"Sublimate," a work by Xavier visual art student Liz Kauffman, is on display at The Echo.

Look for art in unlikely places this fall, like THE ECHO RESTAURANT (3510 Edwards Road, Hyde Park), which features artist LIZ KAUFFMAN's first solo exhibition, Dreams. The installment is part of a newly formed partnership between The Echo Restaurant and Xavier University's Society of Visual Arts, recently begun to give XU's visual arts students an opportunity to express their passion outside the classroom. Kauffman's introspective pastels make excellent use of muted lighting: I felt almost as if I were interrupting private moments, and yet, in the same glimpse, I was privileged to view them. All but one of her pieces were done on torn and incomplete paper, which suggests a certain casualness -- as if she had simply ripped out the paper and hung it up. Her choice of ragged pape r also conveys an incompleteness or fragmented state of mind, as if she's not quite sure what she wants to convey. Have a glimpse of this new artist's "dreams." Through Oct. 2. ...

Head just the street from the Echo to MILLER GALLERY (2715 Erie Ave., Hyde Park) for a look at Rosenthalis: An Eye for Color, by Israeli painter MOSHE ROSENTHALIS. I managed to get a sneak peek at a few of his pieces before the opening, and this exhibit promises a veritable splendor of color and harmony. Rosenthalis' most popular subjects include women, instruments and landscapes, sometimes all within one piece. Although his work is abstract, I could see hints of shapes and subjects -- just enough to hold each focused brush stroke together seamlessly. His tapestry of color varies, from bright, thick splashes to soft, almost transparent wisps. Each piece evokes an exuberance not often found in abstract work. Let your eyes feast on this. Through Sept. 26. ...

Searching for wisdom? You might find some at Wise Women: A Celebration of Courage, Strength and Beauty, opening Friday at the YWCA WOMEN'S ART GALLERY (898 Walnut St., Downtown). Internationally acclaimed photographer JOYCE TENNESON celebrates the energy and beauty of women in "the third phase of their lives -- ages 65 to 100." Seeking to dispel the stereotype that older women are frail and tired, Tenneson photographed women of power, vitality and inner beauty, fostering new vision of what it means to be a woman of age and wisdom. Tenneson tries to portray human character and give a deeper likeness of her subjects, including Cicely Tyson, Dame Judi Dench, Gloria Steinem and Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. Opening reception, Friday, 6-8 p.m. Through Jan. 7, 2005. ...

Join local artists JANE A.CASH and ROY CARTWRIGHT as they present Jane A. Cash and Roy Cartwright: A Retrospective at the ANNIE BOLLING GALLERY (3235 Madison Road, Oakley). Both artists have been an important part of Cincinnati's local art scene for the last 30 years; they work in a variety of media, including sculpture, painting, ceramic, clay and mosaic tile. Cash often tackles themes of sexuality and female empowerment and draws inspiration from the Bible and mythology. Cartwright focuses primarily on sculpture, but has recently begun to work with the color and texture of mosaic tiles, offering a powerful statement with his work. If it all sounds very mysterious, that's because it is -- I didn't get to see it in advance. So check it out for yourself. Meet-the-artists reception is Sept. 18, 5-9 p.m. Through Oct. 3.

MINI REVIEWS
FLYING COLORS, the appropriately named exhibit at Malton Gallery (2703 Observatory Ave., Hyde Park), features the incredibly rich, elaborately textured and brilliantly painted glass sculptures of Tom McGlauchlin. These cubist-style painted busts, built of thickly blown glass, betray fine detail in the minute grains of silicone melted into the glass and the bold strokes of color creating the imagery. Judy Hintz Cox's literate paintings and mixed-media assemblages, which join the organic quality of handwriting with the industrial quality of brightly colored blocks, create the ideal setting for McGlauchlin's unique glass figures. Through Sept. 3. (Stacey Recht) Grade: A