Showcasing six artists from across the region, this juried group of solo exhibits at Arlington Arts Center covers a wide range of themes including the paranormal, miniatures, sprawl and inventions.

Jeremy Drummond and Jennie A. Fleming both explore sense of place as it relates to how we view our homes in the city as well as in newly constructed housing developments. Drummond highlights intersection street signs with interesting names that make for odd juxtapositions, such as Culture/Whitewash (Spring Melt) and Pilgrim/Native Landing (Gooseberry); all real names. The street signs are brightly lit and set against a large blank background of pastel colors which are evocative of the idealistic promise of suburbia. Fleming creates photo collages of different city and street-scapes and produces them in different forms, from an interactive flip book to vinyl banners, or the bookmarks and magnets one might find in any road side shop.

In Memoriam, by Erin Williams, is a room filled with fictitious and fantastical inventions by Williams' great-great-grandmother, who was an inventor in the 19th century. This exhibit is almost like walking into a history museum and learning about past cultures. Humor plays a big but subtle role here. A gilded rifle juts from the wall and an ejected net hangs down from its muzzle and is spread out on the floor. On the wall, beside the rifle, is a crisp black and white photograph of a composed woman sitting with rifle in lap and a bear caught in a net just over her shoulder, hung from a tree (pictured). Another photograph in this series shows a forest setting with a bear on hind legs. Poking fun, the bear is clearly someone in a costume. The other inventions found in the room are large and bulky and highly complicated. One such piece titled Apparatus for Chronological and Anamnestic Aberration, or Time Machine is a contraption made from copper, brass, wood, leather, glass, latex, fabric, steel and casters.

In the back room you will find the gem of the solos: Jennifer Mattingly's miniature dioramas made out of matchbooks. The tiny creations line the walls along with a select few blown up photographs of her work. Each are quite amazing in their smallness, as elaborate layered collages with clever themes. In an untitled piece, the matchbook is covered in a yellow floral upholstery pattern. Floral cutouts from the pattern reveal doll house rooms within -- even smaller dioramas within the matchbook. A dump truck on the surface of the matchbook protrudes off the plane and is emptying its load of matches into one of the openings.

Two other installation pieces are also showcased at the Center. Jacklyn Brickman explores the nexus of invasive species and the impact that humans have on nature. Brickman presents a large plexiglass container filled with corn kernels held together with wire armature, constructed in forms reminiscent of chemical structures. The plexiglass is textured, obscuring the view of the corn kernels within. At various points across the glass are small lenses that allows a more focused and clear view of the structures. The microscope-like design fursthers the scientific feel of the piece.

The stand out for overall creepiness is by Laure Drogoul. Invocation for "The Last Full Measure of Devotion" (seance for partiots' dreams) (pictured) is a video seance for the soldiers buried at Arlington National Cemetery. The room is covered by curtains and a loop of a slowed down version of "When you Wish Upon a Star" plays eerily in the background. The back wall of the installation plays the changing of the guard at Arlington, projected onto miscellaneous military uniforms from various divisions and decades. These uniforms line the walls and slowly sway in the breeze of the air conditioning. On the floor are shoes and rows of helmets. Fake roses are piled in some areas and glitter is strewn about. The room is very dark, except for the videos playing. On the floor in the middle of the room is a representation of the Pentagon and in the middle is a video of gloved hands making sharp crisp movements as in a seance. The whole room is overwhelming and easily plays up the possibility of the paranormal. The combination of the swaying uniforms, glitter and eerie music send shivers down your spin.

Images courtesy of Arlington Arts Center.

Spring Solos 2008 is on view now at Arlington Arts Center now through May 31. The gallery is located at 3550 Wilson Boulevard in Arlington and is open Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.