We have been fortunate over the years to be able to connect with so many different people from diverse cultures through the Nicholas Conservatory plant collection.
Cultivating Culture is inspired by conversations that regularly occur in the conservatory. Visitors often tell us personal stories about the plants in the collection - the way their mother cooked jackfruit, memories of climbing mango trees as a child in Grenada, or the way plumeria grows everywhere in Laos.
See the conservatory through the eyes of seven local residents who represent different cultures. In the exhibition area you may follow the participants by reading more about how they relate to the plants through stories, recipes, and sounds.
This exhibition is made possible by those who have shared their stories with us now and throughout our nearly 12 years of operation, many local community members who helped us connect with participants, Rockford Art Museum for connecting us with the talented Shelly Mosman, ProGraphics for in-kind printing of the portraits, and Cleta’s Stay and Sew for the African fabrics.
