On the Waterfront: ANSG Sculpture Garden + GCPB Tidal Garden
November 25, 2022
Una notte di mille luci. Yes, there were probably more than a thousand Italian string lights at Friday night’s reception, giving this Bugatti the dazzle as if flying down Torino’s Via Roma or Milano’s Corso Sempione.
Although Palm Beach’s recent climactic convergence gave riseto less than Biblical flooding, the High Tide + King Tide + Nicole’s storm surge brought enough wind and wet for the Garden Club of Palm Beach to cancel its Christmas reception and open its Holiday Boutique earlier than scheduled. I stopped by on my way to check out GCPB’s innovative Bradley Park Tidal Garden, designed to mitigate coastal flooding.
And then, at another nearby waterfront botanical showcase, the Ann Norton Sculpture Gardens observed the completion of a three-year restoration of the Main House, Artist’s Studio, and botanical showcase with activities saluting our nation’s veterans, highlighted by the Sculpture in Motion classic car exhibition, 40-car Grand Tour parade, and Reception for the event’s patrons, exhibitors, and sponsors, including the Broad Arrow Group, a portfolio of companies focused on the collector car industry. While looking around at ANSG’s lustrous makeover, I stumbled on sculptors Luis Montoya and Leslie Ortiz, busily hanging their upcoming show Abundance of Riches 1972-2022, which opened November 16.
Christina and Ben Macfarland at Friday night’s reception for patrons, sponsors, and supporters of the Sixth AnnualSculpture in Motion weekend honoring Gold Star families and veterans at the Ann Norton Sculpture Gardens, featuring fabled 20th-century Italian, French, and American classic cars.
11 November 2022 / 6-8 pm ANSG Patron’s Reception
ANSG Chairwoman Frances Fisher, center, welcomes guests Janet Shamlin, left, and Tina Munro, right.Jeff Fisher, collector extraordinaire, and Doug Cohen.The Ann Norton Sculpture Gardens would like to thank …Donald Osborne, the show’s Grand Marshal and renowned classic car historian, scholar, and go-to expert on television’s Jay Leno’s Garage. And yes, he sang an aria.Brendan and Samantha Carroll.Voiture Classique! A 1967 DS 21 Chapron Cabriolet d’Usine. A work of art.A Citroen landscape by the renowned British automotive artist Barry Rowe, a member of the Automotive Fine Art Society, who died this past summer. Rowe’s painting became the poster for the 2018 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance that had never previously featured the Citroen’s coach-built cars. According to the Concours, “The front car is a two-tone blue 1966 Citroën DS 21 Chapron Le Léman Coupé, one of roughly 24 produced, featured at the 1966 Geneva Motor Show and represents the Everest of Citroën coachwork. The green 1967 DS 21 Chapron Cabriolet d’Usine was transformed to convertible while the Yellow DS 19 exemplifies the essence of the original DS saloon. All three were restored by Citroën expert Vincent Crescia.” [Private Collection]David Miller and Ray Wakefield.L. to r.: Maureen Kelly and Sam Lehrman; Donnie Gould. A veteran classic car specialist and partner with the Broad Arrow Group, formerly with RM Sotheby’s, Mr. Gould’s legendary father opened one of the first classic car dealerships in the United States, Tiny Gould Antique & Classic Cars. A fascinating character in the esoteric world of Duesenberg’s and Delahayes.Nico Benitz, Sarah Benitz, and Patrick Horgan.Margaret Horgan.Brewer and Chris Schoeller.Zach and Darian Ablon.A little something for the drive to Publix.Melanie Lawson.“The Bonded Havana Cigar.”David Brady.Frank Garafolo.Bugatti 57, “grande tourisme.” Jean Bugatti, designer.
12 November 2022 / 10 am – 4pm 6th Annual Sculpture in Motion Exhibition Ann Norton Sculpture Gardens South Flagler Drive @ Barcelona, West Palm Beach
Curated by John Barnes, founder of the Cavallino Cassic, and with Chuck Mitchell, honorary chairman, the Ann Norton’s le concour revives the thrill that artful automotive design once commanded, much the same eagerness as Paris runway shows. The exhibition was staged around one of sculptor Ann Norton’s monumental Midcentury Modern art works, Untitled Horizontal Sculpture, 1979, composed by handmade Mexican bricks.
Ann Norton Main Gallery, entrance. Saturday’s 14-car Concours du Jardin Norton attracted 500 classic car enthusiasts to the South Flagler Drive’s waterfront botanical showcase overlooking Everglades Island.
