Wildflower Sculpture Park

The Wildflower Sculpture Park was established in 2012 as a program of the South Mountain Conservancy in collaboration with the Essex County Department of Parks and Cultural Affairs. Established and led for a decade by Tricia Zimic, it was then curated by Lisa Sanders, and, starting in 2023, by Doris Cacoilo.

The sculpture park’s mission is to create meaningful arts and education experiences with and for the community through the installation, exhibition, and interpretation of public art, primarily sculpture. Year-round exhibitions of contemporary works of art sited in the natural environment are presented and added to on a rotating basis. In addition, educational programs for adults and children are offered in conjunction with the exhibits.

The Wildflower Sculpture Park is located in the South Mountain Reservation in Essex County, NJ, approximately 20 miles west of New York City. It is open daily from sunrise to sunset. Visitors should use the South Orange Avenue entrance to the reservation’s Crest Drive. There is adequate free parking in the lot adjacent to the Wildflower and Forest Preserve and the Dog Park (GPS location: 11 Bear Lane, Maplewood, NJ). Most of the exhibits are accessible by wheelchair.

2026 OPEN CALL FOR ARTISTS

Theme: “Root System”

Submission Deadline: April 13, 2026

Contact Information

Doris Cacoilo, WSP Curator
Email: sculpturepark@somocon.org

In 2026, the Wildflower Sculpture Park Residency Program is in its second year. Entitled, Root System, it asks artists to propose and create artworks as part of a thematic project developed through weekly group meetings over two months. Proposals will be evaluated by Doris Caçoilo, Alana Kakoyiannis and Penelope Malakates

Root System embraces the roots, rhizomes and networks of life in the preserve and how these are in relationship to our larger communities and our historical and ancestral networks. Artists are asked to propose projects for the scupture park that focus on this theme. Eight artists will be chosen to develop their proposed projects throughout the residency.

The residency will consist of seven weekly Sunday meetings beginning April 26 and continuing through June 7th (see the detailed schedule below). These meetings will discuss and critique ongoing projects, including the philosophies and processes surrounding the works and plans for installation, activation and performance in the park. The meetings will take place at The Baird Community Center in South Orange, or at the Wildflower Sculpture Park, and will include a potluck lunch. Accepted applicants must commit to attending these Sunday meetings.

The program will culminate with a group exhibit at the Wildflower Sculpture Park in early fall 2026. An honorarium of $400 per artist will be awarded.

Project proposals should emphasize the theme of networks and root systems, resilience, community and symbiosis as well as stewardship of the Wildflower and Forest Preserve and the larger South Mountain Reservation. The residency asks artists to activate the sculpture park temporarily through performance, video, virtual reality, sound or experiential projects that augment visitor experiences through the many paths in the Preserve. All art media will be considered.

In general, proposals should be for:

Works that are site-responsive to and integrate with the natural landscape
Materials that are durable and weather-resistant, suitable for outdoor display year-round (as appropriate)
Artworks that are safe for public interaction, avoiding hazardous elements

Projects will be on exhibition from September until November 2026. The Wildflower and Forest Preserve is a 14-acre enclosure constructed in 2008 as part of the South Mountain Conservancy’s and Essex County’s initiative to restore the understory and ecology of the forest. In addition to its role in forest regeneration, the Preserve serves as a destination to educate and engage people of all ages. With a simple trail system, preservation and stewardship programs, and artwork from the Wildflower Sculpture Park, the Preserve is a special destination in the park. Please contact us with any questions or for more information at sculpturepark@somocon.org

The precursor to this program is curator Doris Caçoilo’s Wonder Women residency, which has been running for over 15 years. The Wonder Women mission is to engage local artists who are eager to participate in a collective dialogue about art, social change and environmental stewardship.

Submission Requirements and Guidelines

Deadline: April 13, 2026
Submit via email to: sculpturepark@somocon.org

WSP is accepting proposals from artists working in all media and disciplines from the NJ/NY area with preference given to Essex County artists. Participants are required to attend weekly meetings to take place at the Baird Community Center in South Orange (5 Mead Street) and at Wildflower Sculpture Park in Maplewood, New Jersey. Proposed projects will be completed during the residency time and will be installed or launched in fall 2026.

The application materials listed below must be emailed to sculpturepark@somocon.org by April 13, 2026.

Project Proposal: Please explain in 2-3 paragraphs the project you plan to complete during the residency. Please include any visual documentation of proposal ideas, sketches and any works. Contact us with any questions or for more information at sculpturepark@somocon.org

Proposals should specify why and/or how this project or your work considers the theme of the residency. All media are welcome for consideration.

Portfolio Images: Artists should submit 6 to 10 images/samples of recent works. Video samples can be submitted via link or sent as compressed files using file sharing applications.

CV/Bio: A CV and short biography are required. An artist statement is recommended. Please include your name and contact information on each page.

