Nature’s Gallery Court construction has begun! The design for this courtyard was created by UC Davis alumnus Ron Lutsko, recent recipient of an Award of Excellence from the American Society of Landscape Architects. His plan highlights the Nature’s Gallery mural–a creation of many hands–through a collaboration between the UC Davis Arboretum and the Art-Science Fusion Program.

The Nature’s Gallery ceramic mosaic mural is a stunning work of art composed of over 140 tiles—hand-crafted by students, staff, faculty, and community members—each showcasing diverse drought-tolerant plants or insects found in the Arboretum’s Ruth Risdon Storer Garden.  Not only did community members help create the art, they also helped fund its installation.  Their donations also support the campus’s Art-Science Fusion program which serves as the catalyst for this and similar community art projects.

Campus Planning and Landscape Architecture is project managing the overall installation of this unique venue. The project is located at the west end of the Arboretum just off Garrod Drive, near the Arboretum Teaching Nursery and Veterinary Medicine.

Between the academic Art-Science Fusion program that brought this concept to life, all the individuals from students to community members involved in its artistic creation, and the administrative coordination involved in seeing this project to fruition, this installation has truly been a team effort!

If you are interested in finding out more about how you can support this installation click here.