A look at the new gardens at the Wichita Art Museum.

As I mentioned in my T Tuesday post,

my friend Sally and I came to the Wichita Art Museum (WAM) for lunch 

and to have a look at the new Art Garden that they unveiled this spring.

This familiar statue is one of 13 and it sits among some of the more than 20,000 perennials and grasses that grace the eight acres that have been totally relandscaped.

There are also over 100 new trees that have been added since the last time I was here.

This is the first year of what WAM calls their Art Garden Delights.

This modern art museum is quite small compared to those in other cities Wichita's size.

They try to have an eclectic mix of artists, but they showcase mostly glass, some of it focused on Chihuly, pre-Columbian art, a children's room, and Kansas artists.

The grounds are where they have spent their money this year, though.  On the berm directly behind the WAM sign is a new feature by the artist Derek Porter.  His installation is called Pulse Field.  Best viewed at night, the solar lights on tall poles randomly turn off and on.

I spent a few minutes walking around the grounds

while Sally went inside in the cool of the museum.

I couldn't help thinking how much I wished I had their gardener working for me.

I soon got overheated and joined Sally as we made our way to the second floor Muse Cafe.  After we ordered, I took these photos from the vantage point of the cool restaurant's gleaming glass windows that overlooked the new landscaping I had just seen below.

Also from my vantage point, I could see the new amphitheater, but not the stage which was to the right and out of view of the photo.  To the back of the photo you can see the Little Arkansas River rushing along on its way to meet the confluence of the Big Arkansas a few blocks away.

Some art I get, some I don't.  Some Most I appreciate even though I don't get it.

  Back on the ground, these new sculptures, three metal screens, are called Wind Screens by Vicki Scuri.

For the life of me I don't understand what these screens are supposed to represent, even though the brochure stated they were a "trio of screens inspired by the Kansas winds."  Again, note the raging river in the background.

More river and landscape are here

and here.

I spent a lot of time

getting this piece in focus.

To me, the river took center stage because it was really high back then.

On the other side of the museum, I found two other statues that vie for attention with the twin of the one on the river side of the grounds.  None of these are new but have been moved to different locations.

Before we left, I took this photo of glass leaves on a wall directly outside the restaurant.

Many people are disappointed with this art museum.  After all, I have been to art museums like Smithsonian, the Getty, LACMA, and Chicago Art Institute.  I have seen some fabulous art in my travels.  But if you really want to see a few good pieces in about three hours and not be overwhelmed, go to WAM on Saturday when admission is free.  Sally and I plan to go one of these Saturdays, when we will spend more time and eat from the brunch menu.  But for now, please enjoy a first look at the new Art Gardens of WAM.  And thanks for visiting and allowing me to share these art gardens with you.  I am most appreciative.