Fine artists and graphic designers typically walk different paths — the former often focus on deep meaning and personal expression; the latter, on client needs and clear visual communication. Those roads intersect at Mad River Valley Arts in Waitsfield, where “The Silent Type” features works by five Vermont artists — Tina Christensen, Leslie Fry, Michael Jager, Susan Smereka and Elise Whittemore — who have all worked as graphic designers or been influenced by the field. The paintings, prints, sculptures and other pieces they present all demonstrate lessons learned from their more commercial cousins.
Jager’s “Love Hue” juxtaposes intense blocks of color for the sole purpose of aesthetic appreciation. In the translucent “portrait,” Smereka’s feathery layers of printed paper and plastic stitched together don’t tell a whole story but instantly convey a gauzy, ephemeral mood. Fry’s cast resin sculptures each start with the same object — a mannequin-like hand — and iterate it, creating unique cuffs and color combinations. Christensen situates boldface type as though it were a figure within an abstract landscape. And Whittemore’s prints emphasize the rich textures that graphics gain when realized with ink on the page.
‘The Silent Type’: On view through August 27 at Mad River Valley Arts in Waitsfield.
This article appears in July 22 • 2026.
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