The City of Kennesaw announced that new sculptures have been added to the Art Blooms exhibit Designed by Nature! at Smith-Gilbert Gardens.

Art Blooms is a two-month exhibit that began on April 1.

Further details are provided in the press release reprinted below:

Kennesaw, GA (May 6, 2021) — Smith-Gilbert Gardens is excited to announce an extension to their Art Blooms Exhibit, Designed by Nature! The extended exhibit will feature three new, recently installed sculptures, designed and crafted by artists of the Kennesaw State University (KSU) School of Art & Design Master Craftsman Program.

“I am very pleased to be partnering with Smith-Gilbert Gardens again to give students an opportunity to produce artwork for the space, says Master Craftsman Program Director Page Burch. “This exhibition is a great way for students to get a major exhibition in their portfolio, as well as get a glimpse of what it is like to work as a professional artist. The Gardens is a beautiful location for sculpture, and we are very excited to see more student artwork being exhibited. We are in the middle of an excellent partnership with SGG and looking forward to producing more artwork for the community!”

The students who participated in the exhibition are Mary Beck Pinkston, Mari Raj and Hannah Bumgarner.

Art Blooms, an art exhibit surrounded by nature, opened at Smith-Gilbert on April 1. Selected pieces from the permanent sculpture collection are on display, highlighted by spring color!

Art Blooms, presented by the Cobb EMC Community Foundation, is a two-month exhibit that includes a series of weekend artists’ demonstrations and workshops. On Saturdays, Art Ambassadors will be on-site to share behind-the-scenes stories of the artists and sculptures.

Smith-Gilbert Gardens’ permanent sculpture collection features 31 outdoor pieces representing international, national and regional artists.

The feature artists for this year’s Art Blooms exhibit is local artist Doug Pisik. His piece, Morph, is an interactive wooden sculpture and will be on exhibit for visitors to experience. Doug Pisik is a nationally recognized wood artist who specializes in creating sculptures, 3D wall pieces and intricate art boxes with complex designs both inside and out.

Art Blooms is included with regular Garden admission. Weekly Timed Tickets for Art Blooms are now available at www.smithgilbertgardens.com.

The Designed by Nature sculpture pieces are a continuation of the partnership between the City of Kennesaw and the Kennesaw State University School of Art & Design Master Craftsman Program. The City unveiled student-designed and fabricated benches at the Southern Museum and City Hall in November 2017, eight decorative manhole covers at the City Hall Plaza in March 2019 and a sign, shade structure and sundial at Gateway Park in May 2019. This opportunity gives students the real-world experience of going through the public art commission process, including selection, fabrication and installation.