Experience “Mountain Modern: The Art and Life of Blanche Lazzell” at the West Virginia Botanic Garden

The West Virginia Botanic Garden is proud to present Mountain Modern: The Art and Life of Blanche Lazzell, a unique outdoor exhibition that invites visitors to explore the life, artistry, and Appalachian roots of one of West Virginia’s most celebrated artists.

Now open along the Garden’s scenic Reservoir Loop Trail, the exhibition blends art, history, horticulture, and nature into an immersive experience designed for visitors of all ages.

Created in partnership with the West Virginia University Art Museum, the exhibit features high-quality reproductions of Blanche Lazzell’s iconic paintings and pioneering white-line woodblock prints. Interpretive panels throughout the trail introduce visitors to her groundbreaking artistic techniques, her journey from rural West Virginia to the international art world, and the lasting influence of her work on American modernism.

The WVU Art Museum is home to the world’s largest collection of original Blanche Lazzell works. This fall, many of those originals will return to public view during a special exhibition at the museum, offering visitors the opportunity to experience both the outdoor interpretive exhibit at the Garden and the original artwork on campus.

“Blanche Lazzell was one of America’s pioneering modern artists, yet many people—even in West Virginia—have never had the opportunity to discover her story,” said Philip Smith, Executive Director of the West Virginia Botanic Garden. “We wanted to create an experience that introduces visitors to her extraordinary life while connecting her artwork with the beauty of the natural world that inspired so much of her creativity.”

The experience extends beyond the trail itself. The front of the WVBG Education Center has been transformed to evoke Lazzell’s famed fish house studio in Provincetown, Massachusetts, where she created many of her most influential works. Decorative elements recreate the spirit of the studio, while large planters showcase flowers featured in her artwork or known to have surrounded her creative space. Throughout the Garden, additional plantings echo blooms depicted in selected paintings, creating subtle connections between art and landscape.

Beginning July 10, visitors can also stop by the Garden Gift Shop to browse exhibit-inspired souvenirs and keepsakes.

Born in Maidsville, West Virginia, Blanche Lazzell (1878–1956) became an internationally recognized modernist and helped pioneer the American white-line woodblock print. After studying in New York and Paris, she became a leading member of the influential Provincetown art colony, developing a bold visual style that combined Cubist influences, vibrant color, and distinctly American subjects.

Mountain Modern invites visitors to experience Lazzell’s work in a setting that reflects both her West Virginia heritage and her lifelong appreciation for the natural world.

Admission to the nonprofit West Virginia Botanic Garden and the Mountain Modern exhibition is free, although donations are appreciated. The exhibit will remain on display through the 2026 season before the partnership continues this fall with an exhibition of original Blanche Lazzell works at the WVU Art Museum.

For updates on upcoming programs, Garden hours, and special events related to the exhibition, visit the Garden’s website and follow the West Virginia Botanic Garden on social media.

July through early October 2026