Thursday, April 6, 2017

Bird Sculptures at the Edison Estates

The theme this year for the ninth annual “Art in the Gardens” outdoor sculptures  using recycled materials was “Birds.” Schools from throughout Lee County participated and entered their birds, which were situated throughout the Edison Heritage Garden area near the museum. “Birds” is a fitting theme, as the Edisons and Fords were avid bird watchers and advocates. 

Teachers were awarded funds to assemble the weather-proof, recycled  materials for the sculptures, and the art was up to the students. There were supposed to be 20 schools represented, but on the day I went, April 28, there were 17 sculptures. The exhibit started on March 19 and continued through April 23. It’s a good idea to visit this site earlier rather than later because sometimes the weather plays havoc with these outdoor sculptures.

The Edison & Ford Winter Estates, the Lee County Art Educators and Lee County Schools collaborated to bring the project to fruition. Sponsors included Winn Dixie,  Forestry Resources and GoMulch. The exhibit was free to the public--it wasn’t necessary to pay the usual fee to visit the Estates. 


Entrance into the Art in the Gardens exhibit from Larchmont Street


Edison Family Pet Peacock

The Edison family owned a pet peacock. If it was spoken to softly, it would spread its tail feathers for visitors. 


Signage for Art in the Gardens


Mina Edison and bird sculpture in the Heritage Garden


Bird sculpture by Bill Frye, Edison Ford Winter Estates employee


Student art exhibits at the very entrance to the garden


Bird-themed sculptures line the walkway


Saint Francis Xavier Catholic School, Teacher: Vanessa Lombardo 


Ida S. Baker High School, Teachers: Elodie Cotton & Lorna Bluestein


Close-up of Bird house


Fort Myers High School, Teacher: Todd Abbey


Bird sculptures down the right side of the walkway


Diplomat Middle School, Teacher: Oliver Dominguez 


“Big Bird” made of plastic spoons and knives


Dunbar High School, Teacher: Linda Jones


Peacock on a ribbon


Mariner High School, Teacher: Jennifer Reilly


Close-up of Mariner Redbird


Lehigh Senior High School, Teacher: Cristina Penuel


Lehigh birds and bird houses


Edison Park Elementary School, Teacher: Karen Flanders


Edison Ford Winter Estates Home School and Manatee Elementary School


Edison Ford Winter Estates Home School, Teacher: Deborah Bowers


One of the bird faces hiding under the bougainvillea


Manatee Elementary School, Teacher: Andrea Luizzi
A bird family and its nest


Tortuga Preserve Elementary School, Teacher: Christina Sterrett


Tortuga Preserve “Tree”


Tortuga Preserve American Eagle


Bonita Springs Middle School, Teacher: Joy Cooper


Bonita Springs birds in buckets


Bonita Springs bird close-up


South Fort Myers, Teacher: Maria Cabrera


Varsity Lakes Middle School, Teacher: Marjorie Resler


Trafalgar Elementary School, Teacher: Helen Garcia-Valdez


Stacks of ceramics


The Alva School, Teacher: Nicole Bizjak


The Alva School bird plaque


North Fort Myers Academy for the Arts Middle School, Teacher: Brenda Lown 


North Fort Myers Academy


North Fort Myers Academy


North Fort Myers Academy


North Fort Myers Academy


Bird sculptures in the Heritage Garden



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