"Stickwork" opens at Huntsville Botanical Garden March 4—How to see it

Stickwork installation at Biltmore — Dougherty completed an installation at the Biltmore estate last year. (Biltmore on Facebook)

For more than three decades now, Patrick Dougherty has been building breathtaking sculptures out of saplings. Next week, you’ll finally have the chance to immerse yourself in Stickwork at the Huntsville Botanical Garden. Read on to find out how.

What is Stickwork?

Stickwork installation U.S. Botanic Garden — Stickwork installation Dougherty completed in 2019 to celebrate the U.S. Botanic Garden Bicentennial. (U.S. Botanic Garden)

Stickwork is the creation of artist Patrick Dougherty. Since the 1980s, Dougherty has been building large-scale sculptures all over the world, using sticks, branches and saplings as his building material.

Here’s how the Garden website describes the installation:

“Stickwork by Patrick Dougherty has captivated audiences around the world with its whimsical architecture and immersive designs made entirely from natural materials.”
Huntsville Botanical Garden

Volunteers have been collecting sticks and saplings from around the Garden since February 7 and will continue through February 25.

Once the installation is completed, Garden visitors will be able to explore the new creation. Each installation is different, so you’ll have to visit to see what Dougherty creates in Huntsville.

Who is Patrick Dougherty?

Born in Oklahoma and raised in North Carolina, Dougherty’s work stretches far beyond the Southern U.S. In his thirty-plus years as a working artist, he has received the following awards: