Today I thought that we could go on a field trip.I love gardens and blown glass so guess what I found? Fredrick Meijer Gardens in Grand Rapids Michigan.
It is a double pleasure because along with the beautiful gardens they are featuring Dale Chuhuli, the world famous glass artist!
This photo to the right is at the entrance. I was not quite on with this because if I had been you would easily see two faces. Also notice through out these pictures all the awesome plant and art combinations.
As we enter the main building we see that there are several internal galleries and themed greenhouses. Lets take a look at one of the sculptures in the first gallery.
Now I want to venture outside to see the gardens and the glass work Mr. Chihuli has on display.We are told that it took Dale Chihuli and his team three years to design and make every piece of glass work just for this exhibition alone!
To see him at work with his team we can go inside to the viewing room and watch a 90 minute video on him, very fascinating!
Wandering around outside on the nice paved paths we see that there is also a trolley that can take us around on a guided tour of the gardens, but I would rather walk and take advantage of all the little benches available tucked out of the way where I can sit and view God's beauty and spend time thanking Him for all He has given us.
Here we are inside the tropical greenhouse. Chihuli's work is everywhere. It adds such a sense of whimsy and fun. The colors and shapes make me want to reach out and touch them... and I need to not do this because it is not allowed. Maybe I should visit the children's garden where it is all hands on and the glass art, sculptures and plants are designed to touch and smell! No, I want to save that for the next trip when I bring my grand children. I will have to show restraint!
I stare in amazement at all the wonders of God. How did He know just how to make each flower to do a specific job? Was it necessary to make them so bright with color and fragrant? I am so glad that he did, and that I am here to enjoy them!While I sit here and meditate on these questions, I see how all this is also apparent in my own life as a human. God has designed me and you for a specific purpose, every detail tended to. If we are aware of this fact and are obedient to God's word we can reap the benefits of His perfect design. The beautiful flowers never wonder why they are here and what their purpose is, they trust in God and see how perfect their life is! Note to self... no need making life harder than we have to!!
Take these carnivorous plants below. They are designed to trap insects to gain nutrients and supply birds with what they need to live. God saw the full picture and made His creation to exact specifications to achieve just what was necessary for these creatures, and us to live.
When we wander back outside for another tour of the grounds we go to the water fall because many people have told us that is it so beautiful. Upon arrival... we see that they were right! Wow, how amazing! Chihuli has made these large round glass orbs that are sitting and floating all around. It adds so much color and makes me feel like I am in a fantasy dream, like the ones my sister use to spend hours telling me and my younger sister when we were young.
What a wonderful gift a memory can be. Did any of you have a sibling who loved you enough to just sit for hours and spin great tales just to entertain you? Well we did, and Rhonda gave us more than any toy ever could. I thank God for that bond that she made between us girls with her stories.
This water fall helped me to look back on those great memories. Did Chihuli have that in mind you think?
As I walk down and around the bend in the path I come upon a beautiful surprise! This wonderful, huge royal blue thistle. It is by the pond where there are more round orbs floating and when I walk around the pond I can see the glass work from different angles and it is spectacular!
There are many permanent pieces of sculpture that are donated to the gardens and everyone is unique to itself.
These men sitting are made of many small aluminium alphabetic letters. I'm not sure what the artist was intending to say with this piece, however I can stand and just enjoy the art in it.They seem to be sitting in each others company, yet able to remain as an individual at the same time. My sister Tammy told me once how the Hawaiian men would squat in a circle and fellowship, this kind of reminds me of them.
Or it could represent how alone we sometimes feel even when we are surrounded by many people.
This Glass sculpture just seems to pop right up out of nowhere. The scale and bright colors capture my eye immediately! Set in a meadow garden, it makes me think of a large red bird among the flowers.I ask, do you think the people from the gardens sent Mr. Chihuli photos of the grounds and greenhouses so he could make pieces for each spot that caught his eye. Or , did he just make the pieces and when he came to the gardens, decided where they would look best? I did not ask this question, now I wish I had so I could tell you.
The human body is one of God's most amazing works of art, so it stands to reason that many artists are drawn to sculpting it to share the beauty with us for many years to come.
Here, this beautiful bronze is standing in a field of Greek oregano that is in full bloom. It is so fragrant and visually stunning, I love it!
We have had such a full day here at the gardens. Our eyes can hardly take any more beauty and August in Michigan is hot and humid so how about we go into the cafe and have a glass of ice tea while viewing the sculptures in the fountains?
OH MY!! Still more of Dale Chihuli's magnificent glass works! These flowers are all over the ceiling. They start in red then orange, yellow to green and then they fade to brilliant blue! There must be hundreds of them up there!This goes to show that Fredrick Miejer's gardens and Dale Chihuli left no area untouched by beauty!
I think it is time to go for today, but I do want to come back in the fall season to see the change in color and check out the exhibit here at that time.
I hope this field trip caused you to take time to see all the beauty God has intended for us to enjoy. He gave all of this to us to care for. He made everything with us in mind and He expects for us to care for it as He Himself would do. Ask yourself, "am I doing that?" Let's leave here with the commitment to do all we can from today forward!
