Local gallery, artist team to present print exhibition

By PAUL DELANEY

Staff Reporter

A Cheney gallery and local artist are teaming to present an exhibition of unique printmaking.

Viza Arlington, a Cheney native who has been fortunate to pursue her passion as a business, will display a variety of her work at the Perfect Picture Framing Gallery and Boutique, 1831 First St. in Cheney, starting with a reception on June 4 from 1-9 p.m.

Arlington will be on hand from 5-9 p.m. to talk about the limited edition prints, which will be for sale as well. Refreshments will be served from 3 p.m. on and a variety of door prizes are also being offered from businesses such as Body Harmony Massage, Xanni's Restaurant on Williams Lake and True Synergy.

The exhibition of Arlington's work will be up for two weeks and end June 18. “She has a really unique look,” gallery owner Melissa Baker said of Arlington, who described the process of how she takes a block of wood and tissue to make interesting art.

In a nutshell, the process involves carving a wood block, applying ink to it and then hand-applied to areas already covered in a tissue paper that is applied to the canvas, Arlington explained.

Arlington said she's been, “Printmaking since 1993, but art forever.” She even studied printmaking in school at the Pacific Northwest College of Art. Her work is included in many private collections around the world, as well as galleries at the Spencer Museum of Art in Lawrence, Kan. and the University of Kentucky Museum of Art in Lexington.

“We can promote our businesses, we can promote art,” Baker said, adding that Arlington plans to offer classes in print-making as part of their deal.

The exhibition will also afford people the opportunity to visit the gallery, which Baker indicated is nearing its one-year anniversary at its present location. She moved there last July.

Baker has been in Cheney five years. She started near Owl Pharmacy, moved to a different location for a year and finally settled in the former F&M Financial Center business park. “We have have grown,” Baker said. Now she has a gallery with wall space, boutique items and glass art where she sells prints from a variety of artists.

“It's a part-time thing and it's a lot to put on,” Baker said. “The artists have been great in the shows that we have done. I would love to do it more often.”

Six to seven artists display all the time, according to Baker and she plans to display 30 of Arlington's works.

For more information call 235-9371 or at joyfulpendcil@gmail.com.

Paul Delaney can be reached at pdelaney@cheneyfreepress.com.