and healing with its calming energy, luscious plants, and diversity of life. The transformations of mythology and fairy tales become the stories of the constellations in the nighttime sky. The galaxies sing far away and we feel an all-encompassing connection to nature.
AFS Ephemeral Sculpture
Inspired by land artists and using only organic materials mostly found on site at the sculpture park, this sculpture was designed and built by 4th graders at Abington Friends School. During the course of the 2022-2023 school year, students met regularly on site at AAC and worked together to vision and create this ephemeral structure.
Fairy Garden
This whimsical fairy garden utilizes repurposed artwork and objects made by previous ceramics students at Abington Art Center.
This is an interactive sculpture! Please play with the objects found here to create inviting spaces, contribute fairy offerings, or source natural items from the surrounding area. Let your imagination rule the day!
Unknown Sculptures
These mysterious sculptures were first discovered on an abandoned farm along Huntingdon Pike. It is unclear what their story was or what purpose they held, but they now sit proudly on display at the entrance of our sculpture park.
Although these sculptures come to us without information, their poses and stylized forms offer us some clues. One of our donated sculptures resembles a young woman. She sits upright, balancing her upper body weight on her bent leg. Her expression is neutral and her gaze could suggest that she is deep in thought. Our other donated sculpture reads differently from the first. This figure is curled up, hiding their face in the crook of their arm. Their body language could suggest that this figure is uncomfortable or distraught.
How do you read these sculptures?
What do you think the artist was trying to convey?
Who do you think the artist might have been?
