STOCKBRIDGE, Mass. — Community Access to the Arts (CATA) and Berkshire Botanical Garden present "Garden Dreams," an exhibit of nature-inspired paintings and drawings by artists with disabilities. 

 

The exhibition will be on display at Berkshire Botanical Garden's Leonhardt Galleries from March 6 - March 29, 2026. The gallery, located at 5 West Stockbridge Road, Stockbridge, MA, is open Tuesday through Sunday from 11am-3pm. Admission is free.

 

A free, opening reception will be held on Friday, March 6 from 3-5pm. Registration is requested at CATAarts.org/BBG2026.

 

The exhibit features over 40 paintings, drawings, prints, and sculptures created through Community Access to the Arts' year-round workshops serving children, teens, and adults with developmental and intellectual disabilities. Works were inspired by plants, herbs, and flowers found at Berkshire Botanical Garden, as well as by the natural landscapes found across the Berkshires. 

 

Each piece was created by artists with disabilities through CATA arts programs at disability agencies, day habilitation programs, and schools across our community, as well as in CATA's studios in Great Barrington.

 

"Garden Dreams is a window into the imagination of artists with disabilities," says CATA Executive Director Margaret Keller. "We look forward each year to CATA's annual partnership with Berkshire Botanical Garden. Spring begins to bloom at the Leonhardt Galleries through our CATA artists' vivid, colorful paintings and drawings! All the art is available for sale, and every sale provides a commission to the individual artist. You are sure to find a piece to fall in love with."

 

Works are professionally matted, framed, and available for sale, with proceeds supporting commissions for the individual artists.

 

"Berkshire Botanical Garden is proud to partner with Community Access to the Arts on Garden Dreams, an exhibition that reflects the deep connection between creativity and the natural world," says Mike Beck, executive director of Berkshire Botanical Garden. "The artists of CATA capture the spirit of our gardens with remarkable imagination and joy. These works remind us that gardens are not only places of beauty, but sources of inspiration and belonging for everyone in our community."

 

In addition to creating the artwork on display, artists with disabilities also took on roles as paid Assistant Curators to shape the exhibit—including selecting artwork, framing, and helping to install the exhibit. This pilot program is part of a strategic initiative at CATA to create more leadership and job readiness pathways for artists with disabilities interested in taking a deeper dive into an art form or technical skill.

 

To enhance the exhibit and expand accessibility for visitors, CATA has also launched a digital exhibit guide on Bloomberg Connects—a free app used by major museums and cultural institutions across the globe. CATA's digital guide allows the public to experience CATA artwork as never before, with video interviews with CATA artists, audio tours, original music created by CATA artists, and other exhibit highlights. Visitors can scan QR codes throughout the gallery—or visit the digital guide to explore the exhibit from anywhere in the world.

 

"Garden Dreams" is supported by Frames on Wheels, the Massachusetts Cultural Council, and other generous funders. The exhibit is part of CATA's "Art on Tour" program, where original works of art created by CATA artists are featured in exhibits at museums, galleries, community centers, and other venues in Berkshire and Columbia counties.