Old Frog Pond Farm & Studio’s
20th Outdoor Sculpture Exhibit:
“The Art of Noticing: Around the Pond and through the Woods”
August 26 – October 12, 2026
Opening Reception: Sunday, September 6; 1-5pm
“The Art of Noticing” is a sculpture and poetry exhibit that invites contemplation and slowing down. Whether standing out boldly against the natural scenery or hidden deep among the leaves, fifty sculptures are installed to interact with and be supported by the natural landscape.
Interspersed with the art is a collection of new plein air poems encouraging visitors to pause and reflect as they follow the map on a self-guided tour.
This exhibit has been curated by orchardist and artist Linda Hoffman and her daughter, artist Ariel Matisse. The poetry has been organized by the farm’s poetry editor, Terry House. Hoffman and Matisse invited artists to submit sculptures that encourage reflection, presence, and deeper connection. The sculptures are contemplative, playful, poetic, mysterious, and interactive.
The opening reception for “The Art of Noticing” will be held on Sunday, Sept. 6 from 1-5 p.m. Grab a map and follow the self-guided tour, pick-your-own organic raspberries, listen to music by Greg Carlson, Blase Provitola and friends, and enjoy refreshments. The event is free and open to the public; donations for the farm are appreciated.
The exhibit will run from Aug. 26 through Oct. 12, open Wednesdays through Sundays from 11-4 p.m. Admission is $10 for adults, $8 for seniors, and $5 for children.
"Fish" by José Criollo –– Three Fish leap, out of the pond, no problem!
"The Egg" by Yin Peet –– Nurturing the farm, waiting for this egg to hatch, what new beginnings will emerge?
"59 Boxes" by Jonathan Sachs –– Turn the boxes, create your own patterns, endless opportunities await.
"Rest, Root, Reflect" by Cortni Frecha –– Please sit gently and relax.
"Woman with Bird" by Joe Wheelwright
"Surprise" by Joe Wheelwright
"Hut" by Linda Hoffman
"Sitting on Flat Rock" by Linda Hoffman
"Relax" by Kevin Duffy –– Have a seat, it's comfortable!
"Portal" by David Adilman –– Into sky, into water, and to wherever you wish to dream.
"Refuge" by Linda Hoffman –– Two endangered species, determined to rescue all of us.
"Water Nymph" by Ariel Matisse
"Loop de Loop" by Janet Kawada –– The unexpected beauty in things left behind.
"Splash" by Linda Hoffman –– Old pond – frog jumped – splash of water (Basho)
"Lunar Balance" by Karin Stanley –– Where do you find balance?
"From One Source" by Harlan Rieur –– From one flower, ten thousand seeds.
"Ground Space" by Scrap Wrenn –– Stand in the center, feel the energy created by the forms that surround you.
"Message" by Liz Fletcher –– What is in a word? Each letter is its own character with its own meaning. Keep looking, see deeper; together they create a message.
"Beehive Dresses" by Amy Nolan
"Balanced Rocks" by Caleb Gloyd –– How can you balance the impossible?
"The Saw-tooth Band" by Stephen Paulson –– What is an instrument? Use the striker gently and notice the sounds from old relics.
"Medicine Wheel" by Blase Provitola –– "The Circle has healing power. In the Circle, we are all equal. When in the Circle, no one is in front of you. No one is behind you. No one is above you. No one is below you. The Sacred Circle is designed to create unity. The Hoop of Life is also a circle. On this hoop there is a place for every species, every race, every tree and every plant. It is this completeness of Life that must be respected to bring about health on this planet." – Dave Chief Oglala
"Saint Francis" by Madeleine Lord –– "Start by doing what's necessary; then do what's possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible."
"Lidian's Harp" by Linda Hoffman –– The wood for this bronze sculpture came from Walden Woods. Lidian Emerson was an early suffragette, and an advocate for the abolishment of slavery and for the rights of Native Americans. She was the wife of Ralph Waldo Emerson and great friends with Henry David Thoreau. Her spirit shines in this bronze Tree Harp.
"Equilibration" by Kevin Duffy –– Two parts, diverse in nature, a balancing act.
"Water Muse" by David Adilman –– ...and the sweet music, the clear stream doth make... (Wordsworth)
From "A Father for Every Occasion" by Zach Gabbard –– Three hats, cast in metal, an artist's inheritance.
From "A Father for Every Occasion" by Zach Gabbard –– Three hats, cast in metal, an artist's inheritance.
"Journey" by Tristan Govignon –– What are you carrying on your journey, does it weight too much?
"River Cairn" by Eli West –– Is it a lighthouse, a figure, or something else?
"Saint of Santa Fe" by J. David Jacobs –– Join this trio, share in their quiet contemplation.
"Lev" by J. David Jacobs –– Join this trio, share in their quiet contemplation.
"Man with Hat" by J. David Jacobs –– Join this trio, share in their quiet contemplation.
From "Sitting Figures" by Linda Hoffman
"Blue Heron" by Tess Faraci
"Palm Lines" by Patrick Goguen –– Tree rings, tendrils, roots. Life lines of Mother Earth.
"Prince Charming" by Bayda Asbridge –– Have you ever kissed a frog?
"Peering Around the Corner" by Joe Wheelwright
"The Olympic Bell" by Paul Matisse –– First installed in Athens during the 2004 Olympic Games, the Olympic Bell ultimately made its way to Old Frog Pond Farm & Studio in 2016. To ring the bell, walk up to its rope and give it a few good pulls. Then release the rope and stand back and listen. The Bell's sound will change as you walk around nearby trees. Its lowest note is a deep F-sharp that will sometimes last for fifteen minutes. Be still, listen, and listen for its End.
