Don’t Miss the George Harrison Exhibition at Selby Gardens
Hey Beatles fans, the last days of the George Harrison exhibition by Jean & Alfred Goldstein of “The Gardner’s Life” at the beautiful downtown campus of Selby Gardens in Sarasota are coming way too fast. The last day of this amazing display is Sunday, June 29th. This tour at Selby displays George’s love for the outdoors and gardening that started in 1970, after the Beatles split. George, who was often called “The Quiet Beatle”, bought Friar Park, an estate in England that had fallen on hard times. George and family brought the property back to life and with its 32 acres of grounds, Harrison started on his journey of gardening that became one of his greatest loves besides music.
All the while, George was continuing his solo musical journey with his album “All Things Must Pass” and then organized the iconic, “The Concert for Bangladesh” He started Dark Horse Records. The various vignettes along the Selby’s 15 acre gardens pay tribute to George’s music, work at Friar Park, and poems by Olivia Harrison dedicated to George in her book “Came the Lightening, Twenty Poems for George.” There are photographs along the trail accompanying the various special gardens. Of course, there is the always spectacular Selby Gardens setting along Sarasota Bay. This exhibition is a must-see for any Beatle or music fan in general. Selby Gardens has done a phenomenal job on hosting this incredible tribute to a private side of George Harrison that the public would never know very little about. Don’t miss going into the Selby House Café for a beverage or snack, if you do, you will miss some very special Beatles photographs on display just for this special presentation. You can learn more about George and his music at www.georgeharrison.com
At Selby’s Historic Spanish Point Campus on Little Sarasota Bay, musician and poet, Patti Smith is being honored with an exhibition of her New York Times best seller, “A Book of Days.” Patti Smith is one of our most prolific American artists and named one of Time Magazine’s Top 100 most influential people in the world. She was inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2007. Her 1975 album “Horses” is among the greatest albums of all time! She has been working with Selby Gardens since 2022 and is the current artist in residence. Her photos from around the world are displayed among the finest of horticulture around the 150 year-Old Spanish Point property. Walking around this beautiful 30 acre property is both visually amazing and calming. The Butterfly House and Garden are magical for adults and kids alike. Mary’s Chapel transcends time, built in 1901; it has been gingerly restored to keep its original beauty. There are places to just sit and enjoy the scenery in both gardens. Patti’s photographs are interesting to see and learn about their origination. Patti Smith exhibition runs through August 31st. Patti’s website is www.pattismith.net
Thank you to Selby Gardens tributes to George Harrison and Patti Smith that show their high esteem and support for contemporary artists and musicians known around the world. It will be interesting to see what their future projects will bring to Sarasota and Osprey. All the information for memberships and more from www.selby.org
Vicky Sullivan Photos for The Suncoast Post