The EACC Gallery presents An Unobstructed View, an exhibition by artist Shelley Gentry of Little Rock.  The exhibit will run from January 6 - 31, 2020. The public is invited to meet the artist in the Gallery on Saturday, January 18th, prior to the EXILE Spotlight Series performance in the EACC Fine Arts Center.

"An unobstructed view allows the visitor a clear, expansive look at a show, whether it takes place in a theater, a stadium, a concert hall, or in this case, an art gallery. With this exhibit, I wish for the visitor to have that clear view of who I am as an artist -what I have seen, how I have felt, and where the creative journey has taken me," said Shelley Gentry.

Gentry's description of her home studio as the "studio of the dueling easels," characterizes her practice of alternating between abstract and realistic works, generally working on both concurrently. She most often paints in acrylics, adding graphite, oil pastels, and collage papers for interest. "The abstract works allow for an expression of my innermost emotions and personal reflections, whereas the realistic works ask the viewer to pause long enough to study a subject as closely as I have in rendering it," said Gentry.

Beginning as a young child, Gentry took advantage of any art lessons, classes, or projects that came her way. In 1986, she graduated from Hendrix College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Humanities with an emphasis in Art and went on to pursue an Associate of Arts degree in Interior Design from the Harrington Institute of Design in Chicago.  During her six years in Chicago, she combined her fine arts background with her education in architectural interiors and worked as a designer at the architectural firm, Perkins + Will.  In recent years, Gentry's art career has brought her to the Art Group Gallery in Little Rock, where she is a gallery artist and managing partner.

Gentry has gained recognition as an artist through inclusion and awards in multiple regional and national juried exhibitions through the Arkansas Pastel Society, as well as the Arkansas League of Artists. In 2018, her painting "Windows to the Soul - Chimpanzee" was chosen for publication in the book, AcrylicWorks 5: The Best in Acrylic Painting.

The EACC Gallery is located at 1700 Newcastle Road in Forrest City.  Daily hours for the Gallery are Monday-Thursday from 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. and Fridays from 10:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m., or as scheduled for special group tours. There is no charge for admission.