"Pegasus Nest" by Marin Murakoshi –– Pegasus was born when Medusa's head was severed, but this Pegasus hatches from an egg, just like a unicorn.
From "Anne's Boneyard" by Anne Eder –– When I am in the woods, I have a heightened sense of being part of the natural world––the same fractal patterns that surround me also exist within. The shape of roots, branches, lightning, are echoed in my nerve endings and brain synapses. Here I can be reconciled to mortality, to the idea of letting go, someday allowing my atoms to mingle with those of the moss, the trees, the earth. The work I make is designed to become part of of the viewer's daily walk, offering a chance to witness the changes over time as the work transform, perhaps seeing the beauty in that kind of transformation.When I am in the woods, I have a heightened sense of being part of the natural world––the same fractal patterns that surround me also exist within. The shape of roots, branches, lightning, are echoed in my nerve endings and brain synapses. Here I can be reconciled to mortality, to the idea of letting go, someday allowing my atoms to mingle with those of the moss, the trees, the earth. The work I make is designed to become part of of the viewer's daily walk, offering a chance to witness the changes over time as the work transform, perhaps seeing the beauty in that kind of transformation.
From "Anne's Boneyard" by Anne Eder –– Eder's newest installation inspired by "The Tinderbox," a Hans Christian Anderson fairytale.
"Electron" by R. Douglass Rice –– Trace the looping red forms as they knot and unknot in space.
"The Release of the Divine Feminine" by Yvette Monstad –– ...surrendering control, embracing intuition, and nurturing creativity...
From "Murmurs of Peace" by Bette Ann Libby –– Fly on, fly on, fly in the ten directions.
From "Murmurs of Peace" by Bette Ann Libby –– Fly on, fly on, fly in the ten directions.
"Council of Crows" by Linda Hoffman –– The Council meets when there is something important to discuss.
"Ascension" by Deborah Santoro –– The incongruity of a pigeon in the forest, who belongs on stolen land?
"Memorial Installation for Dory" by Jaeok Lee –– Those we love become our guardians.
"Guardian Over Frog Pond" by Max Bard
"I. Searching for the Ox", from "The Ox Herding Series" by Linda Hoffman –– Alone and uncertain I leave home, not knowing which way to go––only that I have lost my way, I have lost my Ox, she has run away. I must set out to find her. I go alone, hearing wind through the pines, and the calling of birds. What is the Ox I am searching for? –– Lost in the mountains / Footsteps echo– / Ox is lost, which way home?
"II. Seeing the Traces" from "The Ox Herding Series" by Linda Hoffman –– I find traces, the hoof prints of the Ox. I dissolve into tears with this first encounter. I don't know why, but my heart feels like it has been pierced. I study the tracks carefully. They offer something I can follow. I still don't know if I will ever find this elusive ox. –– Deep in the Forest / Traces of Ox––where did she go? / Oh, where does she hide?
"III. Catching Sight of the Ox" from "The Ox Herding Series" by Linda Hoffman –– I catch sight of her, but the moment is fleeting. Ox disappears down a ravine. But with that one glimpse of her majestic form I know she is here, somewhere nearby. –– I catch sight of her / but I blink and she's gone / Did I really see Ox complete and whole?
"IV. Catching the Ox" from "The Ox Herding Series" by Linda Hoffman –– Following the path, I finally seize Ox. She bellows and fights, but I don't let go. She snorts and kicks, but I keep my grip. I learn how to handle her anger. I begin to know her ways. When she pulls, I lean forward. Her large deep-set eyes mirror my true self. –– Pushing and pulling–– / we are on different sides / rope tethers me to her
"V. Taming the Ox" from "The Ox Herding Series" by Linda Hoffman –– Now we walk together. I still hold the rope because she may wander into a neighbor's field and destroy the crops. I might say something hurtful in a fit of impatience. But we gentle each other. –– Ox and I walk along / the tether hanging loose / birds in the air, shadow the ground
"VI. Riding the Ox Home" from "The Ox Herding Series" by Linda Hoffman –– We are no longer separate. I don't lead Ox because she knows the way. I put down the rope, and pick up my flute. I don't even look where she is going. –– Buddha nature / pervading everywhere / clip clop––clip clop
"VII. Ox Forgotten, Self Remains" from "The Ox Herding Series" by Linda Hoffman –– I am home. The moon rises, as the sun sets. Ox and rope, are forgotten. There never was an Ox outside of myself. –– Perfect freedom / perfect joy / just sitting
"IX. Returning to the Source" from "The Ox Herding Series" by Linda Hoffman –– Apple blossoms open pink, maple leaves turn gold. Mountains are mountains. Rivers are rivers. The path is everywhere. –– Buds to blossoms / blossoms to fruit / always, always
"X. Entering the Marketplace" from "The Ox Herding Series" by Linda Hoffman –– Playing with the children. Offering gifts, I help those I meet. Wearing scrubby clothes, I blend with the dust. No one knows where I've been. –– Ordinary, they say / tease me and smile / no one knows where I go
"Willow" by Ariel Matisse –– Sweeping away the tears.
"Finding the Still Point" by Francis Patnaude –– Noone can show it to you, the quiet is only found within.
"Hummingbirds" by José Criollo –– Shimmering, sweet ambrosia in the sky. Look quick!
"Monk" by Madeleine Lord –– For everything that lives is holy, life delights in life (William Blake)
"Flower Rising" by Gerald Tuckman –– Turn towards the sun, drink the rain, this resilient flower will never fade.
"Big Bang" by Harold Grinspoon –– What color points to joy?
"Paisley" by Bayda Asbridge –– Give it a gentle spin,, and watch the colors change.
"Mancala" by Linda Hoffman & Blase Provitola –– Mancala is one of the oldest games in the world. You play by moving stones around the board, capturing your opponent's stones, and adding them to your home.