Shaika Café on Sherbrooke Street in Montreal was a hopping place on Wednesday night, with an art vernissage and live music. The event was hosted by renowned artist Susan Shulman, with the help of her musical friends from the Montreal music community.

SHREVEPORT, La. -  Long before his paintings hung inside Shreveport Regional Airport or earned him an invitation to one of the world's most prestigious artist fellowships in France, Ron Smith was just a little boy in Belcher drawing cotton pickers, tractors and crop dusters from his classroom desk.