This piece by Harry Reisiger is part of the Spring Art Fling at the Cincinnati Zoo.

You always promise you'll try something new, and this week we'll help you keep that promise. ... On Saturday, visit the CINCINNATI ZOO AND BOTANICAL GARDENS -- not to view animals, but to view the creations from children at St. Joseph's Orphanage. This local children's home holds the Spring Art Fling, a fund-raiser and art auction featuring 30 pieces of children's art in addition to professional art by 11 artists. Children worked with local artists HARRY REISIGER, TONY DOTSON, ANNE RICE and PAM KRAVITZ, who guided creation of their drawings, masks and self-portraits with individual lesson plans and their own supplies. Curated by ANNIE BOLLING of Annie Bolling Gallery, the evening offers a chance to acquire exceptional art while supporting St. Joseph's education programs. Saturday, 6 p.m.-midnight; $50 per person. Reservations: 513-741-3100. ...

If you haven't made it down to SCRIBBLES CAFÉ (616 Main St., Covington) yet, this month will be a perfect time to initiate yourself. Opening Friday is work by photographer GREGE RUST. As the official photographer for both the Reds and the Bengals, Rust knows how to capture the perfect moment. His large-scale photographs, taken on recent trips to Nicaragua and Guatemala, depict the intrinsic beauty in each country. These photographs are sure to be vibrant and evocative. Continues throughout May. 859-291-9400. ...

Unfailingly impressive, the ALICE F. AND HARRIS K. WESTON ART GALLERY (650 Walnut St., Downtown) doesn't disappoint with Icons of Absence: Icons of Presence, an exhibit of lavish oil paintings by DANA SAULNIER. An associate professor of painting and drawing at Miami University in Oxford, Saulnier paints landscapes depicting the human presence and its perpetual, uncertain connection to the natural universe. Using a combination of neutral tones, muted sunset hues and ominous slashes of black, the paintings seethe with the confusion and tension of humanity's quest to find its place in our vast universe. The muddled forms that represent human existence are the focus of the work yet at the same time merely tangled in the swirling, tempestuous storm of the surrounding landscape. Even his strokes appear fierce, the textures bold and angry. The eloquent pieces entice and repel in the same glance, leaving us floundering in the presence of an unsettling aftermath. Dense with silent emotion, Saulnier's work compels with its troubled contemplation. Through June 12. 513-977-4165.

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Get to the MALTON GALLERY (2703 Observatory Ave., Hyde Park) and check out stunning work by artists ALLEN WYNN and CAROL HENRY in Beginnings. Both Wynn and Henry's work embodies a sense of freshness and vitality. Wynn's life-size figurative sculptures of women are overwhelmingly inviting and full of life. The figures are minimal in their detail, accentuating only what's necessary in the form, yet they command introspection. Their environment is minimal as well, providing only necessary information to relay Wynn's story. Henry's monotype prints hang throughout the gallery. Vibrantly colored floral buds rest gingerly upon a white-hot background. Her work reminds us of exquisitely breathtaking botanical studies, and we struggle to walk away from each piece. The exhibition seeks to investigate what it means to be alive. Don't miss it. Through May 14. 513-321-8614.

Mini Reviews
STUDIO METROPOLITAN (1335 Main St., Over-the-Rhine) exhibits black-and-white photography by JON MAUPIN. Using varied subject matter, including everyday shots of street corners and bus stops intermingled with thoughtful nature shots, Maupin gives ordinary scenes a sincere attempt. Despite the scattered feel of the installment, its charm prevails. Through May 22. (JULIE BERNZOTT) Grade: B

DEOGRACIAS LERMA PHOTOGRAPHY (1319 Main St., Over-the-Rhine) features Monet's Garden at Giverny in Black and White by WILLIAM MESSER. In his first local show since 1974, Messer's work is comprised of botanical portraits working in tandem with blissful memories assembled over the course of 20 years. Each image commands patience from the viewer in exchange for richness and depth claiming refuge in the shadows. His work is charming, holding onto a classical essence. Through May 26. (JACQUELYN VAUGHN) Grade: B+