Grow a Garden contemplates our unique perspectives in the care & coexistence of plants, so that we can re-imagine a future with a celebration of nature.

“Grow a Garden” stems from my research and interest in biophilic design & mental wellness. I brought together ten interdisciplinary artists, and we invited visitors to contemplate their own relationships with nature and mental well-being through an immersive mix of virtual reality, paintings, prints & comics, coloring pages, digital experiences, videos, crafts, and sculptures. I was the creative director and curator, leading the vision and execution for the event. I also handled PR, communications, research, and artwork of my own.

Plants are healing for our mental and emotional health, serving as more than aesthetic objects and sometimes becoming our silent companions. The care of a living being that “talks back to us” through slow-paced, non-verbal gestures — drooping its leaves or leaning towards sunlight — reminds us to slow down and really take the time to listen. Plants teach us to communicate with others through non-verbal acts of love, demonstrating our care by simply watching and witnessing another’s progress. Could we find a permanent place in this symbiotic cycle?

Risoprinted coloring pages of bugs and flowers hung up with vines on the wall. There are pillows and plants nearby.
Group of people gathered around a crafts table, with a large painting of plants in the background.
A cozy nook with a retro computer, beanbags, plants, and a string of prints and comics.
A person looking at a set of comics on the wall. There are two giant blue and pink abstract paintings next to the comic.
A group of people huddled around a retro computer, with plants and salt lamps nearby.
A view of the Frame gallery from the outside. The building is lit up green, and there are people talking inside.

A special thank you to my advisor Dr. Crista Crittenden for her support throughout the whole process, from ideation to conception of the exhibition, and her advice on biophilic design. Another special thank you to Angela Lusk, director of the Mindfulness Room, for her expertise on mindfulness, mental health, and biophilic design, as well as the contribution of supplies.

This project was supported in part by funding from the Carnegie Mellon University Frank-Ratchye Fund For Art @ the Frontier. “Grow a Garden” was hosted at the Frame Gallery, a student-run gallery open to the public in Pittsburgh, PA.