Whitcomb Sculpture Dedication at Foster Botanical Garden
Posted on Feb. 8, 2024 / Subscribe 0
By: Dana Anne Yee
A sudden ray of sunshine illuminated the Whitcomb Glass Sculpture by artist Rick Mills at just the right time for the special dedication at Foster Botanical Garden on January 26, 2024. The day started as a cloudy gloomy day but as I watched the sun just peeking through the clouds, we all moved our way from the upper terrace to the location of the new glass sculpture. The sun came out just in time for the dedication, highlighting the vibrant colors of the glass sculpture entitled Sentience…Once Empty, Twice Full.
Figure 1. Rick Mills Sculpture at Foster Botanical Garden. Dedication on January 26, 2024. Source: Dana Anne Yee, FASLA
How it all started
Twenty-four years ago, Dr. David Whitcomb and Henrietta Whitcomb hired me to be their landscape architect for their one-acre property on the slopes of Diamond Head. Originally built by famed island architect Vladimir Ossipoff in the 1960s, the house evolved with work by Architects John Hara and Paul Noborikawa. Working continuously for the Whitcombs all year round for over two decades, I originally presented the idea to the Whitcombs that I could help them commission local artists to create sculptures for their gardens and that the gardens can be designed together with the sculptures. Since the year 2000, the Whitcomb’s gardens have been graced with a Rick Mills Glass Sculpture, Sean Browne’s 2-ton granite sculpture made in Japan, and 2 of Satoru Abe’s Tree Sculptures.
Figure 3. Dr. David Whitcomb, Dana Anne Yee, and Rick Mills at the Foster Botanical Garden Sculpture dedication, 2024.
The Glass Sculpture
Located at the end of the swimming pool is Rick Mill’s colorful glass sculpture that flows water through the bottom over the top rims 24 hours a day. After 20 years and constant sun, the wind and a palm frond had knocked one of the glass pieces down. Wes, the manager of the property, and I happened to be looking at the glue joints of the sculpture. In one swoop one glass piece slid off in our hands. Repairs and cost estimates were gathered, but in the end, it was decided to hire Rick to build a new glass sculpture. The Whitcombs did not need two glass sculptures, so I suggested that we donate the original sculpture. I spent quite a bit of volunteer time to find a home for the glass sculpture, even with the threat of putting a hammer to it. It was costly and the sculpture needed to be repaired, adjustments made, and new glass blown with caps for the tops of each of the glass pieces (since the sculpture will not need to have water flowing through it). And the Whitcombs generously paid Rick for this work. It took some time to find a place to accept a glass sculpture. My call to the Mayor’s Office of the Culture of the Arts led me to Marion Cadora in 2021. The Mayor and the MOCA’s team approved of accepting the gift from the Whitcombs. In early 2022, Marion, Josh, Rick, Kim, and I set out to find just the right location for the sculpture. After a few hours, we found the perfect place at Foster Botanical Garden.
The Dedication
On January 26, 2024, nestled in the terrace gardens popping out from the large green leaves of the Monstera, the Rick Mills glass sculpture's new garden placement became official. An enjoyable afternoon took place. The Whitcombs, their guests (many of them who flew in from the States), staff from the Mayor's Office of Culture and the Arts (MOCA) and the City and County of Honolulu, Rick Mills, and friends gathered to share in this memorable moment.
Speeches were made by Joshlyn Sand, Director of the Botanical Gardens, Dana Anne Yee, Landscape Architect, Rick Mills, Artist, Ka'ili Trask O'Connell, MOCA Executive Director, Marion Cadora, MOCA Curator of Collections & Public Art, and the most memorable speech by Henrietta Whitcomb. Henrietta spoke warmly from her heart to thank everyone. She started her speech about their local art at their residence. “Working with these sculptures over the years to create exactly what we wanted for our house. Thank you so much. I just feel like we have come full circle because I grew up just up the street and my mom would bring me here for picnic lunches when I was a little kid, so it seems so perfect that we are now back here. I just want to thank all of you.”
The Sentience…Once Empty, Twice Full, the Rick Mills glass sculpture now shines brightly in many colors to light up the gardens with a bit of vibrancy.
Figure 4. Henrietta Whitcomb and Dana Anne Yee at the Foster Botanical Garden sculpture dedication, 2024. Source: William D. Perreira
Big Mahalos
Thank you to the Whitcombs for their generous donation of their Rick Mills glass sculpture and their gift to repair and modify the sculpture.
Thank you to Mayor Rick Blangiardi, the Mayor’s Office of Culture and the Arts, and Marion Cadora, Curator of Collections & Public Art, for accepting the Whitcomb's sculpture, for the dedication, and for seeing the possibility of placing the Whitcomb's Rick Mills sculpture in a public space. (Foster Botanical Garden, one of my favorite places).
Thank you to Rick Mills for the beautiful colorful sculpture. David, Henrietta, Wes, and I had the chance to see Rick making the sculpture at his University of Hawai'i studio and David and Henrietta were thrilled to select the colors.
Thank you to Joshlyn Sand, Director of City and County of Honolulu Botanical Gardens for her kind ways in helping the installation and dedication to take place.
Thank you to the City and County of Honolulu Foster Botanical Garden staff for your help with the sculpture installation, and dedication and everything you do to make our botanical gardens green and growing.
Dana Anne Yee, FASLA, LEED AP, ISA Certified Arborist, RA, MOCA, City Planner, UH Master Gardener Emeritus, ISA TRAQ, Mayor’s Arborist Advisory Committee, ASLA Hawai`i Trustee from the firm of Dana Anne Yee, Landscape Architect, LLC
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