Park Avenue Roses By Hope Wilkos, Writer/Blogger
As residents of Park Avenue retired to their warm beds on one chilly evening in January, a multi-talented artist by the name of Will Ryman was about to release his creative energies for all New Yorkers to admire as they made their way to work the next morning or to wherever their destination would take them.
Working tirelessly for 30 hours, Will Ryman erected his masterpiece, 38 steel and fiberglass roses, some reaching 25 feet high. The colors were vivid reds and pinks with large lifelike thorns and a huge bumblebee perched atop one of the roses. They were placed along Park Avenue between 57th and 67th Streets. As an extra added bonus, 20 individual sculptures of rose petals were scattered between 63rd and 65th Streets with beetles, ladybugs or aphids being spotted on some for a jolt of reality.
Ryman is a native New Yorker who started out as a writer in the theater. He really never wanted to be an artist but was drawn to the visual arts and he has a desire for all his sculptures and creations to come to life with movement, form and dance.
Inspired visually from underneath the roses, Will wanted New Yorkers to connect with the flowers. The height was beneficial so that residents in nearby highrises could look out their windows and enjoy this gift of a promise of spring’s arrival. However, snow has fallen at times in the last month and given a surreal beauty to the roses. Residents and tourists alike are simply thrilled with the exhibition and it draws them in and brings a smile to their faces and a skip to their step.
You can find other imaginative Will Ryman pieces in London, Munich, Seattle, Miami, Tampa, Palm Beach and various galleries across New York City.
One of Ryman’s biggest fans and owner of some of his works is Real Estate Developer and Chairman of the Board of the New York Museum of Modern Art, Jerry I. Speyer. Speyer has purchased many of Ryman’s sculptures and labels them as ‘playful and fun’. They each have their own personalities and come to life at a glance.
Will Ryman is very passionate about his work and it can truly be seen.
The roses are his affectionate gift to Park Avenue and New York. The exhibit will remain in place until May 31st so take a moment to go enjoy this ornamental work of art.
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