This post was sponsored by Grounds for Sculpture who provided us with passes to enjoy the park. We appreciate their support of Jersey Family Fun that allows us to share with families family-friendly destinations we think your family may enjoy.
Grounds for Sculpture is someplace I’ve been wanting to visit for a while, so when we were offered the chance to be hosted by Grounds for Sculpture, I jumped at the chance.
Boaz Vaadia, Ba’al with Cat, 2009, bronze, basalt and bluestone, A/P edition of 5, 47 x 77 x 50 inches, Collection of the Artist, ©2009, Boaz Vaadia
Grounds for Sculpture is 45 acres of land to roam and explore and search for hidden art. It is located in Hamilton, NJ, an easy drive from our location in South Jersey. As we drove to the gate, art and sculptures greeted us from inside and outside the gates.
Upon parking, we were greeted by a number of peacocks. The literature stated that peacocks and other wildlife might be seen throughout, but we only encountered the peacocks in the parking lot.
After getting our tickets, we explored the building first. There was one room dedicated to Seward Johnson pieces. Seward Johnson is the founder of Grounds for Sculpture, and his realistic sculptures are found both inside and out. They feature ordinary looking people doing ordinary things- having a dinner party, looking out over the lake, and fishing just to name a few. There were other exhibitions inside, including, Rattle, by Paul Henry Ramirez, featured bright geometric shapes on the walls and the floor.
Paul Henry Ramirez, RATTLE, 2016, mixed media, site-specific installation, Courtesy of the Artist
Once we ventured outside, we discovered sculptures large and small. Some were hidden around corners and in nooks, others were big enough to be seen from across the park. Some sculptures are along the walking path, others are in the grass off the path. The map we were given with our tickets shows the larger paths. It doesn’t list all the pieces of art, but just shows general areas and landmarks, so we put the map away and just wandered.
First, we found a Bamboo Observation Tower. Tall shoots of bamboo are everywhere around Grounds for Sculpture. This group of them disguised steps and an observation tower. We climbed up and got to look at some sculptures from above. We found what looked like a sea monster in the weeds and at the very end of our trip finally found it.
Autin Wright, Carmelita, 2008, fiberglass, LED light, 120 x 60 x 144 inches, Grounds For Sculpture, Gift of The Seward Johnson Atelier, Inc.
We then continued on. As we walked on we discovered several Seward Johnson pieces along our way. The beauty of these is their realism. Often we took a second look to determine if it was actual people or art.
We spent about two hours wandering the grounds and exploring the statues. When we left we saw from the road a whole area we hadn’t explored, so we have a good excuse to go back one day.
Some of the artwork has signs stating that it was okay to touch and interact with it, others stated not to touch. The signs are discreet and sometimes hard to find. My ten year old loved that it was okay for him to explore some of these by touching and interacting, and this was a nice change from reminding him to not touch the art.
Hyung Jun Yum, Monkey King, 2002, cast bronze, 45 x 21 x 25 inches, Grounds For Sculpture, Gift of The Seward Johnson Atelier, Inc.
Grounds for Sculpture is located at 80 Sculptors Way, Hamilton, NJ 08619. Timed tickets are required. You can purchase tickets here before you go. Grounds for Sculpture is open Tuesday through Sunday 10:00 am to 6:00 pm.
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This post was sponsored by Grounds for Sculpture who provided us with passes to enjoy the park. We appreciate their support of Jersey Family Fun that allows us to share with families family-friendly destinations we think your family may enjoy.