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Boerne's New Sculpture Space Is Part Garden, Part Gallery

I was driving recently in Boerne, and came up to a stop sign at Plant Street and River Road. Movement on my peripheral vision made me turn and look.

“Those are kinetic wind sculptures," said Johny Rosa, who knows them well because he put them there. And he knows the artist.

“His name is Jim LaPaso. He makes every one of those sculptures by hand,” Rosa said.

I had discovered, by accident, Boerne’s new sculpture garden. Rosa created and paid for it himself.

“The sculpture garden is a labor of love," he said, "and something that I was happy to do for my artists that I represent.”

It isn't a city park, but more of an outdoor gallery. Rosa owns Texas Treasures, an art gallery in town, and the pieces in the sculpture garden are all for sale. That said, the space essentially serves as a park. It’s open at all hours to anyone, and free.

"It’s something I believe in with all my heart," said Rosa.

The origins of the park? Rosa had moved back to Texas from Santa Fe.  

"And in Santa Fe there’s a lot of public art," he said.

Rosa leases the property and at his own expense, created a public art space. The pieces are small to quite large, in many different mediums. Rosa tells what he likes about the garden.

“It is just a beautiful setting to be able to come out and be able to enjoy the river park that we have across the street,” he said.

I had to ask if people had come up to him to thank him for creating it.

"Oh, absolutely! More than just thanks," he said. "I’ve had families come up in tears saying that their children really for the first time showed an interest in art.”

Jack Morgan can be reached at jack@tpr.org and on Twitter at @JackMorganii