Black brushstrokes surrounded by shades of green shoot up from the bottom of this composition, evoking plant life through abstract forms. New Shoots is a monoprint—a printmaking technique that results in a single, unique image. To make this artwork, Alma Neas etched freeform lines into the surface of a printing plate, transferred them to a piece of paper, and drew lines in the paint to reveal the paper underneath. Then, she finished the piece with layers of brushstrokes. While the shades of green and plant-like shapes evoke nature, the mechanical printmaking technique mediates the natural with the machine-made. The artist’s choice of subject allows us to immerse ourselves in a web of natural and abstract forms. Neas’s choice to make only one copy of this work might be interpreted as a critique of overconsumption. Together, the print's mode of creation and content are a reminder to not only envision a more sustainable future, but be a part of creating one.

— Clara Scanlon, VU student