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My six grandchildren are so adorable. OK, OK, I promise not to bore you with weekly updates, but just imagine six young children ages 4-14, perched on stools surrounding a kitchen island, awaiting their weekly "art lesson." That's 12 sets of eyes.

All eyes on me as I come in with art from their last exhibit, sporting two shiny ribbons - a second place for London Bailey and an honorable mention for Lacey. Kudos, girls. "Today," I announce, "We are doing Valentine foam cutouts and making Valentines to hang at Semolina."

"That’s arts and crafts," Zachary, the 7-year-old, says. "I want to paint and do art." The 14-year-old quickly explains that it is art and that there are many different kinds.

My mother comes in with all the goodies - snacks, bath jells, towels, photo boxes and Valentines. I bribe them by telling them that when their Valentine collages are finished and framed, and when they complete a Valentine for their mother they can open their store-bought Valentines and eat their snacks. The race is on. They all got their Valentines completed, framed and lined up on the couch just as their mom returned.

In other art news, the calendars are filling up with a lot of fun things to do.

Malia Krolak, Gallery Coordinator for the LSU School of Art, has given me the spring line-up for art exhibits and tells me that even if you missed the reception, you can still catch "How 2 Stay Alive in the Woods" - an installation by Sibylle Peretti and Stephen Paul Day which hangs through February 11. She says this is a top-notch exhibition by artists who have shown nationally from New York to Seattle and in France, Germany, Switzerland and Japan.

Mark your calendar for the LSU School of Art Faculty Exhibition Feb. 24 – Mar. 25. The public is invited to the reception Saturday, Feb. 24 from 6-8 p.m. at The Shaw Center. The exhibit includes work by LSU faculty past and present including emeritus professors, Ed Pramuk, Paul Dufour, James Burke and A.J. Meek. Enjoy recent works and meet the artists who work so conscientiously to inspire and inform the emerging artists of tomorrow.

Patrons are invited to indulge in the beauty of composition in an exhibit by artists Judi Betts, Phyllis Lear and Christy Diniz Liffmann Feb. 4 – Mar. 1 at Baton Rouge Gallery. The opening reception is Feb. 7 from 7-9 p.m. Nationally-established and internationally-recognized painter Judi Betts offers her mixed-media compositions of watercolor and origami. Inspired by her love affair with paper, the series of "Aqua-gami" collage aims to illuminate a sense of joy and excitement. In addition to a plethora of honors she is the author of two award-winning books, Watercolor…Let’s Think About It and Painting…a Quest toward Xtraord!nary.

Phyllis Lear joins Betts in her affinity for collage, evaluating the more sober moments of life. Lear’s work suspends past events by piecing together pencil drawings and found objects. Her compositions relay intimacy and have an uncanny ability to seem simultaneously vague and specific. Lear earned an MFA in studio art from Louisiana Technical University and owns her own studio business in Thibodaux.

Christy Diniz Liffmann contributes her seductive and inventive series "Silk Road." Born from a recent trip to China, Liffmann uses the encaustic medium to capture her memories of the country’s natural beauty. Focusing on the grace and significance of trees, Liffmann portrays their vibrancy through a luscious palette. The spectrum of color widens with the inclusion of flower paintings. Liffmann received her MFA in painting and drawing from LSU and has been represented by many galleries throughout the South. All receptions are free and open to the public.

I hope that spring is on its way. Link-up with me and let me hear what is happening in your art world.

Happy Painting