Body of Work

The VALA Gallery is full of nude women. Some 50 depictions of the adult female form, by almost as many artists, decorate the walls of the cooperative gallery in Overland Park for an exhibition called The First Noel. If the curves all look similar, there’s a reason: The model for every image in The First Noel is the same woman: Noel, who began modeling for life-drawing classes at Johnson County Community College in the mid-1980s. The show, which is not holiday-themed at all, is the brainchild of Penny Thieme, director of the VALA Gallery. “I have a drawing that I did of Noel back in 1989,” Thieme says. “Then I went back as a student after 20 years, and I noticed that she was still there.” The First Noel opens with a 6-9 p.m. reception that includes music by the Arethusa String Quartet and 8 Miles Down. The VALA Gallery is located at 8441 West 95th Street in Overland Park. See familiarfacesphoto.com.

Fri., Dec. 11, 6:30-9 p.m., 2009