Last August, local artist Diem Chau had a curious show at Gallery4Culture—curious in that you had to get a closer-than-usual look to see what was going on in her intimate handicrafts, which “explore the ephemeral nature of home and memory through the tactile media of embroidery, with portraits on translucent silk organza stretched across porcelain dishware,” wrote Adriana Grant. We were both struck by Chau’s minimal use of color, such as a single line of red thread connecting a pair of hands, and the larger familial themes in her work. She continues that work for “In Effect,” offering new pieces and a collaborative installation with Miami-based artist Jen Stark. Stark is known for her hypnotically-patterned relief sculptures, made with an Exacto knife and many layers of card stock. She gets her inspiration from “unseen entities such as fractals, wormholes, and MRI scans.” As interesting as these artists are on their own, this show offers a glimpse of the similarities they also share, and how they can make bold and effective statements from the simplest of materials. OKOK Gallery, 5107 Ballard Ave. N.W., 789-6242. Hours: Tues.-Sat. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Show continues through March 3. RACHEL SHIMP

Feb. 9-March 4, 2008