Documentary Release Marks Completion of Stickwork Installation

Nationally acclaimed artist Patrick Dougherty finished his latest Stickwork sculpture in February and today, the Fort Worth Botanic Garden | Botanical Research Institute of Texas (FWBG|BRIT) and local video production company EC Films release “Stickman,”  a five-minute documentary short film tracing the exhibition’s installation to completion.

The large outdoor sculpture located in the Fuller Garden took three weeks from start to completion, a timeline that included Fort Worth’s February deep freeze event.

“We were amazed at Patrick’s dedication to his art, his physical stamina during extremely cold temperatures and his ability to keep on schedule, finishing the sculpture on time,” said FWBG|BRIT Assistant Director Bob Byers. “Through the interconnectedness of art and nature, the Stickwork exhibition has already added a new, exciting element to the visitor experience.”

EC Films Director Erik Clapp said that he had seen some of the artist’s other installations and when he heard one was coming to Fort Worth, “jumped at the chance” to be involved.

“His work has this oddly alien yet familiar organic feel to it,” Clapp said. “You are drawn to it from a naturalist point of view, but it has this otherworldly quality to it as well that’s quite compelling.”

The documentary short film provides insights from the artist at work, from installation to completion. Clapp said that the film crew tried to remain as inconspicuous as possible, including flyover angles and inside shots from a “fly on the wall” perspective. “We tried to scale down our cameras and focus on the handhelds, working minimalistically – like Patrick Dougherty does,” Clapp said.

The sculpture is composed of saplings and twigs gathered from throughout the Fort Worth area and will remain onsite in the Garden until it deteriorates naturally. Eventually all of Dougherty’s works return to the nature from which they came, usually lasting a year or two. Sculpture viewing is included with the price of Garden admission.