sculpture

Return to Andres Institute trails

/ Ellen Kolb

I needed a hill climb as a mental palate-cleanser the other day. Not a big hill, just one with a view. Brookline (the New Hampshire version) is not-too-terribly far away, so I scooted down Route 13 to the Andres Institute of Art with its hilltop view of the Wapack Range.

A new driveway is now a stone’s throw north of the former entrance. Look for the address 106 Rt. 13. There’s plenty of parking. Even first-time visitors will have no trouble following the signs into the AIA’s property.

The property was once a tiny ski area (rope tows, not gondolas) on a little hill in Brookline. The ski area is long gone. The current owner is a patron of the arts with a passion for sculpture created by artists from all over the world who come to New Hampshire to work in granite. Their work adorns a network of trails winding around the hill.

At the summit is the payoff: a view of the Wapack Range, complete with seating. A striking sculpture entitled Phoenix is in the foreground of the vista. For a short walk uphill (a generous half-mile or so), it’s a pleasant experience.

Wapack Range from Andres Institute of Art summit: Kidder, Monadnock (pointed summit), Temple Mountain ridge

Late-day haze dulled the view a bit. The silhouette of the range was clear enough, though, and I even caught a glimpse of Mount Monadnock playing peek-a-boo behind Kidder Mountain.

On the October day I was there, the paths had a golden glow. Beech and aspen leaves are turning. Flashes of crimson from maples are hinting at the peak foliage that will be on display on a couple of weeks.

The AIA trails can be very popular, but my late-day midweek autumn visit was delightfully quiet. A mental palate cleanser, indeed.

“Phoenix” by Janis Karlovs, Latvia, 1999, Andres Institute of Art
“Old Man in the Mountains New Home” by Alak Roy, Bangladesh, 2014, Andres Institute of Art
“Rebirth” by Evrim Kilic, Turkey, 2019, on display at Andres Institute of Art, Brookline NH
Sculpture "Animals" by Tony Jimenez, Costa Rica, installed at Andres Institute of Art, Brookline NH
“Animals” by Tony Jimenez, Costa Rica, 2017, Andres Institute of Art

More about the AIA trails, from 2015: Easy Uphill

Easy uphill: Andres Institute of Art

/ Ellen Kolb / 1 Comment

The Andres Institute of Art – “a sculpture park to delight the whole family,” as its web site proclaims – occupies much of a hill alongside Route 13 in Brookline, New Hampshire. Over 70 sculptures are scattered around the property, which is laced with walking trails. The property is open dawn to dusk daily, and there’s no fee. It made for a pleasant hour-long visit on the last Saturday of summer.

Plenty of trailside asters today.
Mount Monadnock, seen from the top of the hill at the Andres Institute.
At the top of the hill, a surprising seat from which to take in the view. (Yes, the seat’s from a bowling alley.)
Of all the sculpture along my way, this was by far my favorite:Souls Of Peace by Gerard Montonri.
Alignment by Hoa Bich Dao. The path uphill cuts a diagonal line in the background.
Drawing Sculpture/The Myth, by Satoru Takata.
Mbari House by Geoffery Nwogu.