40 Years of Sculpture in the Park

The Loveland High Plains Arts Council is celebrating the 40th anniversary of Sculpture in the Park with new sculptures and special keepsakes.

When Jill Marino decided to volunteer at the annual Sculpture in the Park show and sale 34 years ago, all she was looking for was a fun way to give back to the community. Her kids were young and, as a teacher on summer break, she had plenty of time to get involved. What she didn’t expect was that she’d eventually become president of the Loveland High Plains Arts Council and celebrate the art show’s 40th anniversary alongside 157 talented sculptors from Colorado and beyond.

“I just thought, ‘This will be fun,'” Marino says. “It’s turned into a love of mine that I really enjoy.”

Benson Sculpture Garden

Held every year during the second weekend of August, Sculpture in the Park is a world-renowned, juried art exhibition at Benson Sculpture Garden that features sculptures of varying mediums—bronze, stone, glass, metal, ceramics, you name it—all of which are for sale, enabling the council to purchase permanent art for Benson and the neighboring North Lake Park. Currently, there are 187 permanent sculptures in both parks, funded by a third of the proceeds from the show. Artists receive the other two-thirds when their pieces are sold. The show is the largest of its kind in the U.S., bringing in more than $1 million each year.

Sculpture in the Park attracts nearly 20,000 attendees from around the country and the globe; one year, a group of stone artists traveled from Africa to partake in the show, and their work is currently on display at Chapungu Sculpture Park at Centerra. Art collectors aren’t the only ones to return year after year; five sculptors have participated in Sculpture in the Park since 1984 and will showcase their work for the 40th year in a row this month.

2023 Sculpture in the Park show and sale

This year’s event promises to be bigger and better than ever, with limited-edition collectables and new sculptures available for purchase. Aside from the full-size sculptures, Marino says there will be an area called “Take Home a Piece of the Park,” which will have smaller versions of some of the sculptures in the show for sale. Attendees can also take home posters of “Fiesta,” a bronze sculpture that was created by Carol Gold and permanently installed in Benson Sculpture Park in 2004, as well as Christmas ornaments that coincide with the poster.

Jade Windell, a third-year board member, is celebrating his 10th Sculpture in the Park show as a participating artist this year. He’s bringing 15 one-of-a-kind marble sculptures to the show, including Together, a sculpture made of rojo bilbao from Spain, and Allura and Enchant, two abstract creations made of honeycomb calcite from Utah.

Windell has been sculpting for 15 years and currently works for the Marble Institute of Colorado, a nonprofit symposium in Marble, Colo., that hosts carving sessions for dozens of sculptors from all over the world. Since June 20, he’s been living in a camper in Marble and sculpting day-in and day-out in preparation for this year’s show.

“I’m one of the one-off artists, which means that the stone is the only stone like it, and each sculpture is the only sculpture like it,” Windell says. “It’s always fun to educate the public on all these crazy rocks we have that I never knew existed before. I’m an abstract artist, so I let the viewer decide what they see or what they interpret. It’s hard to sell them because I love every one of them, but I love to share them too.”

Having been a painter before diving into the world of sculpture—”reductive sculpting,” specifically, which he describes as starting with a block and finding art within it—Windell was intimidated by Sculpture in the Park when he was first starting out. He had sold his paintings at Loveland’s Art in the Park and introduced sculpture to his booth as he improved, which quickly became a main medium as he studied under decorated sculptor Madeline Wiener.

“I didn’t sell a piece my first year, but I felt proud just being a part of that show and the prestige, sales and artists in it,” Windell says.

In addition to the sculptures for sale at this year’s event, Benson Sculpture Garden is also home to four new permanent pieces: Strength of the Maker by Denny Haskew, Forget-Me-Not by Georgene McGonagle, Venus di Milo by Bruce Gueswel and Majestic by Robert Larum and Melissa Cooper. Last Saturday, the council held a dedication ceremony for the new pieces, which Sculpture in the Park attendees will have the chance to admire as they walk among the other long-standing pillars of the area.

Marino and her husband help maintain Benson Sculpture Garden year-round, including the beautiful landscape surrounding “Fiesta.” People often walk by and ask them about the sculptures, to which Marino asks, “Have you ever been to our show?” Surprised by the number of residents who haven’t attended Sculpture in the Park in the past, Marino pushes for new attendees to take part in the event.

“You don’t have to be an artist, and you don’t have to collect art to attend the show,” Marino says, “but you need to come and experience the different mediums that are here and just enjoy them. The artists are here, and you get to talk to them. The point is to experience the art and the feel for how beautiful it can be.”

Many first-time attendees get familiar with Sculpture in the Park by volunteering, just like Marino did decades ago. Board member Lisa Downer says there are still plenty of volunteer opportunities available for both the show and the more intimate Patron Party, which takes place the Friday before.

“The Patron Party is a little bit dressy and is a nice social evening of shopping; it’s a private party, so it’s a great opportunity to join us if you want to volunteer,” Downer says. “Throughout the next two days, we’ll have a lot of short shifts available, so volunteers can also take the opportunity to be in the park. Volunteer positions are for people who just want to be part of a community event. They are easy and lots of fun.”

2024 Sculpture in the Park Schedule

Patron Party
A private, 21+ event with cocktails and hors d’oeuvres

• When: Friday, Aug. 9, from 3-8 p.m.
• Where: Benson Sculpture Garden
• Cost: $75
• Tickets available here.

Art Show & Sale
Open to the public; no pets allowed (service animals only)
A shuttle will transport attendees to and from the event; parking is available at Loveland High School as a fundraiser for student programs
Catered food by Fresh Plate available for purchase

• When: Saturday, Aug. 10, from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday, Aug. 11, from 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
• Where: Benson Sculpture Garden
• Cost: $10
• Tickets available here.