University of Arkansas – Fort Smith student Claudia Lackie of Fort Smith has been drawing ever since she was a toddler. And now, as a graphic design major at UAFS, she is showcasing her artwork in a solo exhibit for the first time at the main branch of the Fort Smith Public Library.
Fifteen of Lackie’s works are on display in Dewey’s Cafe within the library, featuring both digital and traditional art on a variety of mediums, including pencil drawings, screen prints, linoleum block prints and lithography. The exhibit is on display through the month of October.
The exhibit displays artwork she’s created since 2016, which charts the progress of her development as an artist since attending UAFS.
“I have definitely improved as an artist since coming to UAFS,” she said. “My professors taught me how to study on my own using the skills I was learning. I practice constantly now, and have never in my life had I seen such fast improvement.”
While she has never had her artwork shown as a solo exhibit, she was chosen while a student at Northside High School to represent the region in a student art exhibition at the Butler Center for Arkansas Studies in Little Rock.
“I think it's wonderful that the Dewey's Cafe and the public library promote local artists, and I’m honored to have been included,” she said. “I’m excited to see the reactions of our patrons once the showcase begins.”
Lackie, who wants to work within the field of design once she graduates, pursued the field of design out of a desire for a career that fuses artistic and technical skills.
For more information about the exhibit, contact Dewey’s Café at 479-783-0229 ext. 1126.
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