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Mycology is the scientific study of fungi. Meg Madden is an artist with a passion for this science, sparked while out on a hike with her young daughter during March of 2020, the early days of the pandemic lockdown. She spied a bit of bright red amidst the neutral tones of a mud season in Vermont, leading her to what would become a new vocation. Her natural curiosity drove her to seek out more knowledge about this and other varieties in her local woods and beyond, where she found an astonishing array of colors and shapes to record. Already an experienced photographer, Madden began to collect images of the fungi she spotted on her treks and soon began sharing them on an Instagram account that has since acquired some 43,000 followers. Accumulating deep knowledge over the past three years, Madden is now exercising another of her passions – educating and inspiring others.
Meg can often be found in the forests of her childhood practicing what she calls “mushroom yoga” — laying on the ground, standing on her head, or balancing precariously on a log — to capture the perfect snail’s-eye view of her favorite photo subject: Fungi! Her colorful, highly detailed mushroom portraits offer an intimate look into the often-overlooked world of these extraordinary organisms.
The Jackson Gallery will exhibit several of these portraits enlarged as framed archival prints for viewing and purchase. There will be a reception for the artist on Tuesday, February 28, from 5-7 pm, which is open to all. Meg will return with a slideshow and talk on Tuesday, March 14 at 6 pm in the Byers Studio. The exhibit is offered in conjunction with the upcoming release of Madden’s new book, This is a Book for People Who Love Mushrooms (Running Press; March 7, 2023), a guide to the wonderful world of mushrooms.
Inspired by the belief that people are more likely to take care of something they love, Meg finds great joy in facilitating fun and meaningful connections between humans and nature. She shares her knowledge and contagious passion for the fantastic world of fungi through visually engaging presentations, mushroom walks, and via her Instagram gallery @megmaddendesign. An advocate for fungal diversity and community science, Meg teaches iNaturalist classes, organizes Bioblitzes, and is working on an Atlas of Fungi for the state of Vermont.
The Jackson Gallery is located in the lower level of Town Hall Theater, a community and cultural venue located in the center of Middlebury. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday noon to five, and an hour before any public events in the building.
March 27 – April 15, 2023
Matt Burke · Paul Dahm · Cameron Davis · Judy Dow · Janet Fredericks · Kate Gridley · Gerald Hoffman ·
Caleb Kenna · Nancy Winship Milliken · Meghan Rigali · Danielle Rougeau · Joan Watson
Earth’s Materials: Perennial Perspectives in the Arts, a group exhibit of curated art, represents diverse responses from artists working in a variety of media that reflect, respond, and rejoice in the earth, our roots, and our relationships.
Please join us for the exhibit opening on FRIDAY, APRIL 7 from 5 p.m. – 7 p.m., including a panel discussion from 6 p.m. – 7 p.m. that evening. The event is free and open to the public.
Earth’s Materials: Perennial Perspectives in the Arts is a collaboration between New Perennials at Middlebury College and Town Hall Theater. New Perennials explores the restorative powers of perennial thoughts and actions in the context of five communities of practice: farming, education, wellness, sacred practice traditions, and the arts. Art, in all its forms, offers one of the most enduring and expressive examples of those restorative powers. Together with our collaborators, we host and support art exhibits, conferences, lectures, workshops, and performances; develop and teach courses and workshops on perenniality and diversity; and publish open-access books, pamphlets, and teaching and learning resources. www.newperennials.org