THE ARTISTIC
TOUCH
Nestled amid foliage or hung on a wall, a work of art can completely transform a garden or outdoor living space Words: Karen Booth
The bright red Sphere sculpture from Lump Sculpture Studio sits in a sea of white gravel. artingreen.com.au
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hoosing art and decor for the garden is a subjective thing. There are guidelines you can follow to get the scale and positioning right, but when it comes down to it, you need to trust your instincts. If you love it, buy it. After all, you are the one who will be looking at it day in, day out. Outdoor decor and sculpture comes in many forms. Handcrafted metal birds, stone spheres, laser-cut Corten steel wall panels, decorative pots, sculptural fountains … even found objects can be turned into pieces of art, adding character and whimsy to a garden. Before you start shopping, give some thought to the role you want the artwork to play in your outdoor living area or garden. Are you looking for something to provide a finishing touch to an outdoor room or a courtyard, or something that will sit at the end of a garden path, beckoning the viewer and acting as a focal point?
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MATTER OF PERSPECTIVE Perspective, scale and size go hand-in-hand and should be kept in mind when selecting and positioning art or decorative elements in the garden. Consider the size of the space where the object will go, any nearby structures or dominant elements and the viewing points. Scale is all-important and if your sculpture or fountain is too big, or too small, for the intended area, it will look out of place and out of proportion. If buying an expensive oneoff piece or having a piece commissioned, a good tip is to place something of the same dimensions actually in your garden, to get a feel for the impact the artwork will have before committing yourself. You need to think about where you will be viewing your artwork from and remember that the outlook from the windows of your home is just as important as the views from various points within your garden. Framing an artwork is about both masking things and
Sculpture needs to be well-framed. Here, the artwork rises up from a garden bed. cycas.com.au, lisaelllisgardens.com
