In the midst of asinine warfare and random violence, an artist's role is always unclear. Former Chicagoan James J. Peterson reacts the only way he knows how: by using his remarkable cache of twisted imagery to populate whimsical — and often chartreuse-toned — films, paintings, and glass sculptures. Shot with a dusty Arizona backdrop, Peterson's new film depicts the artist physically carrying out his absurd quest for peace, digging in the sand for hidden artifacts and ceremoniously eating cactus fruit. Meanwhile, in his painting Holder, Peterson's newly found serenity finds form in a smooth, powder-blue vase.