Patrick Dougherty is a sculptor who uses living trees as an unusual medium. He has created over 200 site-specific sculptures by weaving the saplings of trees into huts, water pitchers, cocoons, etc. Among his installations, the most famous ones are the nest houses that he produced worldwide. For constructing these nest houses, Dougherty uses different tree types including birch, aspen, maple, and pussy pillow, and creates huts reaching 20 to 40 feet in height. Unfortunately, due to the nature of trees, his works cannot last for a long time.
Here are some of the most impressive works of Patrick Dougherty.
Just Around the Corner at the New Harmony Gallery
Roundabout at Tallaght Community Arts Centre in Dublin, Ireland
“Simple Pleasures” at Bowdoin College Museum of Art, the US
“Call of the Wild” at the Museum of Glass in Tacoma, Washington
“Out in Front” at Sarasota Museum of Art in Florida
“Na Hale ‘Eo Waiawi” at The Contemporary Art Museum in Honolulu
“Close Ties” at Scottish Basket Makers Circle
Hocus Pocus at the Bittersweet Farm in Ennice, North Carolina
Easy Rider at Dumbarton Oaks, Washington DC
Monks’ Cradle at College of St Benedict and St John’s University
Waltz in the Woods at Morris Arboretum of UPA, Philadelphia
Summer Palace at Morris Arboretum, Philadelphia
Uff da Palace at Minnesota Landscape Arboretum
