Wildflower Sculpture Park

The Wildflower Sculpture Park was established in 2012 as a program of the South Mountain Conservancy in collaboration with the Essex County Department of Parks, and Cultural Affairs. Established and led for a decade by Tricia Zimic, it was then curated by Lisa Sanders, and starting in 2023, by Doris Cacoilo.

The sculpture park’s mission is to create meaningful arts and education experiences with and for the community through the installation, exhibition and interpretation of public art, primarily sculpture. Year-round exhibitions of contemporary works of art sited in the natural environment are presented and added to on a rotating basis. In addition, educational programs for adults and children are offered in conjunction with the exhibits.

The Wildflower Sculpture Park is located in the South Mountain Reservation in Essex County, NJ, approximately 20 miles west of New York City. It is open daily from sunrise to sunset. Visitors should use the South Orange Avenue entrance to the reservation’s Crest Drive. There is adequate free parking in the lot adjacent to the Wildflower and Forest Preserve and the Dog Park (GPS location: 11 Bear Lane, Maplewood, NJ). Most of the exhibits are accessible by wheelchair.

2025 OPEN CALL FOR ARTISTS

Theme:
“Walk With Me”

Submission Deadline: April 11, 2025

Contact Information

Doris Cacoilo, WSP Curator
Email: sculpturepark@somocon.org

The Wildflower Sculpture Park at South Mountain Conservancy, in partnership with the Essex County Parks Department, invites artists to submit proposals for its 2025 outdoor exhibition. This unique opportunity allows artists to create and display large-scale, nature-inspired sculptures within South Mountain Reservation, a 2,110-acre public preserve in Essex County, NJ, visited by thousands each year.

2025 Theme & Artwork Guidelines

The theme for 2025 is “Walk With Me.” Artists are encouraged to explore themes of renewal and environmental harmony while emphasizing the visitor’s journey into and through the Wildflower & Forest Preserve, as well as the larger Reservation.

Proposals should align with the following guidelines:

Works must be site-responsive and integrate with the natural landscape.

Materials should be durable and weather-resistant, suitable for outdoor display year-round.

Artworks should be safe for public interaction, avoiding hazardous elements.

Both completed works and proposals for new projects will be considered.

Eligibility & Selection Criteria

This call is open to artists who:

Work in outdoor sculpture, installation, or environmental art.

Use sustainable, weather-resistant materials suitable for long-term outdoor display.

Create works that engage with and enhance the natural environment.

Have experience in public art or large-scale installations.

Hail from Essex County, NJ, or the surrounding region (strongly encouraged).

Installation & Artist Support

Selected installations will remain on display for approximately one year.

South Mountain Conservancy provides support for installation, marketing, and promotion.

Artists will receive an honorarium of $3,000 to help offset material, transportation, and installation costs.

Installations will be placed within the Wildflower Sculpture Park in consultation with organizers.

Selected artists will be invited to lead walking tours, artist talks, and workshops at community events such as the South Mountain Reservation Family Campout.

Submission Requirements

Deadline: April 11, 2025
Submit via email to: sculpturepark@somocon.org

Artists must submit the following:

Artist’s Résumé or CV (including relevant experience in public art and exhibitions).

Artist Statement (describing artistic vision and connection to the project).

Project Proposal (detailing concept, materials, dimensions, approximate weight and installation plan).

Images of Existing or Proposed Artwork (digital renderings or sketches).

Portfolio Samples (3–5 images of past work with descriptions).

Review & Selection Process

All proposals will be reviewed by the Wildflower Sculpture Park Art Committee. Applicants will be notified by May 1, 2025. Final approvals will be coordinated with the South Mountain Conservancy Board and the Essex County Parks Department.

Contact Information

Doris Cacoilo, WSP Curator
Email: sculpturepark@somocon.org

Participate

Support

We encourage everyone to join the South Mountain Conservancy mailing list and indicate the Wildflower Sculpture Park as a special interest in order to be notified of upcoming exhibitions and programs. All artists interested in having their work considered for exhibition should join the mailing list and reach out to the curator. Doris Cacoilo, at sculpturepark@somocon.org. Please provide your name, contact info and link to your website.

