Photo by Suzann Gille
This weekend, visit the Missouri Botanical Garden at night to see its Garden of Glass exhibit in a new light. Featuring the works of artist Craig Mitchell Smith, the installation has transformed the Climatron with 30 larger-than-life glass sculptures. If you’ve already seen the show during the day, then it’s worth coming back after dark.
“It’s such a different experience,” says Smith. “I like to say that a show like this at night and during the day, the difference is the Las Vegas strip at noon and midnight.”
The pieces are strategically lit, making them pop in the dark. “One of the things that happens at night is the Climatron structure goes away,” Smith says. The gridding of the geodesic structure appears to fade with the theatrical lighting that the Missouri Botanical Garden team has put in place. “I have a background in theater, so I understand the importance of lighting and mood,” adds Smith.
Courtesy of Craig Mitchell Smith
Courtesy of Craig Mitchell Smith
Courtesy of Craig Mitchell Smith
Courtesy of Craig Mitchell Smith
Smith says his work is not strictly representation but rather his interpretation of a plant. "I try to get to the root of the thing," he says. "What does it feel like?”
While creating the night-blooming cactus, Smith would search online for photographs of the plant. Then he would turn off his computer. "I kind of ruminate and go to lunch,” he says. “Then I come back and do a sketch of my memory. It becomes far more personal.”
His intention was never to be a "garden artist." Rather, he just made art that worked for his own garden, and his practice grew from there.
If you’re inspired by Smith's work, stop by the Third Degree Glass Factory tent in the garden's Spoerher Plaza to create your own glass tile for an extra fee. And if you fall in love with any of the works in the show, they're available for purchase. Smith hopes some of them will remain in St. Louis.
The Missouri Botanical Garden opens the exhibit to the public on Thursday through Saturday between 7 and 11 p.m. through August 12. Live music, snacks, and specialty cocktails are available. Admission is $16 for adults, $12 for members, $10 for children 12 and under, and $6 for children who are members.
