Watch as artist Shayne Dark creates unique piece at Botanical Gardens

artwork by Shayne Dark called Critical Mass 4
Already on exhibit at the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens is Shayne Dark’s Critical Mass 4. You can see the artist create a unique piece during his residency at the Botanical Gardens from Sept. 14-19.

by Connie Oswald Stofko

When you think of artists working outside in a garden, you probably picture them dabbing daintily at an easel.

But not Shayne Dark.

“He uses chain saws, blow torches and all kinds of crazy things,” said Erin Grajek, associate vice president of marketing & visitor experience at the Botanical Gardens.

You can watch Dark work during his residency, when he will make a unique piece of art at the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens, 2655 South Park Ave., Buffalo.

His residency will take place from Monday, Sept. 14 through Saturday, Sept. 19.

His hours will be 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday and Tuesday, Sept. 14 and 15; noon to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 16; noon to 5 p.m. and 7 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 17; 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday, Sept. 18 and 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Sept. 19. See more details about the hours here.

The work will take place outside.

“As in the normal creative process, there will be times when he is actively creating,” Grajek said, “and there will be times when he will be taking a step back and making a plan of action, and times when he will be eating lunch. You can watch him work and go through the process.”

Dark creates images of nature and often uses natural materials such as branches, limbs and roots of trees. He will be using a log found in a Western New York park.

An exhibit by Dark was installed in May at the Botanical Gardens and will continue to be on display through Sunday, Oct. 4. His works are displayed both inside and outside. Hours are 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. daily.

Admission is $9 for adults, $8 for seniors (ages 55 and older) and students (ages 13 and older with ID), $5 for children ages 3-12 and free for Botanical Gardens members and children 2 and under.

His residency is taking place in conjunction with Erie County, the Albright-Knox Public Art Initiative and Dark.

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