ARTIST RECEPTION: KRIS STEWART
Friday, June 5, from 4–6 PM

Combine Art Collective is pleased to present new work by member artist Kris Stewart.

In Beyond the Surface, Kris Stewart invites viewers into a world of experimental cyanotypes where the sun itself becomes a collaborator. The collection includes both wall works and artist books, each beginning as a golden wash of sensitizer before revealing luminous shades of blue through exposure to sunlight. These are not traditional cyanotypes, however.

Working wet, Stewart pushes the medium into unexpected territory, incorporating a range of additives to create striking edges, rich depth, and a sense of movement that feels almost alive. Layers of oil pastel and acrylic paint emerge in select pieces, adding further intrigue and texture. The resulting body of work rewards close looking: the more time viewers spend with the pieces, the more they discover. Echoes of landscapes, natural forms, and fleeting memories surface and recede, inviting personal interpretation.

Stewart lives and works in Walla Walla, where she creates cyanotypes, handbound books, and marbled paper from her home studio. She views the world as a tapestry of line and color, form and texture. Beyond the Surface is both an exploration of that perspective and an invitation for others to see the world in a similar way.