BmoreArt

Beyond the jack-o-lanterns, the real focus of Garden Glow is on illuminated art installations. “It’s not a Halloween event,” Garden Glow producer Halle von Kessler maintains, “It’s a light festival.” Pumpkins just happen to be one of the many unique mediums used by the event’s sculptors. 

Now in its eighth year running, Garden Glow was initially inspired by the now-defunct Light City Baltimore. In fact, many of the light artists featured have been a part of Light City in the past. Ladew Gardens, putting themselves on the map as an arts destination, picks up the mantle incorporating their equally unique topiaries and sprawling meadows. And it seems their determination has paid off—when I first spoke to von Kessler over a month before the event, tickets had already long since vanished.

Many were particularly enchanted by Stephanie Tommasello and Michael Bowman’s installation. This immersive, underwater-inspired scene included a mermaid statue and treasure chest within a “kelp forest” made of fabric and lights with glowing jellyfish.

Tommasello spoke to me about pulling from the science of bioluminescence and the use of multiple senses from her own experiences diving, incorporating tactile and sonic elements along with the visuals. During the design process, the artists asked themselves, “How does it look at 5 o’clock? Is it still visually interesting then?” They wanted families there before the sun went down to have as magical an experience as those arriving after dark. Tommasello also highlighted her own experiences diving and how loud it really is underwater, adding in sonic elements both to emulate the real deal and make the installation interesting to the visually impaired. 

While Tommasello is a Maryland local, this is the first time she’s had an exhibition in the state. Primarily a sculptor for large zoo and aquarium exhibits, the requirements of Garden Glow were quite a bit different from her usual area. She joked on the phone with me about not having to be worried about if a venomous snake could escape, stating that, “…the risks [of Garden Glow] are low, but the rewards are great.”

One returning sculptor, Laure Drogoul, brought out an installation previously showcased at CCBC titled “Father Sky/Shezilla.” Drogoul’s towering, hairy, glowing legs made of materials like wood, recycled plastic, and LED lights, were the centerpiece for one of Garden Glow’s food hubs and made for quite the sight while waiting in line for hot apple cider.

Husband and wife pumpkin-carving duo Michael and Joanne Bare each took on one of the thirty large pumpkins on display. Working with an organic matter like pumpkins leads to delicate timing. According to von Kessler, most of the jumbo pumpkin carvers spend close to the entire day before the festival begins preparing their pumpkins on site. 

When asked about three days before this carving gauntlet what they had planned for this year, Michael Bare didn’t have an answer. “We’re in the process of figuring that out,” he said. As retired teachers, the pair keep ample records of pumpkins they’ve carved previously and use them as reference and inspiration. The final result for this year ended up being a pair of intricate carvings—Mike’s depicted a black cat and graveyard scene reminiscent of The Haunted Mansion whereas Joanne’s used similar swirling techniques to display a frog witch on a lily pad, complete with hat and broom. The artists made use of both the depth of their etchings and what looked to be permanent marker, a technique which echoed Tommasello’s intention to make a design look just as good before sunset. I was delighted by both of them.

Garden Glow also offered a jumbo pumpkin carving demo along the main pathway of the Gourd Grotto. Artist Josh Schuman took on the challenge of being observed mid-carving, starting on his sculpting right as the doors opened on Wednesday and finishing just around nine. This was the first year the event attempted this particular setup, and according to Schuman the crowd absolutely enjoyed watching him in action.

Watching a live pumpkin carving isn’t the only interactive gourd-based activity at the festival. Artist Dan van Allen organized lantern parades this year. They took place twice a night and featured approximately 25 gourd lanterns and a large glowing fox. Van Allen made it very clear that these gourds were not from the same family as pumpkins; they’re a South American variety that dry easily and don’t have the same preservation concerns. Van Allen is no stranger to lantern parades, having organized many over the years at Creative Alliance in Baltimore. The result was equal parts wonderful and eerie as a long line of volunteers made their way throughout the entirety of Ladew Gardens, hooting and hollering and getting those they passed to cheer along with them.

Van Allen pulled a double shift at Garden Glow, going directly from each lantern parade to run The Crankies with his partner, Katherine Fayhe. The Crankies, a traditional style of puppet show utilizing light and shadows across a moving paper screen, were perhaps the highlight of my light-filled night. Fayhe and van Allen recounted a bit of Maryland’s own folklore history with a version of the Cat Island story—a tale about an island off the Eastern Shore filled with thousands of black cats until one day they all disappeared.

Though it may not be a Halloween event, the timing of Garden Glow feels perfect for bringing its visitors into the spirit. If the thought of joining the Gourd Grotto with your own carving sounds enticing, I have great news. Those 700 pumpkins are all community carvings and Ladew is always encouraging more folks to contribute, so make sure to keep Garden Glow on your radar for next fall. And reserve your tickets early. As Tommasello put it, “It’s neat and an honor to be a part of this local facility.”

Header image: Pumpkin carved by Lynne Jones