Childhood Shenanigans features colorful paintings inspired by the childhood memories of Lee N. Smith III through April 23 at the Tyler Museum of Art. 

The artist takes viewers back to a time when nights were full of fun and foolery with school friends in the back yards of suburban neighborhoods. 

Smith’s paintings feature vibrant compositions and colors. The bright blues, greens, and oranges light up his characters’ young faces in mischievous and other-worldy hues and cast a dream-like quality on each painting.

Smith was born in 1950 in New Orleans and grew up in Dallas. His student art exhibit was at the University of Texas at Arlington and was selected to show in the internationally-acclaimed Venice Biennale art exhibition in Italy. His works are part of collections in the Dallas Museum of Art and the Fort Worth Museum of Modern Art. 

The Tyler museum’s exhibit draws Smith’s works from the 70s, 80s and 90s from public and private collections across Texas. The exhibit is supported by the Texas Commission on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts.

For information call (903) 595-1001 or visit www.tylermuseum.org.