Patrick Dougherty turns willow saplings into walk-through sculptures that blur the line between architecture and woodland growth.
For more than 40 years, the North Carolina artist has built large-scale, site-specific installations from interwoven twigs. His ongoing series, Stickworks, now includes more than 300 projects. Each sculpture begins with truckloads of willow saplings, often sourced from Canadian farms that grow the material for fencing and basketmaking. When a site allows, Dougherty also works with locally available branches.
At Horseshoe Bay Farms near Egg Harbor, Wisconsin, “Happy Go Lucky” has become part of the landscape. Virginia creeper has climbed across its woven walls, turning red each autumn and giving the work a second seasonal life. The structure offers a place for visitors to enter and explore, while also becoming habitat for insects and climbing plants.
Dougherty’s installations range from towers and arches to forms that resemble oversized vessels. “Sea Change” and “Rough ‘n Tumble” lean toward architecture, while “All in the Family” evokes a cluster of monumental urns. In “The Jealous Wall,” willow branches wrap around existing buildings, suggesting a forest slowly overtaking the built environment.
The sculptures are meant to be experienced from within as much as viewed from outside. Their openings, passageways, and irregular walls invite visitors to walk through spaces made from a material usually treated as modest and temporary.
Works made during the past decade also carry the contribution of Sam Dougherty, Patrick Dougherty’s son, who assisted full time while maintaining his own pottery practice. Although semi-retired, Dougherty continues to work from his studio. A recent exhibition at the Blowing Rock Art & History Museum included a wall-to-wall display of gloves signed by volunteers who helped construct the installations over the years.
Explore Dougherty’s archive and current work on Stickwork, his official website.
For another intriguing art fusion with nature, explore Nebbia’s stone seats on a cliff blending art and the natural world.
Discover how another artist uses similar natural inspirations in Lisa Stevens’ ceramic sculptures that echo organic forms from nature.
Source: thisiscolossal.com
Frequently asked questions
What material does Patrick Dougherty use for his sculptures?
Patrick Dougherty uses twigs, specifically willow saplings sourced from Canadian farms, for his sculptures.
Where can you see Dougherty’s ‘Happy Go Lucky’ sculpture?
‘Happy Go Lucky’ is located at Horseshoe Bay Farms in Door County, Wisconsin.
Who has Patrick Dougherty collaborated with in recent years?
In recent years, Patrick Dougherty has collaborated with artist Sam Dougherty, who is also involved in pottery practice.