A Farewell to Step Right Up!

Join us on the terrace as the Ackland says a fond farewell to Chapel Hill-based artist Patrick Dougherty’s Step Right Up stickwork sculptures.

On display since October 2017, the large-scale piece—comprised of five individual stickwork sculptures—was constructed entirely of tree saplings.

In creating Step Right Up, Dougherty was inspired by an ancient, zoomorphic pouring vessel on view in the Ackland’s galleries. The tree saplings—primarily maple and gum—used to make the piece were responsibly harvested from Duke Forest and Triangle Land Conservancy, organizations with which Patrick Dougherty has long relationships.