Smith House Galleries to feature works by Kathleen Mitchell Johnston, Kazin Khaleel

Arts Council of the Valley opens two new exhibitions at Smith House Galleries on May 5, with a reception during First Fridays of the Valley, from 5 to 7 p.m.

Kathleen Mitchell Johnston’s Multiple Perspectives features oil and acrylic works. Charcoal pencil and graphite works by Kazin Khaleel take center stage in Hyperrealistic Drawings.

The reception is open to the public.

Originally from Roanoke, Johnston earned an undergraduate degree in Studio Art from James Madison University in 1997 and worked as an art educator in Harrisonburg City Public Schools for many years. She remains passionate about helping others tap into their creativity and develop a lifelong love of art.

“When you go on a family ski trip, but don’t ski, there is a lot of time to draw,” Johnston said. “In Montana last year, I made a game of seeing how many different sketches I could make looking out the same window. Choosing what to focus on and what to ignore made me think about how people can look at the same thing and often see it very differently.

“We choose to focus on certain facts and ignore others. We all bring our own experiences and preferences with us when looking at things,” she said. “Viewers of these paintings will do the same, altering these perspectives even more.”

Khaleel, a senior at Turner Ashby High School, was born in Iraq. After initially being interested in drawing for fashion design, she drew her first portrait in 2019 and fell in love with hyperrealism. While under quarantine for Covid, she realized art was her most important form of therapy – and it changed her.

“I want to use my art to welcome people with happy energy,” Khaleel said. “I draw portraits to capture the beauty of the differences we all have as humans whether it is with our skin color, textures, or even culture.

“In my art, I also try to reflect my emotions,” she said. “I love adding things that bring my drawing to life, like paint or gold leaf. These simple details can make a huge difference. I don’t want my drawings to be anything ordinary; but something special and unique.”

Both exhibitions run through May 26, with in-person visits Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and the Second Saturday (May 13, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.).

The exhibitions will also be available online through valleyarts.org/current-exhibition.

Smith House Galleries is located at 311 South Main St. in Harrisonburg.