The exhibition honored Gold Star families, veterans, and their families. Years ago, I asked a medium who in the hereafter shines the highest and brightest. “Those who gave their lives for their country,” he said.Curator John Barnes, right, points out particulars to a WPB police officer, part of the show’s security team.The 2022 ANSG classic auto participants included a: 1921 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost; 1939 Bugatti Type 57C Stelvio Cabriolet; 1929 Duesenberg Model J Convertible Sedan; 1931 Chrysler CG Roadster 40; 1930 Cadillac V-16 Sport Phaeton (Most Elegant Award); 1938 Lancia Astura Series III Tipo Bocca Pininfarina Cabriolet (Most Artistic Award); 1968 Lamborghini Espada Series 1 (Young Connoisseur’s Award); 1975 Lamborghini Urraco; 1996 Ferrari 512M; a 1965 Aston Martin DB5 Convertible; and a 1961 Mercedes Benz 300SL Roadster (People’s Choice Award).A 1960 Autobianchi Bianchina was set on ANSG’s front lawn.Untitled Horizontal Sculpture, 1979. The centerpiece for the Sculpture in Motion exhibition.Sculpture in Motion bordered by towering exotic palms.1921 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost. Along with a Rolls Royce showroom on Worth Avenue, RR set-up a repair garage on Royal Palm Way.
The ANSG show harks back to when Palm Beach conferred automotive design the same haute aesthetic regard as architects or shoe designers. Zoom! Whizz! Screech! Squeal! Bugatti, Rolls-Royce, Packard, Cadillac, Peugeot and Studebakers are not names ordinarily associated with Worth Avenue’s chorus of storefront brand names but during the late 1920s a wave of auto showrooms jazzed-up Worth Avenue’s shop windows customarily reserved for cashmere sweaters and golf umbrellas.
In addition, there were auto showrooms at the northwest corner of Royal Palm Way and South County Road and the northwest corner of North County Road and Sunset Avenue. Where else in the world could you buy beach pajamas, a chinchilla wrap, dine and dance beneath the stars, and then, take a Cadillac V-16 for a test drive? Wheelchairs watch out. Vroom!
Cadillac V16 Sport Phaeton.When the Cadillac Salon at 300 Worth Avenue introduced the Cadillac V16 Sport Phaeton in January 1930, thousands of car enthusiasts flocked to ooh-and-ahh the latest in American engineering, science, and design.Stutz Motors, 250 Worth Avenue. “Color, Color, Color. Every Car as Exclusive as a Paris Gown.” By the early 1930s, there were eight auto showrooms on Worth Avenue.1921 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost. During the 1920s there were said to be more Rolls-Royces on Palm Beach than anywhere else in the world.Robert Bishop’s 1936 Lancia Astura Series III Tipo Bocca Pininfarina Cabriolet.
Artist Studio Ann Norton Sculpture Gardens
Studio models.The studio features artist-at-work models, studies, drawings, and maquettes in wood, metal, brick, and plasticene that evolved into Norton’s monumental works.Orchid House & Plaza, under construction at the Ann Norton Sculpture Gardens.
9 November 2022 / 10 am Garden Club of Palm Beach Christmas Boutique & Bradley Park Tidal Garden
Connie Geisler on the way to the Christmas Boutique.Holiday cheer.Ellen Kaufman’s backgammon board was up for bids in the silent auction, proceeds to benefit the GCPB’s many ongoing projects.The Garden Club has scheduled “In Bloom,” its biennial GCA Flower Show for April 15-16, 2023, 10 am – 4 pm.Connie Geisler’s contribution to the Silent Auction.“33480.” Aristokids, South County Road.
9 November 2022 / 11 am Bradley Park Tidal Garden
Sunset Avenue, lake block. View directly to the west.Bradley Park Tidal Garden. View to the west.Bradley Park Tidal Garden. View southwest toward Flagler Bridge.Bradley Park Tidal Garden. View northwest.
November 16, 2022 – December 10, 2022 Abundance of Riches 1972-2022 Luis Montoya & Leslie Ortiz Ann Norton Sculpture Gardens
Abundance of Riches: Luis Montoya & Leslie Ortiz 1972-2022.Leslie Ortiz and Luis Montoya.The Main Gallery.From the Tapas Series.From the Las Emprendedoras Series. A few Bulmanesque touches.The Treasure Hunter. 28 x 55 x 12 inches.Carrot Lady. 16 x 6.25 x 4.75 inches. From the Culinary Adventures Series.Sculpture in Motion @ Concours des Jardins Ann Norton, 2022.
