Healing the Earth: The Perfect Garden
July 9th - October 25th 2026
Pittsburgh Botanic Garden
From left to right: Chinese Garden, Pittsburgh Botanic Garden Kimono, The Three Sisters Kimonos on view at the Pittsburgh Botanic Garden.
Chinese Garden The Chinese Garden kimono features a restrained palette and an emphasis on harmony. The composition favors negative space, allowing each element room to breathe while evoking classical garden architecture and the balance of nature. Subtle metallic thread highlights recall sunlight on water and the glint of distant pagoda roofs.
Pittsburgh Botanic Garden Kimono is a tribute to the garden’s gazebo during tulip time.
The Three Sisters Kimonos The Three Sisters set presents three complementary vegetables that are beneficial to plant together: Pole Beans, aka runner Beans’, Corn, and Squash. Based on a Shawnee horticultural tradition the motifs continue from one robe to the next, suggesting growth, connection, and continuity. Beading details and layered papers create depth, inviting close inspection of the craftsmanship.
On view at the Pittsburgh Botanic Garden Displayed in the Pittsburgh Botanic Garden, these kimonos encourage viewers to consider kimonos both as garments and as pictorial, landscape-like surfaces. All kimonos are made of paper with an abundant use of texture and color. Interpretive labels provide context on design motifs and history providing dialogue between traditional Japanese textile arts and the botanical inspirations that inform these works.
This space announces opportunities to meet the artist and see her work in person :
Caroline Garrett Hardy’s art and photographs by her husband Trotter Hardy are on display daily at ArtWorks RVA , 320 Hull Street, Manchester district, Richmond, Virginia and during their “Fourth Friday” gallery receptions. All welcomed. Please come to see some wonderfully talented artists’ works.
https://artworksrva.com/calendar-of-events/
Upcoming Exhibition:
2027:Solo Exhibitions:
ArtWorks, Richmond, Virginia; February 2027: Lady and the Unicorn Kimonos
Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, selection from The Perfect Garden Kimonos, Richmond, Virginia ; April 2027 June 2027
Lakewood Senior Living, Richmond, VA, New Works; November 2027-January 2028
2026:Current Solo Exhibition:
The Pittsburgh Botanic Garden, selection from The Perfect Garden; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; July 2026 October 2026
Juried:
ArtworksRVA, Richmond, Virginia; 2nd place award
Art Centre, Silkeborg, Denmark, Juried Exhibition; IAPMA Paper Arts Biennale 2026, February 2026-May 2026
2025 Solo Exhibitions:
Fishing Bay Yacht Club, Deltaville, Virginia, August 2025-October 2025
2025 Juried:
Sarrat Gallery, Vanderbuilt University, Celebrating American Craft, Nashville, Tennessee
Hudson Valley Modern Art Museum, Peeksville, New York, January-May
Echo Park Gallery, Santa Monica, California, February - April
Artworks Gallery and Studios, February, Richmond, Virginia
2024 Exhibitions:
2024: December: Presentation to Mayor of Newagawa, Japan, for Newport News Sister Cities
2024 July-August,Norfolk Botanical Gardens, Norfolk Virginia
2024 August- September, Works on Paper, Firefly Artists, Northport, New York
2024 April-August, International Papermakers and Artists Biennale, Burg zu Hagen, Hagen im Bremischen, Germany
2024 March ,Women Artists, Arts on Main, Gloucester, VirginiaJuly-August, Norfolk Botanical Gardens, Norfolk, Virginia
Women Artists; Arts on Main, Gloucester, Virginia; Gallery Lecture, March 16th, 4-5:30 PM
2023 Exhibitions:
The Torggler Fine Art Center, Academic Gallery, Christopher Newport University, Newport News, Virginia July-October
Augusta University, The Mary S.Byrd Gallery, Augusta, Georgia January -March
Gertrude Herbert Institute of Art, Augusta, Georgia, June-August
2022 Exhibitions:
October 4- October 31, 2022 Smith House, Arts Council of the Valley, Harrisonburg, Virginia
July 1-July 31, 2022 KORE Gallery, Joint Exhibition with photographer Trotter Hardy
March 4-May 1, 2022 “Hanakotoba” The Language of Flowers” , The Byrne Gallery, Middleburg, Virginia
January 17th-March 4th, 2022 : Mary Baldwin University, The Hunt Gallery, Staunton, Virginia
2021:
December 2021: Offsite Gallery, MacArthur Mall, Norfolk, Virginia; joint exhibition with photographer Trotter Hardy; through the Norfolk City Arts Council
January 15, 2021 - June 4, 2021 Sweet Briar College, Anne Gary Pannell Gallery, Sweet Briar, VA, Solo-exhibition
September 2021 KORE Gallery, Black and White Exhibition, Juried Show; Louisville, Kentucky
“Have no fear of perfection. You’ll never reach it.”
Previous Exhibitions
2019: Gumenick Family Gallery,The Cultural Arts Center, Glen Allen, Virginia
2018: Hege Library, Guilford College, Greensboro, North Carolina
2017: Louise Brown Gallery, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina
2015: Falk Gallery, Christopher Newport University, Newport News, Virginia