Mixed Shades, Much Joy
Our ode to one of the most under appreciated poets of the 20th century - Effie Lee Newsome
Celebrating an icon.
The exhibit was focused on the work of Effie Lee Newsome, a Harlem Renaissance poet who created a children’s magazine column, The Little Page, under editor W.E.B. Du Bois. Newsome also wrote children’s poetry, including the book Gladiola Gardens, which celebrated and connected the beauty of children and nature.
The logic of the exhibit hinged on creating 5 distinct viewing platforms - referred to as “apertures” - from which visitors viewed the garden. Each aperture was designed to bring the viewer to a child’s perspective. Within the garden there were scattered lines of text, and from each aperture the lines would align, and the poem could be read.
Each aperture featured a different poem, and everything from the color of the aperture, the plants featured in that area, and the color and font of the text, was carefully chosen to accentuate the written text.
Reinvigorating childhood wonder
Mixed Shades, Much Joy was designed for children, but we wanted the exhibit to be accessible to adults as well. By providing aperture access to visitors of all sizes, everyone was able to experience what the exhibit had to offer.
In a special turn of events, we were able to track down Effie Lee Newsome’s closest living relative, her niece Jerri. Having grown up spending summers with her Aunt, Jerri was able to provide a crucial perspective into the mind and character of the poet.
The garden was met with critical acclaim, receiving 5 major awards - including a PHS gold medal - and was written up in several horticultural publications. All of these were meaningful to the team, and are still a great source of pride.