The South Mountain Conservancy is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) corporation and all contributions are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. Please consider making a gift to the Wildflower Sculpture Park.

New 2024-2025 Exhibits

Wendell Jeffrey, Roly-Poly, 2024

Gabion cages, rebar, cement, wood, rocks, leaves, moss, newspaper, twine, plastic, aluminum foil

Common Names: Pillbug, Roly-Poly, Woodlouse
Scientific Name: Armadillidium vulgare (Latreille) (Malacostraca: Isopoda: Armadillidiidae)

Artist’s Statement:
My fascination with the natural world began in early childhood. I vividly recall digging full fisted in the dirt behind our barn, where the scent of moist soil and the thrill of discovering tiny creatures beneath dead leaves and sticks captivated me. Many afternoons were spent rolling these small beings into little balls and waiting with anticipation for them to unfurl.

Pill bugs, or roly-polies, are gentle and harmless, often serving as a child’s first introduction to nature. These creatures, along with other woodlice, play a crucial role in garden ecosystems by helping to decompose and recycle dead plant matter. They primarily consume decaying leaves and wood fibers. This diet not only sustains them but also helps slow down the decomposition of litter, aiding in the retention of organic material in the soil and maintaining a balance in the soil’s carbon content.

As detritivores, pill bugs significantly contribute to their ecosystems by consuming dead organic matter. The Roly-Poly stands as a tribute to these remarkable creatures and all those who help break down dead wood.

Eileen Ferara, On the Fence….Scarlet Bloom, 2024

Repurposed and painted lath wood 1 in x 1/2 in of varying lengths, paper casts, copper and/or aluminum sheeting, cut, bent and attached to the wood, handmade paper, beeswax, pulp dye/pigment, cable ties, wire, ground stakes

Artist’s Statement:

“On the Fence….Scarlet Bloom” is a site-specific installation which reflects on the health of the South Mountain Reservation flora. Inspired by various species in the forest, the work is a meditation on time, regeneration and impermanence.

This artwork is created using a variety of materials including repurposed painted wood lathe, copper and handmade paper that was cast from a nearby rock at the location. The piece is intended to transform over time as the different elements are exposed to the weather.

Instagram: @eileenferarastudio
Twitter: @EileenFerara
www.eileenferara.com

Drizzle-Seeded-Rainstorm-Trail-Thackray-2024-.6

Amanda Thackray, Drizzle (Seeded Rainstorm Trail), 2024

Recycled cotton paper, native wildflower seed mix, cotton twine

Artist’s Statement:

Thick blue twine traces a series of lines between trees throughout the forest. Sculptural paper raindrops studded with native wildflower seeds hang just out of reach below the tree canopy. A rainstorm punctuates the trail of the sculpture park. As the wind, rain, dew, and animal interaction erode the handmade paper raindrops, the embedded wildflower seeds will drop to the ground below and germinate below the drops. As the raindrops disappear, they are transformed into wildflower paths, a living echo of the rainstorm for seasons to come.

This work speaks to the interweaving paths between humans and nature, our effects on the natural world, and our attempts to reclaim and rewild. I am excited for this installation to become a part of the regenerative work of South Mountain Conservancy. When completed, the artwork – bright, angular, and intentionally human – will drop its seeds but remain as an armature of the seeding apparatus that once was.

2023 Exhibits

Lee Williams’ several pieces entitled “Infinite Delicacies,” part of our permanent collection, are visible both along Bear Lane and further into the woods. Starting at the old stump by the entrance to the parking area, the pieces continue 70 yards down Crest Trail (immediately across the parking lot in a northerly direction). There you will find, on often overlooked old fallen trees, colorful wooden elements interacting with the decaying wood in a vibrant celebration of nature.

Sarah Peters’ sculpture, the Botanical Fainting Couch, installed in the park until late 2024, is our first piece that is interactive. Guests are welcome to sit or sprawl (but please do not stand!) on the couch and touch the many different plant textures that animate the surface. The couch utilizes the alphabet letters as the base on which she has embossed textures of 26 different plants. Each plant represented corresponds to a letter of the alphabet. See if you can identify them all! Sarah will have a fun activity available that all are welcome to participate in.