Sculpture Garden

A significant component of the Gladys Woods Kemper Center for the Arts at William Woods University is the massive sculpture garden surrounding the facility, created by California sculptor Will Nettleship. The ground-level sculpture incorporates abstract variations of the ivy leaf, representing the university’s traditional ivy chain ceremony that students participate in at the start and end of their days on campus. The work starts in front of Dulany Auditorium, the oldest building on campus, and continues in front of the newest building, the Center for the Arts. Nettleship’s design is an interplay between traditional and contemporary, changing from symmetrical to asymmetrical as it progresses from the older building to the new one. The sculpture garden creates a pedestrian walkway and extends down the hill in front of Dulany to the bridge that crosses Senior Lake, the site of the ivy chain ceremonies. To make the area accessible to everyone, the walkway twists down the hill, eliminating any steep grading that might make the approach difficult. Benches built along the way allow people to sit and enjoy the beauty of the campus. (quote) “I study the social use of a place; how do people use it and how could they use it. With the homogenization of society, I’m interested in trying to help create a sense of identity, a sense of place. I want my work to reflect what is unique about a place.” Will Nettleship, sculptor