Art at the Park
10/03/2024 12:58PM ● By Sophie Dingle
Photo courtesy of Yampa River Botanic Park/Stephanie Appel.
The artistry in the Yampa River Botanic Park begins at the front gate: aspens weave their way up the metal, with the illusion of a river winding through their trunks. The aspens were created
by Mountain Tap Metals from gas pipe, a slightly bendy material, with tack welding used to give the bark texture. The leaves were cut with a plasma cutter and the park’s executive director, Jennifer MacNeil, has been told that it could be a contender for the best piece of public art in Steamboat Springs.
It’s an artistic start to a visit to the Botanic Park, which is continued in the flowering gardens and 27 pieces of art throughout the serene space.
“Horticulture, after all, is the art and science of displaying plants,” Jennifer says. “We’re an outdoor museum, a collection of living plants and we also have a collection of 27 pieces of art.”
The Hummingbird and Butterfly Garden was designed by local landscape designer Kathy Olsen of Lotus Designs Studio. A ribbon of foxtail lilies runs through the garden and drumstick alliums grow tall throughout. “People call it the Dr. Seuss garden,” Jennifer says, “because it looks like something from 'The Lorax.'”
Maddy’s Garden of Light features all-white, flowering plants like tulips, peony and iris spread out across a celestial-themed garden with stones depicting phases of the moon.
The Crevice Garden was created using a Czechoslovakian form of landscaping in which rocks are placed vertically into the ground. A mixture of soil and rock was put in between the rocks, and Alpine plants flower in the crevices. “This one is a visitor favorite because it’s so unique,” Jennifer says.
Throughout the gardens, benches beckon tired legs, fairy houses created by local children beg to be explored, and statues, like “Wings,” located on The Green, add to the artistry of the space. "Wings,” which depicts a child with an airplane, was done by Jim Price and is a handful of bronze statues found throughout the park.
Children are drawn to what is known as “hot frog,” sitting by Peter’s Pond and “The Turtle” is a favorite for climbing. But perhaps the most iconic piece of art in the park is “The Joy of Life,” a 7-foot sculpture of a person with outstretched arms, done by Hill Blackett, Jr. “If you had to think of an image of the Yampa River Botanic Park,” Jennifer says, “it’s this statue in front of the pond. It’s the most photographed piece in the park.”
The artistry in the Yampa River Botanic Park begins at the front gate: aspens weave their way up the metal, with the illusion of a river winding through their trunks. The aspens were created
by Mountain Tap Metals from gas pipe, a slightly bendy material, with tack welding used to give the bark texture. The leaves were cut with a plasma cutter and the park’s executive director, Jennifer MacNeil, has been told that it could be a contender for the best piece of public art in Steamboat Springs.
It’s an artistic start to a visit to the Botanic Park, which is continued in the flowering gardens and 27 pieces of art throughout the serene space.
“Horticulture, after all, is the art and science of displaying plants,” Jennifer says. “We’re an outdoor museum, a collection of living plants and we also have a collection of 27 pieces of art.”
The Hummingbird and Butterfly Garden was designed by local landscape designer Kathy Olsen of Lotus Designs Studio. A ribbon of foxtail lilies runs through the garden and drumstick alliums grow tall throughout. “People call it the Dr. Seuss garden,” Jennifer says, “because it looks like something from 'The Lorax.'”
Maddy’s Garden of Light features all-white, flowering plants like tulips, peony and iris spread out across a celestial-themed garden with stones depicting phases of the moon.
The Crevice Garden was created using a Czechoslovakian form of landscaping in which rocks are placed vertically into the ground. A mixture of soil and rock was put in between the rocks, and Alpine plants flower in the crevices. “This one is a visitor favorite because it’s so unique,” Jennifer says.
Throughout the gardens, benches beckon tired legs, fairy houses created by local children beg to be explored, and statues, like “Wings,” located on The Green, add to the artistry of the space. "Wings,” which depicts a child with an airplane, was done by Jim Price and is a handful of bronze statues found throughout the park.
Children are drawn to what is known as “hot frog,” sitting by Peter’s Pond and “The Turtle” is a favorite for climbing. But perhaps the most iconic piece of art in the park is “The Joy of Life,” a 7-foot sculpture of a person with outstretched arms, done by Hill Blackett, Jr. “If you had to think of an image of the Yampa River Botanic Park,” Jennifer says, “it’s this statue in front of the pond. It’s the most photographed piece in the park.”