38th Annual Sculpture in the Park Returns to Benson Sculpture Garden August 12, 13 & 14
During the second week of August, art enthusiasts flock to Loveland’s Benson Sculpture Garden for the largest outdoor juried sculpture show in the country. Over 2,000 sculptures created by 160 national and international artists are featured during this weekend-long event.
There’s nothing more fitting than an art sculpture event presented in Loveland – also known to be “a sweetheart city which has a love affair with the arts”.
This event serves as a public showcase of bronze, wood, stone, ceramic, metal, and mixed media sculptures against the dramatic backdrop of the Rocky Mountains. All sculpture displayed at the show is available for sale. Interact with artists, take in the astounding sculptures, and expose your family to new and exciting artwork!
Unlike a painting, sculpture is three-dimensional art, allowing you to view a piece from all angles. Whether celebrating an historic figure or created as a work of art, sculpture is all the more powerful due to its physical presence. A sculpture may draw upon what already exists in the endless variety of natural and man-made form, or it may be an art of pure invention. Like street art, some works of sculpture are big, bold and unmissable. Other examples of sculpture may be delicate, requiring close study. At Loveland Sculpture in the Park you will experience all of these and more.
The History
The very first Sculpture in the Park presentation was held back in 1984 after five Loveland sculptors, namely Dan Ostermiller, George Lundeen, Fritz White, Hollis Williford, and George Walbye, in cooperation with the Loveland Chamber of Commerce and City of Loveland, put their heads together to create a sculpture show in Benson Park.
The idea was to bring together sculptors from around the country and showcase their masterpieces in Benson Park, which has become the official designated site. Each year, Sculpture in the Park draws tens of thousands of visitors annually and the Benson Sculpture Garden is internationally recognized as a must-see contemporary art site. The 38th Sculpture in the Park show will be held August 12th to 14th, 2022 at the Benson Sculpture Garden in Loveland.
Jan DeDecker: USA Today’s Colorado Woman of the Year featured at this year’s show
Jane DeDecker, USA TODAY’s Colorado Woman of the Year, will be one of the featured artists at this year’s Sculpture in the Park Show. The award recognizes women across the country who have made a significant impact. The annual program is a continuation of Women of the Century, a 2020 project that commemorated the 100th anniversary of women gaining the right to vote. DeDecker was chosen as the first artist for the Women’s Suffrage Monument project, which looks to establish a national monument in Washington D.C. to commemorate the women’s suffrage movement. She has been working on the project for several years, starting out with her piece, ‘Every Word We Utter.’
Meet the Artists
One of the things that’s particularly unique about the show is visitors get to meet all of the artists in person, to talk to them about their pieces – what is the origin of the piece, how it was made and more. In order to keep the show interesting for return visitors, Loveland High Plains Arts Council Executive Director, Donna Visocky, explains, “We always have a number of first-time participants—not necessarily new artists, but new to the show. There will be 20 first-time participants in the show this year, so they’ll be bringing new work that people haven’t seen. We also have a requirement that returning artists bring 75% new or recently produced pieces.”
Patron Party
Friday, Sculpture in the Park kicks off with a premier patron party, where serious collectors can chat with artists and shop in a more relaxed environment. The “adults only” event will feature cocktails and hors d’oeuvres. A limited number of tickets are available at www.sculptureinthepark.org.
Silent Auction
A silent auction tent, set up throughout the weekend, will allow visitors to bid on selected bronze, stone, wood, ceramic, glass, metal and mixed-media sculptures.
Take Home a Piece of the Park
Attendees will also have the opportunity to “take home a piece of the park,” maquette-sized (small replica) versions of many of the permanent Benson Sculpture Garden pieces. These pieces of the park are available for purchase during the show and throughout the year.
Benson Sculpture Garden
In addition to gazing at new sculptures, attendees can marvel at the pieces within the expansive permanent collection at Benson Sculpture Garden — a 10-acre property with 178 pieces. From children pulling a larger-than-life wishbone, to a life-size bronze mountain lion, to a banana on roller skates, the subjects depicted in the sculptures range from whimsical to incredibly lifelike.
Each year, the proceeds generated from the annual sale and show go towards the purchase of sculpture for Benson Sculpture Garden, as well as towards the funding of park capital improvements and landscaping.
Details for the 38th Annual Show
The show will be open to the general public at 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Sunday in the Benson Sculpture Garden, just north of Lake Loveland at 2908 Aspen Drive. Tickets may be purchased at the gate for $10, and children 14 and younger are admitted for free. Visit the Sculpture in the Park website for more information and to see who the 2022 participating artists are and view samples of their work. www.sculptureinthepark.org.
