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
Jolene Crafton graduated from Drake University with a BFA in art education and painting. For several years, she worked with the National Endowment for the Arts as the artist in residence at the Iowa School for the Deaf, spending summers as the art instructor at an Easter Seal camp. She stopped her art career to work a government job, though she remained active in Lutheran Church of Hope’s Creative Arts Ministry, where she helped with set designs, worked with youth, and taught art classes, including a co-hosted Zoom class. She also taught a pottery class for Freedom for Youth, a program for at-risk youth in Des Moines.
After retiring from her government job, Jolene resumed painting and moved to Blacksburg in 2021 to live near family. Since relocating, she has held multiple positions in the Blacksburg Regional Art Association, including meeting planner (2022–2024) and co-vice president (2024). In 2025, she has shown art in the Virginia Watercolor Society exhibit and the Floyd Fine Art exhibit, New Works.
