Models will be walking the outdoor runway in the Sculpture Grounds at Studio 80 on Lyme Street wearing Susan Hickman designs like these (from an previous fashion show.)

Gil Boro’s Studio 80 + Sculpture Grounds is celebrating Old Lyme’s Midsummer Festival with a host of events on Saturday, July 30.  Join us for an exciting, live, outdoor runway show at 12 p.m. by Hygienic Art resident artist Susan Hickman and acclaimed designer Anna Lucas. The show will be repeated at 2 p.m. Following the 2 p.m. show there will be a performance by The Magnaterrestrials, movement technologists who specialize in hoops/dance/aerials whose mission is to push you just outside your comfort zone and make you dance.

The Magnaterrestrials who will be performing at Stucio 80 + Sculpture Grounds Saturday after the 2pm outdoor, runway fashion show.

There will also be an on-site boutique featuring a wide variety of creations for sale by both artists throughout the event.

Hickman says that the inspiration for the collection she is presenting comes directly from Boro’s Sculpture Grounds. Described as having a “playful and experimental” style, Hickman’s eclectic fashions often have a sense of the theatric and come to life with the combination of a woman’s movement and her personality. Apart from clothing, Hickman — an established artist with a BFA from Ohio University — also designs small bags, clutches and totes.

Lucas, whose formal training is in the field of Religious Studies, focuses on sustainable creative fashion with her inspiration coming from nature, vintage textiles and the divine form of the body. She will present a striking collection created out of recycled and upcycled materials so that the fabric has a low environmental impact.  Each piece is a limited edition and designed, cut and sewn by hand in Stonington, Conn.

Conrad Levenson

Sculptor Conrad Levenson will give an Artist Talk about his imaginative sculptures at 1 p.m. in Studio 80.  Based in Stanford, N.Y., Levenson’s work applies his passion for reclamation and recycling to the creation of sculpture. He transforms scrap materials and old objects into works of art. In the process, he strives to identify and capture their embedded energy, spirit and character, giving each one new form and meaning in a voice that is uniquely his own.

Schedule of Events for Midsummer Festival at Studio 80 + Sculpture Grounds
9am to 5pm  Summer Sculpture Showcase 2016 on display  for all to view
12pm: Live, outdoor runway fashion show featuring designs by Susan Hickman and Anna Lucas
1pm: Artist Talk by Conrad Levenson
2pm: Live, outdoor runway fashion show featuring designs by Susan Hickman and Anna Lucas.  Following the show there will be a performance by The Magnaterrestrials.
3-5pm: Enjoy Live Music by Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde

Explore Summer Sculpture Showcase 2016 any time between 9am and 5pm. Boro’s expansive Sculpture Gardens are located on 4.5 acres of his residence on historic Lyme Street in the heart of Old Lyme, Conn.  The beautifully landscaped grounds slope down toward the Lieutenant River offering a unique en plein air experience for the exhibition, which combines both large- and small-scale contemporary sculptures. Many of the works, which are in a variety of media, are for sale.

This juried Summer Sculpture Showcase 2016 on the grounds adjoining Boro’s studio and inside the Emily Seward Boro (ESB) Gallery on the property features works created by 17 widely acclaimed sculptors interspersed amongst Boro’s own sculptures, along with works by 13 other contributing artists.

Mega-Dandelion by Gints Grinsbergs

The signature piece of the exhibition is “Mega- Dandelion” by Gints Grinbergs.  It is a large — 144” in height, 56” in diameter — yet delicate structure that evokes the intricate design of lace in its welded and stainless steel structure.  Grinbergs explains in his artist’s statement that he looks to nature for inspiration. His work has been featured at various museums and galleries and is Included in private and corporate collections throughout North America.

‘Mephisto’s Waltz’is an intriguing piece of kinetic sculpture.

Jay Hoagland charming ‘Mephisto’s Waltz’ features a viola made out of steel and copper with a kinetic element.  When the integral weathervane at the head of the instrument catches the wind, the bow travels across the strings playing an eerie melody. Hoagland explains the motivation behind his sculpture thus, “I work because the sheer joy of seeing thought turned into material is rejuvenating.”

A view across the Sculpture Grounds showing three works by sculptor Gilbert Boro.

Boro has enjoyed an extraordinary and distinguished more than 50-year-career as a successful architect, sought-after international design consultant and an inspiring educator.  With a BFA from Duke University and post-graduate degrees from Columbia University, NYC, his work explores the interplay of space, place and scale in a wide range of media including steel, stone, wood, metal, aluminum and fiberglass.

Working in sculpture has been a compulsion rather than a possibility for Boro.  While mastering the rigors of technical competence, he developed a deep-seated passion for three-dimensional art, which continues to be the influential force behind his creations. He is both inspired and motivated by the creative freedom of sculpting, finding that abstract work is the means to fulfill his vision.  

Boro’s sculptures can be found in art centers and public art venues across the US and throughout Europe; they have also been purchased by private collectors, corporations and foundations in both the US and internationally.

This Summer Sculpture Showcase offers a unique opportunity for established sculptors to exhibit their work in a different location, while also effectively creating a new exhibition within the Sculpture Gardens.  Boro comments, “I’m delighted to be able to open my grounds to these exceptional sculptors whose work intrigues me.  Each one offers original creative thinking resulting in a combination of contrasting conceptual designs in a variety of media.  I think any visitor to the exhibition is going to be thoroughly engaged by what he or she sees – including children.”

Boro is somewhat unusual as a professional sculptor in that he loves to see folk of all ages directly interacting with his sculptures, noting that he has a strong aversion to exhibitions, “… where people can’t touch my work.”  Apart from attracting visitors to see the works on his grounds, Boro is thoroughly invested in the vibrant Old Lyme arts scene and hopes this exhibition will help cement the town as a summer destination for art-loving visitors from near and far, especially during the town’s Midsummer Festival which this year takes place on Saturday, July 30.

About Studio 80 + Sculpture Grounds:  Located at 80-1 Lyme St., less than a minute from Exit 70 on I-95, the Sculpture Grounds are open 365 days a year from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.  Admission is free.  Children, field trips and group visits are all welcome. The Studio is open by appointment.  For further information, contact 860-434-5957, visit www.sculpturegrounds.com or email studio80sculpturegrounds@gmail.com