Elizabeth Keith Designs
Michael Markham, Chris Montgomery, & Karen Montgomery
Cary, North Carolina
In 2009, artists Michael Markham, Karen Montgomery, and Chris Montgomery began creating whimsical garden art full time, a business dream of theirs for many years. A sculptor, Michael has been drawn to these celestial symbols throughout his artistic career, rendering sun and moon faces in silver, fine woodwork and in clay. “The sun and the moon are constants in our lives, radiating light and life, always with us but ever changing. The sun is always rising,” says Michael. “Perhaps that’s why it’s such a potent symbol for me. It’s reborn every morning. We want your garden to inspire, to calm and to delight. We offer you an abundance of personalities in the form of a sun. Whether you choose a large face, a happy face or a peaceful face, each face is meant to enhance your garden and to inspire you!” Working in his home studio, Michael sculpts the original face designs in clay, striving to infuse each one with individual warmth and character. Karen and Chris then cast the faces in cement, so they may be enjoyed outside as well as inside, and add cold rolled steel “rays”, “petals”, and other decorative elements to complete these whimsical, durable, and collaborative sculptures.