Katherine Miller will be West Bank Bistro's first featured artist

One of Cape Girardeau's newest businesses is getting in on the First Friday art scene.

The West Bank Bistro, a renovated coffee shop and restaurant located at 340 S. Lorimier St., opened for business in December. The owner of the bistro, Kevin Priester, said he didn't realize that much time had gone by since the opening.

"It doesn't seem like it's been that long," Priester said. "Time flies when you're having fun."

Priester said he's looking forward to having more fun at the West Bank Bistro when it hosts its inaugural First Friday reception from 5 to 8 p.m. today.

"We've shown informal artwork at the bistro before," he said, "but this will be an official First Friday reception. I believe visitors are going to like what they see."

The majority of Cape Girardeau's art galleries have evening hours on the first Friday of every month. Priester said he has wanted the bistro to become involved in the arts community since its opening.

"We're not looking at it as being one more place in town to show artwork," he said. "This will give an opportunity for someone to show their artwork to the public. It's something that Cape Girardeau needs more of."

The West Bank Bistro, formerly the Huhn-Harrison house that was built in 1905, is located across the street from the Southeast Missouri State University River Campus. The bistro has served many Southeast students and staff members since January, and it's fitting that a student from the art department, Katherine Miller, will be displaying her artwork during the bistro's First Friday Arts Walk reception.

"I spend a lot of time at the River Campus," said Miller, a senior from Ballwin, Mo. "The West Bank Bistro is a great place."

Miller's exhibit is called "Soft Noises," a combination of prints and mixed-media collage that will be on display at the West Bank Bistro through July 31.

"I've been working on the pieces over the year," she said. "It's 13 pieces that contain depictions of a vague narrative. Nothing is date specific, and I hope that the viewers will be able to look at a piece and draw their own conclusions as to what it's about and what it may represent."

Priester said while the West Bank Bistro will have coffee, draft beer and food available during the reception, visitors are not obligated to purchase anything.

"There's no obligation to take advantage of what we have to offer," he said. "The reception will focus on the artwork on display. But if a person would like a hot cup of coffee or some food, we'll be able to take care of that."

For more information, contact the bistro at 803-1768.

klewis@semissourian.com

388-3635

Pertinent address:

340 S. Lorimier St., Cape Girardeau MO