Sophia Vandewark
Patrick Dougherty's "Stickwork" sculpture at the Fort Worth Botanic Garden
As I circled around the structure, I could hear children laughing from within, playing hide-and-go-seek.
“It’s like a castle!” one small boy cried out.
And indeed, it is like a castle. But it is also like a fort. And a giant bird’s nest. Whatever it reminds you of, it is definitely something to feed the imagination of both the young and the old.
Patrick Dougherty’s new "Stickwork" sculpture at the Fort Worth Botanic Garden is quite a sight, set aside off the main path in the Fuller Garden. With built-in doorways, windows, and halls, the installation is an interactive, woodsy wonder made of roughleaf dogwood and American elm.
“It has a sense of mystery as well as exploration,” Dougherty says.
Dougherty, who has earned his reputation by building these large and intricate "Stickwork" sculptures across the country, started construction on Feb. 1. He worked with his son and close to 50 volunteers to complete the project in just three weeks. The help of the volunteers allowed Dougherty to work on all three phases — structural, aesthetic, and cosmetic — of the process at once. He finished on Feb. 19, having worked through one of the largest snowstorms in Texas history.
“I’m very thankful to the garden staff,” Dougherty says. “I’m also grateful to the volunteers. I was able to learn about Fort Worth through stories of their lives.”
The "Stickwork" sculpture will be on display at the garden until it returns to nature on its own accord. Dougherty’s sculptures usually last for a year or two until they fall apart.
The Fort Worth Botanic Garden is located at 3220 Botanic Garden Blvd. and open 8 a.m – 5 p.m., Monday – Sunday.