Schedule for Residency and Project Installation

April 13, 2025 – submission deadline

April 16, 2025 – email notifications to applicants

April 26, 2026 – First Meeting 1-5pm

May 3, 2026 – Second Meeting 1-5pm

May 10, 2026 – Optional Meeting (Mother’s Day)

May 17, 2026 – Third Meeting 1-5pm

May 24, 2026 – Fourth Meeting 1-5pm May 31, 2026 – Optional Meeting (Memorial Day)

June 7, 2026 – Fifth (Final Critique) Meeting 1-5pm

Working on projects throughout July and August

August 30, 2026 – Installation Planning Meeting

September 14, 2026 – Final Installation

September 20, 2026 – Exhibition Opening at Wildflower Sculpture Park

Participate

Support

We encourage everyone to join the South Mountain Conservancy mailing list and indicate the Wildflower Sculpture Park as a special interest in order to be notified of upcoming exhibitions and programs. All artists interested in having their work considered for exhibition should join the mailing list and reach out to the curator. Doris Cacoilo, at sculpturepark@somocon.org. Please provide your name, contact info and link to your website.

The South Mountain Conservancy is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) corporation and all contributions are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. Please consider making a gift to the Wildflower Sculpture Park.

Wildflower Sculpture Park Fund

New 2024-2025 Exhibits

Wendell Jeffrey, Roly-Poly, 2024

Gabion cages, rebar, cement, wood, rocks, leaves, moss, newspaper, twine, plastic, aluminum foil

Common Names: Pillbug, Roly-Poly, Woodlouse
Scientific Name: Armadillidium vulgare (Latreille) (Malacostraca: Isopoda: Armadillidiidae)

Artist’s Statement:
My fascination with the natural world began in early childhood. I vividly recall digging full fisted in the dirt behind our barn, where the scent of moist soil and the thrill of discovering tiny creatures beneath dead leaves and sticks captivated me. Many afternoons were spent rolling these small beings into little balls and waiting with anticipation for them to unfurl.

Pill bugs, or roly-polies, are gentle and harmless, often serving as a child’s first introduction to nature. These creatures, along with other woodlice, play a crucial role in garden ecosystems by helping to decompose and recycle dead plant matter. They primarily consume decaying leaves and wood fibers. This diet not only sustains them but also helps slow down the decomposition of litter, aiding in the retention of organic material in the soil and maintaining a balance in the soil’s carbon content.

As detritivores, pill bugs significantly contribute to their ecosystems by consuming dead organic matter. The Roly-Poly stands as a tribute to these remarkable creatures and all those who help break down dead wood.

Eileen Ferara, On the Fence….Scarlet Bloom, 2024

Repurposed and painted lath wood 1 in x 1/2 in of varying lengths, paper casts, copper and/or aluminum sheeting, cut, bent and attached to the wood, handmade paper, beeswax, pulp dye/pigment, cable ties, wire, ground stakes

Artist’s Statement:

“On the Fence….Scarlet Bloom” is a site-specific installation which reflects on the health of the South Mountain Reservation flora. Inspired by various species in the forest, the work is a meditation on time, regeneration and impermanence.

This artwork is created using a variety of materials including repurposed painted wood lathe, copper and handmade paper that was cast from a nearby rock at the location. The piece is intended to transform over time as the different elements are exposed to the weather.

Instagram: @eileenferarastudio
Twitter: @EileenFerara
www.eileenferara.com

Drizzle-Seeded-Rainstorm-Trail-Thackray-2024-.6

Amanda Thackray, Drizzle (Seeded Rainstorm Trail), 2024

Recycled cotton paper, native wildflower seed mix, cotton twine

Artist’s Statement:

Thick blue twine traces a series of lines between trees throughout the forest. Sculptural paper raindrops studded with native wildflower seeds hang just out of reach below the tree canopy. A rainstorm punctuates the trail of the sculpture park. As the wind, rain, dew, and animal interaction erode the handmade paper raindrops, the embedded wildflower seeds will drop to the ground below and germinate below the drops. As the raindrops disappear, they are transformed into wildflower paths, a living echo of the rainstorm for seasons to come.

This work speaks to the interweaving paths between humans and nature, our effects on the natural world, and our attempts to reclaim and rewild. I am excited for this installation to become a part of the regenerative work of South Mountain Conservancy. When completed, the artwork – bright, angular, and intentionally human – will drop its seeds but remain as an armature of the seeding apparatus that once was.

2023 Exhibits

Lee Williams’ several pieces entitled “Infinite Delicacies,” part of our permanent collection, are visible both along Bear Lane and further into the woods. Starting at the old stump by the entrance to the parking area, the pieces continue 70 yards down Crest Trail (immediately across the parking lot in a northerly direction). There you will find, on often overlooked old fallen trees, colorful wooden elements interacting with the decaying wood in a vibrant celebration of nature.

Sarah Peters’ sculpture, the Botanical Fainting Couch, installed in the park until late 2024, is our first piece that is interactive. Guests are welcome to sit or sprawl (but please do not stand!) on the couch and touch the many different plant textures that animate the surface. The couch utilizes the alphabet letters as the base on which she has embossed textures of 26 different plants. Each plant represented corresponds to a letter of the alphabet. See if you can identify them all! Sarah will have a fun activity available that all are welcome to participate in.