Patrick Dougherty | James Florio

One of today's most admired living sculptors, Patrick Dougherty composes with nature--wielding saplings and sticks to build monumental structures that echo, play, and tussle with the land. James Florio is a Montana-based photographer focused on the built environment and the life surrounding it. He works slowly, visiting a place repeatedly to gain a greater understanding of it, to ultimately deliver a thoughtful and profound interpretation.

This project was inspired by Dougherty's and Florio's connection to Tippet Rise Art Center in Fishtail, Montana, where Dougherty has crafted sculptures from local willows, and where Florio has photographed the art and wild lands over many years.

Dougherty's first commission at Tippet Rise, Daydreams, was completed in 2015. He subsequently returned to the art center in 2022 to make a companion piece for this work. At the heart of both pieces is a nineteenth-century schoolhouse reproduction. The new work, Cursive Takes a Holiday (2022), adds an installation of intertwining branches to the outside of the schoolhouse, creating a series of circular spaces that visitors can step inside. Daydreams features woven branches that connect the indoors to the outdoors.

In addition to thoughtful photographs, this book features information about the commission, creation, installation, and community engagement of Dougherty's work, along with essays about his practice, influence, and legacy.