The Hahn Horticulture Garden (HHG) is not only a fabulous collection of living art; it is a showplace for artists from throughout the New River Valley and surrounding area. The Pavilion hosts 6 artist a year with a wide diversity of visual arts from photography to handmade paper; acrylics, watercolors and oils; mono-printing to metal work. The love of nature is shown in the creativeness of our local artists.
In 2015 the art went outside and Simply Elemental was born. Simply Elemental is an outdoor multi-artist installation integrated along the garden paths, plantings, and trees of the HHG. It is held annually from August 1st and September 30th. Simply Elemental 2018 was the first time that Performing Artists were also included.
In conjunction with the art show, the HHG has conducted a variety of events, including meet the artists receptions, hands-on art workshops, speakers and garden-art tours. Watch our events calendar for dates.
Please click the tabs below form more information on art being displayed in the Garden.
Simply Elemental is an outdoor, multi-artist installation integrated along the garden paths, plantings, and trees of the Hahn Horticulture Garden at Virginia Tech. It is held annually between August 1st and September 30th.
For additional information on the event, please visit the Simply Elemental website
Charlotte Chan moved to Blacksburg in October 1984 and happy to call herself a local of Blacksburg!
Working at a Montessori pre‐school in town, Charlotte found she enjoyed doing art with her daughter and the other children. Her daughter was gifted in art as told by the kindergarten teacher, so Charlotte enrolled her daughter for private art lesson. She then took art lessons from that artist as well. She had taken Chinese watercolor lessons briefly in Hong Kong but that was a totally different technique. However, work took time away from her art lessons, so they eventually fell by the wayside.
Later on she joined the YMCA board of directors and in late 1990 and met Nadine Allen at one of the International Women’s Group meeting. With Nadine’s encouragement, Charlotte joined their Tuesday Night Painting Group to paint, and then Nadine told Charlotte that she had to take a workshop offered by BRAA called BIG COLOR, BIG SHAPES! Charlotte was so green at that time and felt it was not ready to be with a group of experienced artists and sat in a corner without any image in hand to paint. Another member, Nancy Hedg s, helped her get started and offered advice: ”Paint every day, no matter how much you can do!” So Charlotte followed her advice. Charlotte has such a long tenure with BRAA that she cannot remember exactly when she started attending board meetings.
While serving as vice president, Charlotte led the charge in bringing BRAA‐sponsored workshops to members and the community. Believing it is crucial to provide affordable and high‐quality art classes to members, she had tapped into talented local instructors as well as negotiated nationally‐ known artists to teach in our area. Charlotte enjoys taking workshops from various artists to broaden her painting skills – Z.L. Feng, Keiko Tanabe, Joan Fullerton, Mark MaHaffey, Kathleen Conover, Vera Dickerson, Robin Poteet – just to name a few.
Charlotte is actively involved with the local art association – BRAA. She was the President from 2000 to 2023 and VP for six years prior.
This exhibit shows a majority of pieces done on rice paper with watercolor since Charlotte wanted to challenge herself by using this material. Watercolor is still her choice of painting medium but she also ventures out to try acrylic and oil with cold wax too!
