Highland Park, IL
285 Barberry Road
Highland Park, IL 60035
Nikki Renee Anderson
Our Garden Here
I have strong childhood memories of venturing into the garden by myself early in the morning. I would pretend that I was in a rainforest, and go about collecting leaves, rocks, and other natural objects that became my provisions and sustenance for when the rains came. As an adult, I understand that this kind of play is a way of working through early experiences and making sense of the world. We do this as adults, too, of course, and this psychological processing now occurs through my art practice. I have come to understand gardens—yards, botanical gardens, and vegetable gardens—as places for continual growth, renewal, and transformation.