Since she was a child, Gabrielle Leaman has expressed herself through art. Whether it was drawing, painting or through other creative mediums, it has always been a part of her life.

Beginning Friday, her work will be displayed at the Junction City Arts Council Gallery, 107 W. Seventh St. Her exhibit, titled “A Visual Journal,” is a self-portrait series representing her life experiences. The exhibit is open from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday for an artist reception. Her work will be on display during normal gallery hours until Feb. 22.

This is her first gallery showing. “It’s a big move,” she said Wednesday. She’s participated in two Junction City Arts Council gallery walks as well as art and craft shows.

The self-portrait collection began in 2001 as part of a class assignment in college where she studied graphic design, painting, drawing and photography. Her first piece was an oil painting on board instead of canvas.

Since then, she’s added to the collection as new experiences came and went. She continued producing oil paintings.

She loved the colors used in her first piece and continued using the same tones throughout the collection. Some are darker than others, representing dark times in her life, she said.

Some of her pieces focus on her face, others on her body and some on an action, but all represent a key experience.

In addition to the self-portrait exhibit, pieces from her abstract collection will be featured.

Leaman is from Pennsylvania and now lives in Manhattan and works at Fort Riley.