Artist Mariam Todd’s newest body of work “Heart of Boxerwood” will be featured for the month of April at Artists in Cahoots at 21 West Washington Street, Lexington. The public is invited to the opening reception on Friday, April 4, from 5-7 pm.
“Heart of Boxerwood” is Todd’s way of saying thank you to a wondrous place that gives so much to her personally and continues to give to the people who visit and connect with Boxerwood, where the legacy of garden creator Dr. Robert Munger (1911-1988) lives on. Todd will donate 50% of all sales of this body of work to Boxerwood Education Association, the nonprofit that owns and manages the 15-acre garden while facilitating environmental education and earth action projects throughout the Rockbridge area. “We’re all so excited about this exhibit,” said Emily Kohl, Boxerwood’s Executive Director. “It’s our 25th anniversary as a nonprofit this year, and art is such a powerful way to connect with nature and express one’s sense of self. I think the body of work Mariam has created is going to be inspirational to a lot of folks who experience a sense of belonging when they visit Boxerwood.”
Todd started visiting Boxerwood regularly in 2003 with her young children, who enjoyed the freedom to play, wander, and roam the vast grounds. "It was a sanctuary, a safe haven for me as a young mother and the time we spent there together is still dear to my heart." She chose cyanotype as her medium for this body of work as, "the blue green shades feel like a reflection of Earth, which makes them perfect for Boxerwood." Using leaves gathered at Boxerwood between the spring and autumn of 2024, Todd has created a body of work that incorporates the essence of plants alongside single and double exposures of the garden itself and the Munger family.
The show pays homage to the late Dr. Robert S. Munger, who was responsible for the creation and development of the beloved woodland garden. In 1952 Dr. Munger and Elizabeth Evans Munger built their home in a slightly overgrown pasture and raised three children. At first, to provide shade for their home, Dr. Munger began to landscape; in the beginning, he was simply a collector. Over the next thirty years, though, he would study horticulture and plant between 12,000 - 13,000 trees and shrubs from all over the world. In 1997, Boxerwood opened to the public and was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 2015. Today, Boxerwood is basecamp for hundreds of environmental education programs each year, attracts hundreds of annual visitors (especially for its children's PlayTrail), and hosts beloved seasonal community activities like Music in the Garden, the Pumpkin Walk, and more.
Todd will be at the gallery on Saturday April 5, Friday April 11, Tuesday April 22, and Saturday April 26 to chat about her work.
Artists in Cahoots at 21 West Washington Street in Lexington is open Monday through Saturday 10:00 am – 5:30 pm and Sunday 11:00 am – 3:00 pm.