Memphis Botanic Garden Unveils New Sculpture by Bobbe Gentry
May 2, 2004

In the summer of 2001, the Memphis Botanic Garden hosted the Sculptureworks, Inc. "Garden of Eden" Sculpture Show and Sale. Garden lover Mrs. Gladys Pierce saw the work of Bobbe Gentry on display at that show and began working with Sculptureworks in 2003 to commission a lifesize garden sculpture to be placed in the Iris Garden Fountain in memory of her late husband Mr. John Pierce, another garden lover who created new versions of Irises as a hobby (some of which are planted within the Memphis Iris Garden). Mrs. Pierce fell in love with the small sculpture "Fantasy Flight" by Bobbe Gentry. Mrs. Pierce's vision was to add wings to this piece and make it fully lifesize, thus representing the mythological Goddess of Iris. Texas sculptor Bobbe Gentry was more than willing to take on this task, and completed the full clay version of the sculpture in early 2003. Unfortunately, Mrs. Pierce passed away before she could see the completed sculpture placed at the garden. This project was completed by her son, Dr. John Pierce, Jr., in memory of his parents, John and Gladys Pierce. The sculpture was cast in bronze in the spring of 2004. The new bronze sculpture, entitled "Iris, Goddess of the Rainbow and Messenger of the Gods", by Bobbe Gentry, was unveiled in the Iris Garden on Sunday, May 2, 2004, with a ceremony commemorating the many contributions of John and Gladys Pierce to the Memphis Botanic Garden. The program included words from Rev. Jim Muston (of the Cordova Baptist Church), Martine Madlinger (the President of the Iris Society), Brenda Belus (a friend of John and Gladys Pierce), and Mary Helen Butler (the Director of Education at the Memphis Botanic Garden). Also, a poem by Mrs. Gladys Pierce was read during the ceremony. The sculpture was unveiled by Dr. John Pierce, Jr., in a rather untraditional manner (due to the strings of the covering being caught in the fountain). But all was well as the audience applauded the new sculpture in its beautiful garden setting. Following the ceremony, a reception was held in the Four Seasons Lobby of the Memphis Botanic Garden's main building.

The new sculpture "Iris, Goddess of the Rainbow and Messenger of the Gods" by Bobbe Gentry. Photograph by Elizabeth Loggins. The Irises "Glad Choice" created by John Pierce and named by his wife Gladys Pierce. Photograph by Elizabeth Loggins.

Photograph by Elizabeth Loggins.

Left: The crowd gathers in the Iris Garden before the unveiling of the new sculpture.

Photograph by Elizabeth Loggins.

Left: Rev. Jim Muston (right) of the Cordova Baptist Church leads the crowd in prayer at the beginning of the unveiling ceremony.

Photograph by Elizabeth Loggins.

Left: Martine Madlinger (far left), President of the Iris Society, speaks to the crowd about the Iris Garden during the unveiling ceremony.

Photograph by Elizabeth Loggins.

Left: Brenda Belus (far left), friend of the late John and Gladys Pierce, speaks to the audience during the unveiling ceremony.

Photograph by Elizabeth Loggins.

Left: Mary Helen Butler, Director of Education at the Memphis Botanic Garden, talks about the garden history and reads a poem written by the late Gladys Crump Pierce to the crowd.

Photograph by Elizabeth Loggins.

Left: The crowd cheers for the new sculpture to be unveiled.

Photograph by Elizabeth Loggins.

Left: Dr. John Pierce, Jr., son of the late John and Gladys Pierce, throws formality to the wayside as he hops into the fountain and climbs onto the sculpture to unveil it for the waiting crowd.

Photograph by David Wiegand.

Left: A plaque commemorates the Iris Garden Fountain in honor of the late John and Gladys Pierce.

Photograph by Elizabeth Loggins.

Left: The reception was held in the Four Seasons Lobby of the Memphis Botanic Garden after the sculpture unveiling.

Photograph by Elizabeth Loggins.

Left: Dr. John Pierce, Jr., (far left) speaks to those who gathered in the Four Seasons Lobby for the reception following the sculpture unveiling.

The new sculpture "Iris, Goddess of the Rainbow and Messenger of the Gods" by Bobbe Gentry. Photograph by Elizabeth Loggins.

The new sculpture in its permanent home in the Iris Garden Fountain of the Memphis Botanic Garden. Photograph by Elizabeth Loggins.

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