While everything else is winding down for spring break, one event is springing up.

Harriet Rosenberg of The Art Alliance, on Pike Street in Lemont, will hold her opening reception tonight for an art exhibit of three former University art graduate students.

Rosenberg's friends Neil Jordan, David Love and John Mangan graduated several years ago from the University and have since moved to Philadelphia.

The exhibit, which lasts until Sunday, features the three former students' charcoal drawings and tempera-on-paper paintings. Tonight's free reception encourages "black and white attire."

"I did not dare put 'black tie' because I would not have people showing up," Rosenberg said.

She said she has tried to encourage more tuxedo wear.

"I had only about three tuxes show up (last year)," she said. She added that 95 percent of the opening night crowd wears black and white -- even if the monochrome comes in motorcycle leathers. Rosenberg said she has opening night receptions tend to have a "funky formal" look.

"We're trying to formalize it in a funky way," she said.

Several years ago, the artists' works garnered Rosenberg's interest when she visited an exhibit in Zoller Gallery. Since then, she said she has shown their works on several occasions and has made a point of exhibiting art works of young, unestablished artists.

"There's a lot of student work that is really excellent. I'm really interested in showing people's works (that) aren't known," she said.

Usually, she she will end up buying pictures from her showings, she said. She said this is one reason why she loses money on exhibits.

"I don't do this for a living. I always go in the hole for this: I don't even know if I've broken even," said Rosenberg, who sells her own photography works to raise money for the showing.

Friend Susan Rattenbury (senior-photography) said Rosenberg shows art in addition to her photography career.

"That's sort of what she does," Rattenbury explained. "She does shows for people."