The Two RV Gypsies: Full-Time RVers
at Butler Sculpture Park
"A Single-Sculptor Designed Park"
481 Shunpike Road, Sheffield, MA
September 29, 2014
USA map showing location of Massachusetts

Robert Butler's Sculpture Park has 40 acres of winding paths and open grassy exhibition areas. After a four year stint constructing pathways, an arched bridge, and the naturalized setting, Butler and his wife Susan opened the park in 1991 and became the fourth American "Single-sculptor designed park". There was no admission fee and the sign said, Open 11 a.m. -5 p.m. seven days a week, May 20th to October 31st. Parking was free on this date. It was an Amazing Place to Visit.

While driving on Route 7 in Sheffield city in the western-most county of Massachusetts, Berkshire County, which is just north of the Connecticut border and about twenty minutes east of the New York state line, the two RV Gypsies spotted a sign for Butler Sculpture Park. So Lee Duquette made a quick right hand turn and drove about 1.6 miles. Then the next sign took the two RV Gypsies off the beaten path, up a dirt/gravel driveway to the hilltops of the lush southern Berkshires. The road was curvy and narrow, with only room for one car, and the two RV Gypsies just hoped that they did not meet another car on the road. (They were in their toad, not their RV).

Below: Once parked, the two RV Gypsies entered a building and saw a map and an indoor gallery with several large sculptures under the soaring sixteen-foot high ceiling. Smaller pieces were also displayed including the one shown below, which were hand knitted.

Below: Then Mr. Butler came in and introduced himself to Lee Duquette. He gave an interesting and informative speech about the park and himself. He also explained how his pieces were made. He asked if Lee wanted to see the smaller pieces that were in an inside building or just the larger outside pieces. Lee said both, so Mr. Butler showed Lee to the outside path and said he would meet him at the building up on the hill.

Mr. Butler completely and totally ignored Karen Duquette, who was standing right next to Lee!

Below: The first two pieces were near the parking lot: "Red Legs" and "The Sentinel".

Below: A gently meandering pristine trail led the two RV Gypsies through the woods to many large-scale sculptures, nestled among the greenery. First, they crossed a small bridge and saw two more sculptures which were not named on the map. Then they came to some stairs.
Lee Duquette at the top of the stairs

Below; At the top of the stairs, the two RV Gypsies saw an expansive upper meadow that formed a grassy courtyard overlooking the valley, with "rooms" created to highlight individual pieces; Butler's powerful stainless steel sculptures. His kinetic pieces seeded right at home among the lacy trees that framed the sculpture sites. The sculptures were labeled with a number and the map gave the name of each sculpture.

Below: "Moonbeams"

Below: "Zig- Zag"
Moonbeams
zig-zag sculpture

Below: "Flight"

Below: "3-Ring Circus"

Flight sculpture

3-ring circus sculpture

Below: "Suited In Red"

Below: "Totemic"

Suited in Red sculpture

Totemic sculpture

Below: "Circle of Friends"

Below: "On Top of the World"

Circle of Friends sculpture

On top of the world sculpture

Below: "Reflections"

Below: "Side-by-Side"

Reflections sculpture

Lee Duquette and sculpture

Below: "Celestial"

Below: "Center Stage"

Celestial sculpture

Center State sculpture

Below: "Swinging-S" (and yes, it spun around)

Swinging-S sculpture

Below: "Ribbon"

Below: "She was blue in the face"

Ribbon sculpture

Blue in the face sculpture

Below: "Sprinting"

sprinting sculpture

sprinting sculpture

Below: "Two are better than one"

Below: "The Performers"

two are better than one sculpture

The Performers sculpture

Below: "Stepped out of a Dream"

Below: "Peacock"

Stepped out of a dream sculpture

Peacock sculpture

Below: "Trio of Blues" plus Lee Duquette in blue

Below: "Abracadabra"

Trio of Blues sculpture and Lee

Abracadabra sculpture

Below: "LightHeaded"

Below: "Proud Pose II"

Light Headed sculpture

Proud Pose sculpture

Below: "Glider"

Glider sculpture

Below: "Circular Motion" - This sculpture was part of the roof design of the workshop building.

Circular Motion sculpture

Circular Motion sculpture

Below: Lee Duquette and "Shadow Dancing"

Lee Duquette and Shadow Dancing

Shadow Dancing sculpture

Below: "Spinning Tales"

Below: "Lister"

Spinning tales sculpture

Lister sculpture

Below: Two views of "On a Roll"

On a Roll sculpture

On a Roll sculpture

Below: Two views of "Shooting Star"

Shooting Star sculpture

Shooting Str sculpture

Below: Two views of "Vertebras"

Vertebras sculpture

Vertebras sculpture

Below: "Wheel Head"

Below: "One Full of Angles"

Wheel Head sculpture

One Full of Angles sculpture

Below: "Heel Kickers"

Heel Kickers sculpture

Below: "Hey Look Me Over"

Below: "Triple Curves"
(but there are 4 curves)?

Hey Look Me Over sculpture

Triple Curves sculpture

Below is the big monumental sculpture with no name - the parts move and sway in the wind.
Lee and the biggest sculpture Lee and the biggest sculpture

Please continue on to page 2 of Butler Sculpture Park:
the smaller sculptures inside the workshop which are just as amazing, but very different from the outside pieces. They have been put on a separate page so that photos will load faster.