Love and lust, relationships and regret, emptiness and completeness. Cartoonish birds, kittens and twentysomethings typically don't take on such emotions. Not convincingly, anyway. Yet Kurt Halsey Frederiksen excels at such expressions, through his singular blend of collages, canvas and wood painting, and drawings delicately projected on the back of envelopes and loose-leaf paper. Megan Brewster and Erin Waxman stumbled upon his work on the Web a few years back and loved it so much he was one of the first artists they asked to showcase upon opening the Art Star Gallery & Boutique in late 2004.

"There is a sensitivity to his method of rendering that relates to the difficult subjects that he explores," says Brewster. "We love the way he pairs flat, cute and highly graphic elements with rich texture, pattern, scrawled notes and cut paper."

Frederiksen prepared 40 new pieces for his solo Philadelphia show. Though he deals in several mediums, most of the works presented will be what he calls "bubble paintings," small, framed drawings and paintings on wood. They will be grouped together on one wall, creating a complex grid of characters embracing, parting and struggling internally, as well as direct, almost painful phrases. His Always 'Member, Never Forget painting, for instance, shows two chirping birds on one panel with the words "We are more than most will ever find," and a Post-it note on an opposing green panel that simply says "So don't fuck it up."

"At first glance, the work does seem 'cartoonish,'" says Brewster. "But when you look closer you realize that there is so much depth to them, which is extremely effective."

Kurt Halsey Frederiksen, artist reception Sat., Aug. 27, 5-9 p.m., exhibition through Oct. 2, Art Star Gallery & Boutique, 1030 N. Second St., 215-238-1557, www.artstarphilly.com.