I was driving past the Alamance Arts Council house recently and noticed something awfully familiar on the lawn. I stopped in for a closer look and confirmed my suspicions. J. Steward Johnson’s “Where You Invited?” is is right here in Graham, NC. You can imagine my surprise since last time I saw this it was at the Grounds For Sculpture in New Jersey.

According the the Grounds For Sculpture website, “J. Seward Johnson’s Were You Invited? is based upon French Impressionist Pierre Auguste Renoir’s nineteenth-century masterpiece, The Luncheon of the Boating Party. In this specially designed and landscaped environment, viewers can actually step into the scene and mingle with the diners. In addition to the members of the Impressionist’s boating party are four figures seated around another table at the far end of the tableau.”

Seward’s inspiration:  This painting, The Luncheon of the Boating Party by French Impressionist Pierre Auguste Renoir.

Photo courtesy of the Phillips Collection

Seward’s interpretation: I took this photograph to show a similar viewpoint to the original painting.

I love J. Seward Johnson’s concept of recreating the scenes of famous paintings in 3D sculptural art. It allows you to really explore, experience and immerse yourself into the scenes created by famous master painters. As a photographer, I find it interesting to explore the different angles and perspectives in which the scenes could be presented. I gave myself a challenge as an exercise in creativity. If this was a real live event, how would I capture the experience? I imagined for a few minutes that this was an event or a wedding and thought about how I would approach the scene. Here is the The Luncheon of the Boating Party through the eyes of Luck Photography:

This and other sculptures from the “Beyond the Frame: Impressionism Revisited” Exhibition will be on display at the Alamance Arts Council now through October 31st. These sculptures are great fun to explore and we highly recommend that you stop by to see for yourself. Located at 213 South Main Street
Graham, NC 27253. many of the sculptures are located outside in the yard, on the porch and in the garden. Several of the sculptures are located inside. If you want to view those as well, you will want to visit 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday – Saturday. Sundays, 1:00 – 5:00 p.m. through October 31st.