Because of the way it fills space and connects with our imagination, art in outdoor settings triggers deep-seated responses. Usually, if it’s also imposing in scale, one of those reactions is awe. Vivid Creatures, a series of magnificently fanciful sculptures now on display on the grounds of Morton Arboretum not only inspire wonder, they carry messages that help us connect to the intangible benefits of nature.
A little over two years ago, Amy Scott, Head of Exhibitions at the arboretum was interested in bringing a new experience onto the grounds. One that would carry dramatic visual impact and incorporate the exuberance of color. She approached artists Fez and Heather BeGaetz after seeing examples of their work online. The husband-and-wife team have and continue to gain notoriety for creating spectacular installations around the globe in places as diverse as Las Vegas and Riyadh. They’ve also developed concepts for mega-events like Burning Man. Scott eventually invited the artists to her offices in Lisle and the collaboration to customize artwork designed expressly for the arboretum began.
The results of that partnership are Scamp, Cadence, Generosity, Spectra and Nimby, five creatures from 8 to 22 ft. tall representing animals that are either native to northern Illinois or, like Cadence the crane, inhabit this part of the country as a stopover during its annual migration. The inclusion of each was sometimes as much based on happenstance as it was on symbolism. Scamp is modeled after a squirrel that befriended and bonded with the artists’ then two-year-old daughter during one of their early visits to the site. Generosity, a towering and resplendent buck, is intended to symbolize “how life in nature is deeply connected”. Two stories tall and profusely detailed with tree trunks for legs and leaves sprouting from the tangle of his magnificent antlers, Generosity intentionally blurs the line between plant and animal. Re-emphasizing their interconnectedness.
A central component of the collection, color radiates from each sculpture and it too quite purposefully reflects nature. Both the brilliant blue of a cloudless sky and the pale blue of sunrise shine from the installations as well as the lavenders, indigoes, and deep reds and oranges of sunset. They’re inviting colors, pleasing to any age or temperament. They’re also colors that carry a different message or have a different impact based on the season. In spring and summer, they reenforce the sense of bounty and growth. In the autumn and during the starkness of winter, they’ll resonate differently because of the way they’ll contrast with their surroundings.
Although more than enjoyable when experienced briefly, a pro-tip would be to spend some quality time with each of these thoughtfully conceived and beautifully rendered creatures. Mixed into Generosity’s lush decorative details are every other creature in the grouping plus additional surprises. Surreptitiously painted on Cadence the crane’s frame is a moon; a nod to the trigger that initiates her migration from north to south. Looking fantastical and alluring perched on a berm high above the roadway, Spectra the brittle button snail can be seen from the expressway as you head west. Seeing it up close adds a completely different dimension to its magic.
Scheduled to reside in the arboretum until June of 2027, there will be frequent opportunities to escape into nature with these bright and vivid creatures and reconnect with a reality that symbolizes renewal and possibility.
Photos courtesy of the Morton Arboretum
For more information about Morton Arboretum and the Vivid Creature Exhibition, please visit the arboretum’s website
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