Lauren Phillips is a Kansas City based visual artist. Her newest solo show, Touch Me / Don't Touch Me, will be on view at Plug Gallery June 24 - August 2. The show includes a selection of wood cutout acrylic paintings, a neon sign, and a piece made of colored mirrors.  The work in Touch Me / Don’t Touch Me uses common romantic imagery, like a table set for a dinner date, a bouquet of flowers, and a chandelier filled with candles, and pairs it with eerie elements, like a silhouetted figure, a snake, a spider, and flames. By combining the familiar parts of romance with small dangers, this body of work shows how two contrasting things like power and vulnerability, allure and danger, and pleasure and panic, are often experienced simultaneously by women. Lauren Phillips received a grant from ArtsKC to help fund the fabrication of the artwork and allow her to use new mediums like neon and laser cut mirrors.  The opening reception is open to the public and will be held at Plug Gallery Friday, June 24 6-9 pm. Plug Gallery is open to the public on Saturdays, 12-4pm or by appointment. Contact info@plug.gallery to set up an appointment.