A Myriad of Media: Art by Charlene Lee-Freislinger at EAG Gallery

The Elmhurst Artists’ Guild (EAG) will host A Myriad of Media, a solo exhibition featuring the art of Charlene Lee-Freislinger. The show will feature works in graphite, pen and ink, watercolor, acrylic, collage, and photography. The public is invited to the opening reception on Friday, May 17^th from 7:00 to 9:00pm.

Lee-Freislinger is a long-time member of the Elmhurst Artists’ Guild and has held many board positions over the years. She currently serves as EAG’s president. “I’ve been drawing and painting since I was four years old and haven’t stopped since,” the artist proclaims.

Although A Myriad of Media will include just that, Lee-Freislinger expresses a special fondness for the medium of pen and ink to draw house portraits, something she has been doing for over 30 years. She has drawn commissioned house portraits for people across the United States and in the countries of England, Croatia, New Zealand, Scotland, Ireland, Italy, and India. “I love depicting the uniqueness of each house and how it relates to the owner’s family,” she says. Many times, she will include the family pet on the front lawn for a truly personalized portrait of their home.

Historic landmarks in Elmhurst are also a favorite subject of Lee-Freislinger, including the iconic York Theatre. But the artist is extremely versatile and accomplished in many media. An Elmhurst resident for over 44 years, Lee-Freislinger earned a reputation as an outstanding local muralist. Her acrylic paintings tend to be more abstract, as she is more discriminating and freer with her vision. She is constantly experimenting with new media. “I can never stop growing as an artist,” she explains.

Lee-Freislinger studied art at the College of DuPage and DePaul University. Her work has been included in many group exhibitions in venues across the area including Mayslake Peabody Estate and the Graue Mill Museum in Oak Brook, Blue House Gallery in Barrington, and the Bloomingdale Art Museum. She started her career in advertising and graphic design, but eventually landed a job at the Elmhurst Press newspaper where she designed ads, drew illustrations, and later wrote the column, “Inside Elmhurst.”

The exhibition can be viewed during regular museum hours, Tuesday through Sunday from 11am to 5pm. While admission to the EAG Gallery is always free, admission to the Elmhurst Art Museum is $12 for adults, and $10 for seniors. EAM offers free admission to students, children under 18, as well as members of either EAG or EAM. All visitors to EAM are admitted free on the first Friday of each month. More information is available at elmhurstartistsguild.org and elmhurstartmuseum.org.

The Elmhurst Artists’ Guild is a not-for-profit organization that runs the EAG Gallery which features contemporary works of art in a variety of styles and media. In addition to four member shows each year, the guild hosts exhibitions of individual member’s artwork and invitational shows for significant local artists. EAG welcomes new members.