Published Friday, April 13, 2012 in The Washington Post print edition in the Style Section and online at www.washingtonpost.com

By: Mark Jenkins

VARIETY: The eight pieces in Tom Green's Curator's Office show follow the same essential form: A central axis, incorporating four dots within circles, serves as the spine for a series of ribs; these lead to various glyphs. Above left is Green's "Of This World 8" (2011). Rosemary Feit Covey's "Fish" above center, is a highlight of "DC Now" Luis Silva contemplates metamorphosis in his G Fine Art show. Above right is Silva's "Untitled" (2011-12).

Veteran D.C. artist Tom Green goes beyond black and white

In part because the paintings that originally defined his style were black and white, Tom Green has always seemed more concerned with form than color. The eight pieces in "Of This World" at the Curator's Office, show Green's continued interest in the hieroglyph-like forms that were originally inspired by his study of Mayan writing. But color plays a larger role here than in much of the veteran local artist's work.

All the paintings, which are acrylic on paper, follow the same essential form. A central axis, incorporating four dots within circles, serves as the spine for a series of ribs; these lead to various glyphs, whose exact forms are never repeated. The backgrounds are divided into two monochromatic blocks, which can be seen as purely geometric or as representing land and sky. (The darker shade is usually at the bottom, boosting the latter interpretation.) The backdrops range from pastel to bold and can be flat or textured.

These paintings are clearly linked to Green's earlier work yet have elements of color-field painting. The various hues play against one another, offering disparate effects in different combinations. The dots are all in black, the only constant color on all eight paintings, yet their shade appears to shift slightly, depending on the complementary tints. This expanded use of color contrast seems a fruitful development for Green, but he may not be able to pursue it. These paintings, from 2011, were the last he made before he received a diagnosis of ALS, the muscle weakening condition also known as Lou Gehrig's disease.

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Published Monday, April 2, 2012

By: Bora Mici

VisArts hosts local sustainable art practices and a public fundraising dinner - F.E.A.S.T. - to support emerging ones.

Patterson Clark's limited edition poster for Croydon Creek Nature Center is made of weeds and embodies labor and raw materials. The print will go on sale at the nature center, supporting permanent exhibits or the future removal of invasive species. Courtesy Patterson Clark.

Artists are equipped to serve as effective messengers for environmental and social causes.

That was the consensus of a panel of farmers, scientists, policymakers and artists behind FIELD WORK, an exhibit on art and sustainability on display through April 14 at VisArts.

The artists gathered for a well-attended panel discussion in the Kaplan Gallery on March 24 moderated by local artist, curator and food activist Laura McGough. The discussion included the role of the artist as messenger and instigator, the effects of global capital on labor, the importance of food security and the effects of media on the dissemination of ideas.

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Published Wednesday, March 14, 2012

By: Bora Mici

A panel discussed local and global sustainability as part of an exhibit at VisArts.

Jackson Martin "Descent" - Martin uses cypress varieties commonly planted in suburban settings to create a suspended indoor forest.

F.E.A.S.T. (Funding Emerging Art with Sustainable Tactics) at VisArts is a grassroots effort to support sustainable art practices. In conjunction with FIELD WORK, an exhibit featuring the collaborative work of nine artists who engage the environment in their work, VisArts will be hosting F.E.A.S.T. - a public, community-driven, fundraising dinner - on Saturday, March 24 from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. in the Gibbs Street Gallery.

Patrons will engage in an evening of locally-grown food and community-based selection of a grant recipient. Participating artists of all disciplines are eligible to receive a grant of up to $1000 for a proposal focusing on sustainability and community. Patrons can purchase F.E.A.S.T. tickets online or in-person at VisArts until the day of the event.

"Projects can address any issues tied to sustainability including but not limited to: food, transportation, housing, impact, resources, planning, quality of life, recycling, work practices, art and cultural production, ethical consumption, environmental and resource management," states the artist entry guidelines published on the VisArts website.

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