Alabama artist James Conner, whose work, above, is featured this month at River Gallery, 400 E. Second St., will give a free painting demonstration from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 22. Conner served in the U.S. Army as a graphic artist and illustrator with two tours of duty in Vietnam and Europe. “When I returned home from Vietnam, I saw things in a way I’ve never seen them before,” Conner says in an online bio. He describes his method as painting with passion, trying to capture his emotions as quickly as they emerge. For more information, call 423-265-5033 or visit www.river-gallery.com.