Looking to take a break from your routine? Consider spending an afternoon outdoors on the Gulf coast waterfront by meandering through the Roy Lichtenstein: Monet’s Garden Goes POP! exhibit on display at Selby Gardens through June 27, 2021.
About an hour's drive south of Tampa over the Sunshine Skyway Bridge or inland along I-75, Selby Gardens offers 15 acres to explore along Sarasota Bay just south of downtown Sarasota.
The current exhibit showcases the pop art culture of Lichtenstein’s work (think Ben-Day dots) in the midst of lush gardens populated by air plants, orchids, water lilies, daisies, native palms, vines, and other greenery reminiscent of Impressionist Artist Claude Monet’s garden in Giverny, France.
It is part of an ongoing series featuring major artists in the context of botanical gardens. For more information, including hours of operation and costs of admission, visit the
Selby Garden website.
Monet's house in bloom as seen through the eyes of Lichtenstein at Selby Gardens in Sarasota. Photos by Diane Egner
Lichtenstein portrays Monet's famous Japanese footbridge crossing a koi pond. Photos by Diane Egner
A koi pond in the gardens give reason to pause and reflect. Photos by Diane Egner
A portion of the unique artwork is on display indoors and protected by air conditioning. Photos by Diane Egner
Creative displays of pop art delight visitors along the garden paths. Photos by Diane Egner
Quotes from Pop Artist Roy Lichenstein and Impressionist Claude Monet help visitors interpret the exhibit, including the placement of this 117-year-old bell called a Kansho that is rung at the opening of Buddhist temple ceremonies. Photos by Diane Egner
Touches of Japanese culture in the gardens. Photos by Diane Egner
Philanthropic donors support the gardens upkeep and exhibits. Photos by Diane Egner
Banyon trees in the gardens put life in perspective. Photos by Diane Egner
A burst of lavender along the pathway entering the butterfly garden. Photos by Diane Egner
Lillies in a variety of colors grace the grounds. Photos by Diane Egner
The scene along Sarasota Bay within Selby Gardens. Photos by Diane Egner
The greenhouse at Selby Gardens is lush with orchids and air plants. Photos by Diane Egner
Spanish moss hangs over the entrance to Marie Selby Gardens on Sarasota Bay, just south of downtown Sarasota. Photos by Diane Egner
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Diane Egner is a community leader and award-winning journalist with more than four decades of experience reporting and writing about the Tampa Bay Area of Florida. She serves on the boards of the University of South Florida Zimmerman School of Advertising & Mass Communications Advisory Council, The Institute for Research in Art (Graphicstudio, the Contemporary Art Museum, and USF’s Public Art Program) Community Advisory Council, Sing Out and Read, and StageWorks Theatre Advisory Council. She also is a member of Leadership Florida and the Athena Society. A graduate of the University of Minnesota with a BA in journalism, she won the top statewide award for editorial writing from the Florida Society of Newspaper Editors while at The Tampa Tribune and received special recognition by the Tampa Bay Association of Black Journalists for creative work as Content Director at WUSF Public Media. Past accomplishments and community service include leadership positions with Tampa Tiger Bay Club, USF Women in Leadership & Philanthropy (WLP), Alpha House of Tampa Bay, Awesome Tampa Bay, Florida Kinship Center, AIA Tampa Bay, Powerstories, Arts Council of Hillsborough County, and the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce. Diane and her husband, Sandy Rief, live in Tampa.