ShareThisHAMILTON, N.J. -- Dare I join this lively group for lunch? They are having a good time at their lakeside table. Wine and conversation seem to flow smoothly. I slip past the waiter and take a spot next to the man wearing a straw hat and sleeveless T-shirt. A young woman coos over a cute puppy. Everyone looks familiar, but no, I can't recall any names.I've put myself in the middle of Renoir's 19th-century masterpiece, "The Luncheon of the Boating Party." I do so with the help of sculptor J. Seward Johnson Jr. It appears he's sitting at another table with artist Red Grooms.Inspired by Impressionist paintings, Johnson creates sculptures that invite interaction. The finely painted, life-size figures are cast bronze and aluminum. He titled this work "Were You Invited?," perhaps because he knows everyone wants a place at the table.The tableau is one of several scattered across Grounds for Sculpture, a large-scale project begun by Johnson. Two hundred and fifty contemporary sculptures are on view in this 35-acre park. They include works by internationally known and emerging artists. Since it was established in 1992, Grounds for Sculpture has expanded its scope. More than a dozen sculptures are added to the exhibition every year.Johnson's mischievous sense of humor comes into play at another three-dimensional work. What's going on behind the tall hedge? Shocking! Skinny-dipping!Edouard Manet's painting "Dejeuner Sur l'Herbe" prompted Johnson to create his own "Dejeuner Deja Vu." When visitors stumble across the tableau, they are face-to-face with a lifelike naked lady, two gentlemen and another bather by a stream in a secluded glade. People joyfully pose for pictures at this and other French Impressionism tableaux. They jump into a scene and often praise Johnson's cleverness in bringing a painting to life. The park's lake area, reminiscent of Claude Monet's famous Giverny garden, showcases Johnson's "If It Were Time." It's a new version of Monet's painting "Terrace at Sainte Adresse." It has two available seats so passersby can engage in conversation with two handsomely dressed couples.Whimsical scenes like these are all part of the amusement of Grounds for Sculpture. Works are placed carefully to add drama and evoke inspiration. However, other works present challenges in interpretation. Sculptures are in many forms: large and small, rough-hewn and highly polished, bold and brash and intricate and sentimental. A box of poetry pamphlets positioned near a bench and metal sculpture suggests a pause for contemplation. A gazebo overlooking a pond invites relaxation. Sculptures sail across the water and dance through the air. Many times, as I wander through the garden, I ponder the significance of pieces. What do they represent?Complicated works fulfill Johnson's intent in building the park. His purpose is to offer people from all backgrounds the opportunity to become comfortable with contemporary art. At every turn, people find ways to admire sculpture. Children frolicked in water features. A man stretches below a ring of dancing nudes. A couple listens to wind chimes."The idea of contemporary sculpture is to form your own opinion. If you don't understand it, you can make up something," says Rena Perrone, GFS events planner. Concerts, gallery talks, children's workshops, tours and other special events are held throughout the year as a way to connect people to art.Sculptures are also on view in the Domestic Arts Building, a remnant of the days when the site served as the New Jersey State Fairgrounds. A second fair building, one that used to exhibit blue-ribbon rabbits and goats, was transformed into a museum. Its raised-rib, steel-roofed design incorporates natural light and open space for showing large sculptures.Johnson's foundry, the Johnson Atelier, is next to the sculpture park. It is a training ground for scores of apprentices. The philanthropist, who is the grandson of the founder of Johnson & Johnson, spends part of the year here and at his home in Key West, Fla. On the day of my visit, Johnson enjoys the company of patrons of Rat's, his fine-dining restaurant set in a garden reminiscent of Monet's Giverny. The restaurant takes its name from Kenneth Grahame's classic, "The Wind In The Willows," one of Johnson's most beloved books.Open year-round, Grounds for Sculpture is a canvas for the passing of the seasons. Through a film in the visitor center, we witness the snows of winter, spring blooms, exuberantly showy summer flowers and fall foliage. Garden rooms are designed to complement the sculptures.A wide, open space holds Red Grooms' "Henry Moore in a Sheep Meadow." John Ruppert's "Pumpkins" is the understory of an orchard. The bamboo courtyard, lotus pond and red maple allee have a beauty all their own. Sculpted pieces are moved from time to time, so the garden changes and continues to surprise repeat visitors.For more information, visit www.groundsforsculpture.org or call 609-586-0616.(Linda Lange is the travel editor for the Knoxville News Sentinel in Tennessee.)
A park full of sculptures
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