Arroyo, Bloom, and Art

Richard Newton sculptures (Courtesy of R. Newton)

Take a Walk in the Pasadena Arroyo.

By Michael Lawrence

The recent rains have enhanced the Arroyo with a verdant carpet of high grasses and bright blooms from the many native plants. In addition to enjoying nature, there is a bonus of discovering some interesting art. What more motivation do you need to get some exercise and enjoy art and nature.

Artist Richard Newton received a grant from the City of Pasadena for 2022-2023.  He has installed two temporary sculptures along the walking trail South of the casting ponds near the Loma Street bridge. The imagery is inspired by fairytales and the Tarot cards, and gives the viewer a moment to reflect on our mutual responsibility to socially engage, communicate and listen.

For the Lower Arroyo Park, Newton has re-imagined the Nine and Ten of Wands. A sign at the Nine of Wands reads “There are none so fearful as those who await imagined enemies.” Behind a flimsy fence, reminiscent of our Southern border, a man waits in a defensive posture. Is he the guard or the prisoner? The sign at the Ten of Wands reads ” There are none so burdened as those who do not ask for help. The woman who has been carrying her burden is exhausted. Although she is not moving forward, she remains trapped. Perhaps she was carrying our burden, and felt compelled to move forward feeling she did not have permission to ask us to lend a hand?

Richard feels that by placing his work outside of a traditional gallery and leaving it exposed, he is handing it over to the public. He sees the regulars walking their dogs early each morning while he is preparing the art for the day. They see the effort and care he has done, and it translates into their own care for the art. Richard knows that the Arroyo visitors care for the environment. He says, “Do they see the art as a flower or as a weed? So far, they think of it as a flower.”

The sculptures that will be available for viewing April 15th through the 29^th from 6:30 am – 6:30 pm Sunday through Saturday. Richard will remove the sculptures on the 29^th.

Michael Lawrence loves to roam the desert and enjoy the company of plants.

Arroyo Map