Local Venue Opens for New Season
By Barb Arnstein
Griffis Sculpture Park is open for the 2022 season. Drive into one part of this park and you’ll suddenly see towering surreal sights on either side. Panoramic landscape views and wide green meadows frame 25-foot sculptures of fascinating stylized figures. One of these, entitled “Dancing Lady”, beautifully conveys a feeling of light-hearted bliss. Near her, a line of simple metal shapes held high in the air by poles wonderfully evoke the freedom of birds in flight, reflecting her happy mood. On the opposite side, larger-than-life King and Queen sculptures stand together, getting married by a sculpture of a Bishop the same size.
Those three figures together represent the general theme of Griffis Sculpture Park: “the marriage of Art and Nature”. Both the Rohr Hill Road site in the park, where the sculptures above are located, and the Mill Valley Road site, which begins with a footpath through a forest containing several abstract sculptures and a small brook, demonstrate this concept.
The 425-acre park was created in 1966 by Larry Griffis, Jr., and it is the largest sculpture park in the United States. Many of the sculptures are his, and some of them depict members of his family. His basic idea was to create an open-air museum that adults and children could enjoy together. He did this by including among its artwork sculptures that children enjoy discovering and climbing on, such as giant insects. The Rohr Hill site includes metal sculptures of animals among the trees, including a life-size giraffe. The Mill Valley Road site features many sculptures that interest kids scattered throughout the hills, including a fantastical castle and submarine.
(Note: There are a number of nudes. One pond is ringed by several sculptures of nude women that look as though they are about to dive in. The others include a woman in the woods in a yoga position and two standing male sculptures. “The sculptures of swimming women will soon be back in the pond”, said Nila Griffis Lampman.
Executive Director of the Ashford Hollow Foundation, which manages the park. The Essex Arts Center in Buffalo, also connected with the park, promotes the arts and art education, and has introduced countless children to art appreciation and artistic skills. “Kids from school groups and summer camps have a great time when they visit the park”, Nila said. Another way to enjoy the park: you can have your wedding there, or another type of event or party, or book a four-hour tour, led by Mark Griffis.
The park’s much-anticipated 9th Annual Summer Festival will be held on Sunday, August 22nd, 2022, from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. There will be music, craft vendors, food trucks, crafts for kids, and more. Buses will be available on-site during the festival.
Open from dawn to dusk, you can visit the Park from May 1st to Halloween. Don’t forget to look for Night Lights to return in the fall, from mid-September through Columbus Day! For more information, check out the park’s Facebook page or call (716) 667-2808. Griffis Sculpture Park is located at 6902 Mill Valley Road, NY, between Ashford Hollow and East Otto, in Cattaraugus.