Alfred Tibor "FREE" 1993 Bronze
Beyond the bookish themed house lies a colorful off kilter world rarely seen by the public. An asymmetrical hermitage ruled by a crazy hermit genius with a unique angle on life. "Ted", who's gift for writing books (40 in number) is matched only by his whimsical lost wax sculptures and fanciful art collection. He sings the body electric... Or bronze in this case. Cleverly staging a bevy of cast metal nymphs joyfully dancing alongside busts of classical composers, great authors and U.S. presidents. They line the rough hewn paths and frolic in aqueous pools. Artfully juxtaposed within a clever fence of bicycles & VW Bugs, these creative sculptures will shock and surprise you. The guided tour meanders through a carefully tended 10 acre botanic garden of cycads, fruit trees, cactus, bamboo and tropical palms. When you find yourself chuckling over humorous quips etched on rocks, Congratulations! You are now happily under the creative spell of artist and founder Theodore Roosevelt Gardner II. A bona-fide hermit who graciously provided lemonade and dried fruit/nut snacks after our tour but was nowhere to be found.
Why did Ted build this secret wonderland? Where does he get his inspiration for new installs? What does it cost to tend a sculpture garden of this magnitude? Who will take over his legacy after he is gone? A poster in his museum gave the answer.
"Hundreds of years from now, it will not matter what my bank account was, the sort of house I lived in, or the kind of car I drove... But the world may be different because I did something so bafflingly crazy that my ruins become a tourist attraction."
Indeed, Hermitage Santa Barbara is well on its way to becoming a tourist attraction. The lush garden rests mostly on a hill top over looking Santa Barbara and the Pacific Ocean. Open two days a month, this rare collection can be seen free of charge but you will need a reservation.
To visit Hermitage Santa Barbara - A Whimsical Sculpture & Botanic Garden.
info@hermitagesb.org
www.hermitagesb.org
If you would like to read more about founder, Theodore Roosevelt Gardner II, or about Hermitage Santa Barbara you can find his books on Amazon, at your local bookstore, or the local library or visit http://www.knollpublishers.com/
Why did Ted build this secret wonderland? Where does he get his inspiration for new installs? What does it cost to tend a sculpture garden of this magnitude? Who will take over his legacy after he is gone? A poster in his museum gave the answer.
"Hundreds of years from now, it will not matter what my bank account was, the sort of house I lived in, or the kind of car I drove... But the world may be different because I did something so bafflingly crazy that my ruins become a tourist attraction."
Indeed, Hermitage Santa Barbara is well on its way to becoming a tourist attraction. The lush garden rests mostly on a hill top over looking Santa Barbara and the Pacific Ocean. Open two days a month, this rare collection can be seen free of charge but you will need a reservation.
To visit Hermitage Santa Barbara - A Whimsical Sculpture & Botanic Garden.
info@hermitagesb.org
www.hermitagesb.org
If you would like to read more about founder, Theodore Roosevelt Gardner II, or about Hermitage Santa Barbara you can find his books on Amazon, at your local bookstore, or the local library or visit http://www.knollpublishers.com/
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