Mighty sculptures from little saplings grow

I am already looking forward to an interview that's five weeks away. Wouldn't you, if the artist made giant fanciful sculptures from tree saplings?

Environmental sculptor Patrick Dougherty is scheduled to come to Palo Alto in January for a three-week artist residency (Jan. 11-28) at the Palo Alto Art Center. During that time, he'll be creating an installation specific to the grounds of the art center. The public gets to watch, and attend a lecture by the artist at 6:30 p.m. Jan. 27.

Dougherty has turned his visions into hundreds of installations in arboretums, universities, galleries and other sites in various states and countries. Sometimes the creations look like baskets, huts, castles or faces.

Can't wait to see what Palo Alto will inspire.

Pictured: "Summer Palace," a 2009 work by Patrick Dougherty at Morris Arboretum, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia. Photo by Rob Cardillo.