Mixed media artist Carmen McCullough, who also works under the name 'Strange Farm Girl,' is opening a new exhibition titled 'Wicked Plant Art' across three venues in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota: the Becker County Museum, Bluebird Books, and Ortenstone Gardens and Sculpture Park. The exhibition, which includes 22 original pieces and digital reproductions, was originally created for the Lauritzen Botanical Gardens in Omaha, Nebraska, and is being brought back to Detroit Lakes through Project 412. An opening reception will be held at the Becker County Museum on October 9, 2025, and the show runs through January 15, 2026.
The exhibition matters because it represents a local artist stepping into a high-profile public art space previously occupied by the traveling Charley Harper 'Colors and Shapes' exhibit, demonstrating how community-driven organizations like Project 412 are rotating artists to keep public art fresh and accessible. It also highlights the growing trend of nature-themed, darkly whimsical botanical art in regional venues, and underscores the role of local arts councils and partnerships in sustaining cultural programming in smaller cities.