This has been a week to enjoy family.

Our daughter and my MIL have been visiting, which has spurred meet-ups with my father and one of my husband’s cousins as well. All four are highly creative by nature, so there has been no want for interesting conversation and ideas.

One of our field trips brought us to the Path of Life Sculpture Garden in Winsor, VT. Created by Terry McDonnell, who was inspired by Tully, Ireland’s famous Japanese garden “Life of Man”, it’s a lovely, wide-open space nestled in the rolling landscape by the side of the Connecticut River. Sculptural forms made from stone, wood, and even berry bushes reference various stages we all experience in the circle of life.

To add to the fun, there is a full-size hemlock maze where you could definitely lose your way if you aren’t paying attention.

On our way to the sculpture garden, we stopped at the East Gallery of the Hartness Library in Randolph, VT to view my current show Listening to the Moon, which consists of pieces that are a reflection of my long-held interest in Japanese gardens. The library is a gem of a building and worth visiting in its own right, set on a hill with lovely views from the adjacent parking lot. The large windows in the gallery open the room up to the surrounding, overhanging trees, bringing the outdoors inside, extending the sense of garden. I think the quiet, contemplative nature of the venue suits my work well, while also offering plenty of indirect natural light for viewing.

If you decide to make the trip to see the show, don’t miss John Snell’s beautiful nature photographs which are exhibiting concurrently in the library’s West Gallery. The aspirations of the pieces in each show complement those of other, so you might think of a trip to see both as a creative “two-fer”.

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Would you like to see more photos of the Path of Life Garden? The Dreamy Idealist has a great post.