The earth was a more verdant place Friday due to the Grosse Pointe ART Center’s newly opened “Green Show.” The March 11^th opening night drew hundreds of people to view the artists’ interpretations of the Green theme, as selected by the juror, renowned Michigan artist, Ray Katz.

The multi-media show featured works of pottery, glass, found objects, oil painting, watercolor and photography among others.

Also opening that night was Roselyn’s Rhodes’ Student Show.

Grosse Pointe Park’s Mary Aro was awarded Best in Show for her oil painting entitled “Demolition Site – BHS Transfer Station”. Her work was a stark rendition of a recycling site with a vast blank sky providing the counterpoint negative space to contrast with the busy look of the lot. Mary, an accomplished painter with work in several museums, said she is attracted to these places as a change from the typical landscape. The frame for her piece was made from wood lathe from a Detroit demolition project.

Second place was awarded to Birgit Huttemann-Holz of Grosse Pointe Park, for her encaustic work entitled “She Dresses in Roses.” Third Place was awarded to Janet Kondezeica of Dearborn for her oil on raymar panel “Frozen Beach.” Honorable Mentions went to Rosemary Bay of Grosse Pointe Farms for her wheel thrown stoneware “Waves of Green”, John Diephouse of Lansing for his photograph entitled “Disappearing Skyline”, Radomira Perukova of Varna, Bulgaria for her photograph “Forest Sadness/You’ll Follow Me Down” and Grosse Pointe Park’s Leslie Rentschler for her photograph “Morning I”. A Special Award for most Green went to Kathleen McNamee of Grosse Pointe Farms for her watercolor “Woods, Ann Arbor”.

Smart looking, silk-screened shopping bags from recycled t-shirts were available for sale, compliments of Michael Heenan of Maire Elementary’s Art department and his students.

Coming up, the GPAC, in conjunction with LocalMotionGreen will be sponsoring a student Recycled Art Contest. Entries to be submitted 3/23 – 3/26. The jurors will be Michael Heenan and Amy DeBrunner. Work will be displayed at the GPAC 3/30 – 4/30 and at the LocalMotionGreen Earth Day Fair, Saturday 4/30.

For more information, please visit the Grosse Pointe ART Center’s website www.grossepointeartcenter.org or call 313-821-1848.