In Assocation with the Smithsonian Institution
A public sculpture park in Solomons, Maryland
The Permanent Collection
You may also want to check out our Works on Loan, Works from the Hirshhorn , and the Women's Walk.
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The Gateway Ceramic Peter King and Marni Jaimie Annmarie Garden Permanent Collection
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The Gateway stands as an architectural marker to signify the transition to a different spiritual space. The two posts portray the landscape of Calvert County – trees and field on the water’s edge. This pictorial imagery is contained within an architectural framework that is fluid and organic, suggesting a serene blending between the works of humans and nature. The small pavilions that cap each post represent the sanctuary one finds in the garden. Overall, the artists intended to convey a sense of tranquility to all visitors. Created over a period of five months and composed of over six tons of ceramics and over 630 sections, these glazed ceramic gateposts are perhaps the largest and most complex hand-built project ever undertaken by a U.S. pottery studio. The magnificent designs of Stonehaus Studios are the result of the complementary skills that King and Jaime bring to their partnership. King’s background in carpentry, allows him to carve the clay in what he describes as “clay carpentry.” Jaime’s background in painting is evidenced by her use of strong colors and graphics. Having worked as a team since 1988, they are known international for their bold designs and technical mastery of the medium. Over eight tons of clay was used to create the gates. That’s equal to the weight of two elephants!
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A Tribute to the Oyster Tonger, A Chesapeake Waterman Bronze & Granite Antonio Tobias Mendez Annmarie Garden Permanent Collection |
It was Francis Koenig’s wish that the first sculptural work installed at Annmarie Garden be a memorial to the people he greatly admired, oyster tongers. Antonio Tobias Mendez was selected through a national competition to design the memorial. The artist’s intent was to celebrate a people of pride, character, and integrity; to create a feeling for their space; to symbolize the elements of their existence; and, to invoke a sense of timelessness and enduring quality.
By touching the Tonger, greasy film from your hands that you cannot see will damage the bronze and add to its deterioration. Do not touch the Tonger!
Bronze is actually very soft – not soft like a pillow, but soft in comparison to other metals – and it can be bent easily. Be careful never to touch or climb the statue. |
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The Council Ring Granite B. Amore & Woody Dorsey Annmarie Garden Permanent Collection |
Artists’ statement: We created the Council Ring as an oasis in the heart of the garden to serve as a place of quiet refuge and reflection. A wonderful destination in itself, it also serves the community as an intimate setting for artistic presentations. The two entry stones signal one is approaching a special place. The central inlaid circle opens to the sky in contrast to the surrounding woods. From this circle, a sense of ordered serenity radiates concentrically outwards. We imagine a storyteller moving through the standing stones to the center, and listeners, mesmerized by the tale, the whispering woods, soft light and the enchantment of space.
The tall stones were all dug by hand in the mountains of Vermont. |
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A Surveyor's Map Jan Rosen Queralt and Roma Campanile Annmarie Garden Permanent Collection |
Artists’ Statement: The voice of memory is a composite and we have designed an experience that reflects this. The boardwalk through the woods provides an experience of place at different levels and from different perspectives. This work of art reflects the roads, crossroads, zig zags, and benchmarks that constitute one’s memories, like a surveyor’s map. Process, change, and memory are integrated in the experience. Inscriptions taken from interviews with residents from Calvert County reflect the community at large and its collective memory; over time the words will be worn away by the footsteps of others, just as a memory can fade with time.
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Thirteen Talking Benches Concrete, ceramic tile Maggie Smith, Calvert County and Washington State Schoolchildren Annmarie Garden Permanent Collection |
Placed throughout the Garden are thirteen Talking Benches inlaid with tiles representing plants native to southern Maryland. These creations are the result of a collaboration between artist Maggie Smith of Bainbridge Island and more than 100 students from Calvert County, Maryland, and Washington State. Seek out all thirteen:
The tiles in the benches were made by the school children of Mutual Elementary School in St. Leonard, Maryland. |
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Rooms to Rest and Refresh Annmarie Garden Staff and Volunteers Annmarie Garden Permanent Collection |
Using discarded tiles and other donated materials, the unusual bathrooms of Annmarie Garden were created by volunteers and staff, with a little help from the some installation professionals. No design was established beforehand, participants were simply encouraged to show their mood and let their creative energy flow. The only stipulation was that the walls had to completely covered from floor to ceiling. The results of this improvisational project are perhaps the most artistic restrooms you will ever visit. These elaborately tiled bathrooms are a refreshing stop for body and soul.
The bathrooms were made possible by: Choice Home Center of Dunkirk, Chapman Tile of Prince Frederick, International Tile & Marble Company of Capitol Heights, Tile by Fred, Rick Howard, Donald Stockton, Waldorf Marble, and Walls Plumbing. Outstanding Volunteers: Pat Buehler, Sue Apple, Lynn Thomas, Donald Stockton, Fred Allen, Denny Murray, Greg Nottingham, Lee Fowling, Rick and Gail Howard, and Francoise Yohalem. Notable Creative Input: Men’s Restroom: |
| Image coming soon! | Slithering Pennsylvania field stones Rick Clement Gift of the artist |
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The Land as We Sea It Beautification Project Artists (ages 13-15): Sarah Daman, Holden Boyles, Maura Glascock, Jennifer Kleponis, Claire Strayer, Katie Wyrough Annmarie Garden Permanent Collection |
Artist statement: our theme for this piece was the land and sea. For land, we chose four of our world’s geographical regions: arctic, desert, rainforest, and mountains. For the sea, we chose to show different regions of water: beach, underwater, river, and ocean. The land and sea stones has been arranged to create a map of the world. |
