Summer is full of perfect weather days; the warm and slightly breezy air with blue skies makes for the perfect day to spend time outside. Visiting Annmarie Sculpture Garden and Arts Center is a wonderful place to connect with nature and art this summer. 

Francis and Ann Marie Koenig were a couple living in Arlington, Virginia in 1949. Francis Koenig was a successful architect in Maryland, D.C., and Virginia, as he built several respectable buildings in these states. In 1955, Francis built a house on a piece of land that overlooked Chesapeake Bay. The Koenigs spent many days in their beach home and fell in love with the area. In 1960, Francis purchased a 30-acre piece of land in Solomons, Maryland and decided to make it a sculpture garden. This sculpture garden was then given the name “Annemarie,” to honor Francis’ wife whose name was Ann Marie. Francis and his wife donated the land to the county, as a show of their gratitude for the many wonderful days they spent in Calvert County. The Koenigs hoped that the garden would remain forever, for the enjoyment of the community, 

Annmarie Garden spans a landscape of 30 acres that is decorated with luscious forests and colorful meadows and is just a 30-minute drive from Huntingtown. In the main art building, at the John Dennis Murray Arts Building, you can enjoy many art pieces in the exhibitions. With a $5 admission fee, you can walk a trail through the scenic land and appreciate the many unique sculptures made from various materials that are mostly loaned from the Smithsonian.

There are also many other activities during the summer, with a variety of festivals with topics ranging from art and music to insects and fairies. You could also attend summer camp, an art class, or a public art project in the garden. Annmaris Garden is sure to keep you entertained all summer long with many options to help you connect with art and nature. 

Annmarie Gardens, a nonprofit organization, also has several new exhibits over the summer. “We have two fun new exhibits this summer! First is POP! Art with Mass Appeal which opened in May and is here through the end of September. Then we have More! Embracing Excess which opens this Friday, June 7th and runs until the end of August” Helen 

Lindsey shared. Helen is an Exhibit and Education Specialist at Annmarie Garden. She works in small groups of 3-4 people to curate the best exhibit themes for the garden. 

Setting up an exhibit at Annmarie Garden takes a lot of work and preparation. “We have so much happening all the time! The exhibits alone are unlike anything else you see in Southern Maryland, and they rotate out several times a year,” Lindsey said. Lindsey and her team strive to find exhibit ideas that are not too like previous themes. The exhibits are intended to be interesting, conversational, and engaging. The curators aim for the exhibit to “evoke a certain emotion with our themes.” Annmarie Garden works with a juror selected by the Smithsonian Institution to bring an outside perspective for choosing what art works will be displayed in the exhibit. 

Since 1991, The Annmarie Sculpture Garden and Arts Center has been a place where our community could express their creativity and cherish the art of others. “Our goal is to make guests walk away feeling inspired!” Helen exclaimed. Do not waste any time this summer and go check out Annmarie Sculpture Garden and Arts Center! 

Resources: 

https://www.annmariegarden.org/annmarie2/content/food-truck-fridays-1 

https://www.annmariegarden.org/annmarie2/content/art-blooms-gala-reception