The University of Vermont's Independent Voice Since 1883

The Vermont Cynic

The University of Vermont's Independent Voice Since 1883

The Vermont Cynic

The University of Vermont's Independent Voice Since 1883

The Vermont Cynic

College Street plays host to Sticks and Stones

Imagine a warmly lit room of hardwood floors, fine wines, artisan cheeses, walls lined with paintings and a Haitian tomb. Linda E. Jones’ art opening “Sticks & Stones,” at 215 College Gallery had all the usual elements of a gallery opening and more. Jones has been an active artist in Burlington for years, bringing a unique combination of painting, digital imagery and an eclectic mix of other materials to entrap the eyes of those who witness them, she said during a brief, informal discussion on her newest series. Upon entering the gallery, it is hard for the eyes to avoid first falling upon “Remembering Haiti,” a reproduction of a Haitian tomb she initially created in 1987.  The tomb was originally intended to show the care and effort Haitians put into these burial monuments, which is often more than their own houses, Jones said. She has resurrected it from years of decay to convey the fragility of life in the light of the tragedies occurring in Haiti, she said. This theme is not unique to this one sculpture; all of the pieces on display revolve around decay and regeneration. “From Decay I” consists of a recovered wooden panel door Jones tore open and filled with a fungi stack she saw in nature, and recreated with resin. Her attachment to seemingly random materials from nature is what makes this show stand out. “It is important to stay spontaneous,” Jones said of her new series.  “From Decay II” is a particularly eye-catching piece, adorned with wild honeycomb collected from nature and rice paper, with an image of her son’s MRI superimposed across it. “It is amazing the way she combines materials,” Burlington resident Alex Shikhman, said of the opening. “The digital-organic merge gives it life.”  “Sticks & Stones” will be on display at 215 College Gallery through Oct. 31.

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College Street plays host to Sticks and Stones