For decades, Frank Heyming has been a champion of the UC Riverside Botanic Gardens and public art on the campus.
Now the UCR alum has his own sculpture installed at a prominent location along the main trail of the Botanic Gardens. The piece was installed in June with an unveiling ceremony held in July.
Mounted on a concrete base, the five-foot tall sculpture is called “Fine Vine.” It features circular patterns that resemble the gnarled branches of a tree that Heyming saw on a trip to Richmond, Virginia. It’s made of Corten steel, also known as weathered steel, which gives it a rusted appearance and color but creates a protective coating that slows corrosion.
The sculpture is located between the Native American Garden and Colonial Herb Garden, bringing together two contrasting views of early plant use in America in an interesting way, said Jodie Holt, director of the Botanic Gardens.
“It represents the woods, the vegetation,” she said. “It connects these two gardens in a way they weren’t connected before. I think it’s a great way to draw visitors’ eyes in.”
“Fine Vine” is one of only three sculptures in the gardens, with the previous two installed about a decade ago.
Heyming, who graduated in 1973 with a bachelor's degree in economics and urban studies, said it’s exciting for him to have his art displayed at the gardens.
“The themes that I wanted to present in my art were human nature, balance, and love,” he said.
Heyming has also donated sculptures to Riverside City College, Cal Baptist University, and La Sierra University but UCR has a special place in his heart. As a student, he played on the Highlander football and soccer teams and was president of the Associated Students of UCR.
For decades, Heyming and his wife Lucy have been members of the Friends of the Botanic Gardens, with Lucy also serving as president at one time. Both are master gardeners through the UCR Extension program and were inspired to create their own garden at their five-acre Riverside home.
Heyming also served on the UCR Alumni Association board and received a community service award in 2000 as part of UCR’s Alumni Awards of Distinction. From 2013-2016, he served on UCR’s Campus Art Advisory Committee, which aims to increase community art on campus.
The 73-year-old Heyming, who spent his career in real estate and property management and owned his own firm in Riverside, didn’t take up art until he retired in 2012. He attended a four-year program at the Lieu de Sculpture School, formerly Lynn Forbes Sculpture, learning how to work in clay.
He now uses steel, wood, glass, and PVC to create sculptures that are often inspired by nature. His work on the campus advisory committee involved visiting other UC campuses to see how they used public art, which inspired him to do the same.
Heyming had discussed creating a sculpture for the Botanic Gardens before and approached Holt on the topic again last year. She and two other staff members met with him to discuss ideas and review sketches, suggesting that he choose a rustic theme to blend with the gardens.
He created about ten different concepts before going back to his original design inspired by the tree he saw in Virginia, Heyming said. A Riverside company that specializes in steel projects then fabricated it from his design.
Heyming said public art can be beautiful and thought-provoking.
“It’s all in the eye of the beholder, but I think it’s sort of a manifestation of man’s ability to create,” he said. “Just like architecture, beautiful art is a part of our creative process and if it can make people happy or appreciative or think interesting, lovely thoughts that’s a good thing.”
