In My Garden: Holly Keris
Holly Keris, Jacksonville, FL
Preservation Partner and Open Days Garden: Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens
.jpg)
photo: Brian Jones
Holly Keris has been the J. Wayne and Delores Barr Weaver Chief Curator at the Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens since 2003. She inherited stewardship of the Cummer's historic gardens, listed in the National Register of Historic Places, in 2008, as part of an institutional effort to align their care and management with the same standards used for the Cummer's art collection. "The gardens are our outdoor galleries," says Holly. "It has been an exciting adventure to learn more about these important spaces, developed in earnest during the first few decades of the twentieth century by five prominent American landscape architects, designers, and firms, including Ossian Cole Simonds, Thomas Meehan & Sons, and Ellen Biddle Shipman."
In 2013, the Museum restored a garden partially designed by the Olmsted Brothers firm, which nearly doubled its riverfront acreage. But with the flooding along the St. Johns River following Hurricane Irma in 2017, the lower level of the gardens was buried under four feet of brackish water and other debris. "We wrapped the bulk of our renovation efforts before we shut for the pandemic, but were excited to welcome visitors back in summer 2020. The gardens are a special place for reflection, beauty, and camaraderie. As a multi-year partner with the Garden Conservancy, I’m excited to share more of our story with you in the coming months," says Holly.
In My Garden, November 9, 2021
"Every fall, the Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens works with RLA Conservation, based in Miami, on a full outdoor sculpture maintenance plan," says Holly. "Although staff handles ongoing maintenance throughout the year, RLA's team conducts more thorough cleaning, repairs, and condition analysis during this annual visit."
"Before the property became a public museum, the Cummers amassed a considerable collection of ornaments for the gardens. They acquired antique pieces but also included new pieces made by the leading artisans of the day. At one time, there were more than 70 ornamental objects in the gardens, ranging from English lead urns, terra-cotta jars, majolica urns, and Chinese jardinières to 16th-century bronze faucets from Germany."
"Eleven marble pieces, acquired in Italy in 1931, are the centerpieces of their collection. The Cummers also purchased seven pieces by William R. Mercer, Jr. (1862–1939), an artist-designer from Doylestown, PA, who specialized in cast-concrete decorative ornaments. In the museum era, Anna Hyatt Huntington (1876–1973) donated a life-size bronze cast of her renowned Diana of the Hunt, originally created in 1922, to the museum in 1960. Running Boy (c. 1923), by Janet Scudder (1869–1940), was added to the courtyard in 2002. In 2008, The Sea of the Ear Rings (2008), by Takashi Soga (b. 1952), was added to the front entrance of the museum. In 2013, the Weaver Sculpture Garden was also added to the Riverside Avenue frontage. Although it primarily displays temporary sculpture exhibitions, several pieces from the Permanent Collection are here, including William Zorach’s Spirit of the Dance and Archie Held’s Lovers (2000)."
In My Garden, August 17, 2021
"There’s no time for a leisurely summer break at the Cummer Museum. In addition to a full schedule of public programming and events, plus the newly opened exhibition Rebecca Louise Law: The Journey, the museum is preparing for hurricane season, which is active through November," Holly reports. "Although this period has always been treated seriously, annual preparations took on new significance after the museum’s historic gardens were destroyed by Hurricane Irma in 2018 (above), resulting in more than $1 million in restoration expenses. We are grateful for the support of the Garden Conservancy in that effort."
"Hurricane prep plans include tree trimmings by our arborists to reduce potential debris, increased maintenance on drain lines, double checking the security of outdoor sculptures, and confirming the list of other objects that may need to be relocated in the event of a pending storm. We also purchased a Tiger Dam system to provide an extra layer of protection against storm surge. This pyramid of water-filled hoses can be installed along our bulkhead in advance of a storm to create a temporary barrier. While we recognize this isn’t a forever solution, it at least provides short-term peace of mind while staff and trustees continue to investigate long-term sustainability and resiliency solutions for our historic property."
In My Garden, July 20, 2021
Rebecca Louise Law (British, b. 1980), The Womb, 2019, Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park. Photo by Scott Rasmussen
"The gardens are moving inside at the Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens," says Holly, "as we welcome British installation artist Rebecca Louise Law, who is creating a site-specific exhibition using 1.2 million dried flowers. A proponent of sustainability, Rebecca creates magnificent installations using materials that are often regarded as ephemeral. Some of these specimens have been in installations around the world and each new venue adds an additional 10,000 live blooms to her archive. Even the dust is saved for other projects. 'I just wanted people to be able to value what we’re given. So in order to do that, I have to frame nature. Put it on a pedestal', says Rebecca. She describes her process as 'painting with flowers'. 'The way that I create is with the space as my canvas and the flowers as my paint.' The exhibition, Rebecca Louise Law: The Journey, is on display through January 9, 2022."
In My Garden, June 22, 2021
"Although summer isn’t prime gardening season in Florida, that doesn’t stop visitors to the Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens from enjoying our beautiful historic landscapes," Holly tells us. "Thanks to PNC Bank, visitors can start their weekend in style in our backyard (aka the Cummer Gardens) with free admission, live music, lawn games, and more." 
