TREES AND ART

BAKER ARBORETUM WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1992 AT THE ESTATE OF JERRY BAKER.

IN 1967, JERRY BAKER PURCHASED THE INITIAL 3 1/2 ACRES THAT IS NOW BAKER ARBORETUM. HE BEGAN COLLECTING CONIFERS AND JAPANESE MAPLES. THE LANDSCAPE WAS DESIGNED BY BOWLING GREEN LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT MITCHELL LEICHHARDT TO SHOWCASE THE BAKER TREE AND ART COLLECTIONS. ADDITIONAL PROPERTY WAS ACQUIRED AND THE ART HOUSE WAS BUILT TO FEATURE JOE DOWNING'S DOORS OF LIFE. NOW OVER 14 ACRES, THE ARBORETUM UNDER THE DESIGN OF MITCHELL LEICHHARDT IS A TAPESTRY OF ART AND TREES.

THE ARBORETUM FEATURES MANY VARIETIES OF DOGWOODS, MAGNOLIAS AND OTHER FLOWERING TREES WOVEN AMONG THE CONIFERS AND JAPANESE MAPLES. A SHADE GARDEN MEANDERS UNDER THE NATIVE TREES DISPLAYING OVER 90 VARIETIES OF SHADE LOVING PERENNIALS.

THE ART COLLECTION FEATURES THE WORK OF KENTUCKY NATIVE JOE DOWNING (1925-2007), ANTIQUE AND CONTEMPORARY SCULPTURE, FOUNTAINS AND GARDEN ORNAMENTS.

THE ART BUILDING

"THE DOORS OF LIFE" - ABOUT 1980, ARTIST JOE DOWNING SALVAGED TWO ENORMOUS DOORS FROM A 200 YEAR OLD BARN THAT WAS BEING DEMOLISHED. HE TOOK THEM HOME, AND THE DOORS SAT IN HIS GARDEN FOR ABOUT 8 YEARS. THEN JOE SUFFERED A HEART ATTACK AND NEARLY DIED. UPON RETURNING FROM THE HOSPITAL, JOE FOUND THAT THE DOORS APPEALED TO HIM. HE PAINTED ON THE DOORS AND GRADUALLY HEALED.

FOR DISPLAY AT THE ARBORETUM, JOE DOWNING ADDED 2 ADDITIONAL ITEMS TO THE DOORS: THE CENTER TOTEM AND THE PAINTED WHEEL. THE PIECE NOW RESEMBLES A BUTTERFLY. OTHER WORKS BY JOE DOWNING ON DISPLAY ARE PAINTINGS AND BAS-RELIEF SCULPTURES.

THE HEXAGONAL ART BUILDING WAS DESIGNED TO HOUSE "THE DOORS OF LIFE". IT FEATURES A CONICAL SHAPED ROOF, TO HOUSE THE ENORMOUS DOORS AND A 180 VIEW OF THE ARBORETUM AND SURROUNDING COUNTRYSIDE.

AN ADDITION TO THE ART BUILDING IS CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION. THE BARN INSPIRED ADDITION WILL DISPLAY OTHER WORKS OF JOE DOWNING.