THE JUNE SOCIAL

The Fairborn Art Association’s annual Social was held Tuesday, June 2, 2026, at the FAA gallery. Along with good food and fun, the Popular Choice recipients were voted on and awarded, the 2026 Fairborn Sweet Corn Festival King and Queen were introduced, the 2026 FAA scholarship students were announced and awarded their scholarship checks, new and returning officers were installed, and board members, committee chairs and the outgoing president were recognized for their service.

2026 POPULAR CHOICE AWARDS

Congratulations to the following members who won Popular Choice Awards at our June Social:

2026 FAIRBORN SWEET CORN FESTIVAL KING AND QUEEN

This year’s Fairborn Sweet Corn Festival King and Queen, Alan Meade and Dorothy Meade, were introduced at the June Social.

Alan Meade has spent a lifetime defined by service, commitment, and integrity. Since retiring in 2014, Alan has continued his commitment to service through volunteer work with the Fairborn FISH Food Pantry and previously with St. Vincent DePaul. He is also an active member of numerous civic and conservation organizations, including the Knights of Columbus, Fairborn Lions Club, Greene County Fish and Game, Ohio Big Bucks Club and several national wildlife conservation groups dedicated to protecting wildlife and habitat.

Dorothy “Dottie” Meade has spent her life proving that one person’s dedication can transform communities, empower generations, and inspire service far beyond the walls of any classroom. Across decades of teaching, mentoring, leading, and serving, Dottie Meade has created a legacy defined not by titles, but by impact. Her work continues to ripple outward — in classrooms, in communities, in Rotary clubs, and in the lives of countless people who were encouraged, uplifted, or inspired by her belief in them. Her story is a reminder that when service is rooted in heart, its influence becomes timeless.

2026 FAA SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS

We are pleased to announce this year’s Fairborn Art Association Scholarship winners: Charlotte Fanjoy from Stivers School for the Arts, Halle Thomas from Beavercreek High School and Taryn Franz from Cedarville High School each received a $1,000 scholarship award. We wish them the best in their art careers!

Charlotte Fanjoy lives in Dayton and attended Stivers School for the Arts, and plans on attending Columbus College of Arts and Design. She earned multiple gold, silver and honorable mention prizes, as well as a Portfolio award in the annual Scholastic Arts and Writing Competition in both visual and creative writing. She received a glowing recommendation from her Visual Arts Director who lauded her upstanding character, creativity and willingness to lend a helping hand whenever needed.

Halle Thomas attended Beavercreek High School and plans on attending Indiana University’s Herron School of Art and Design. She is a thriving artist in the Dayton area and is obsessed with everything art, including sketching, painting on canvases, and using Adobe Photoshop and illustrator. She also enjoys creative writing, sewing, and playing her clarinet.

Taryn Franz attended Cedarville High School and plans on attending Cedarville University majoring in Fine Arts and Visual Communications. In 2025, she was awarded Art Student of the Year, has received multiple awards and recognition through the Greene County Domestic Violence Awareness Calendar Competition, and exhibited her work at the OMEA Fine Arts Festival. She has worked in many mediums such as charcoal, watercolor, printmaking and ceramics. (photo not available)

MEMBER NEWS

The following FAA members won awards at the Western Ohio Watercolor Society (WOWS) Spring Fine Art Show held in June at the Champaign County Arts Council Gallery in Urbana, Ohio:

First Place: Mary Jo White “Stand still – the forest knows where you are”

Third Place: Tessa Kalman “Art Reception at Tohono Chul”

Honorable Mention:  Christy Powell “Printmaking- Studio Still Life”

Honorable Mention: Carol Collett “Ready to Roll”

Honorable Mention: Carol Edsall “Tranquility”

Honorable Mention: Marsha Elliot “Winter Stroll”

Hyacinth Paul is currently competing in the national People’s Artist Competition, presented by Johnny Depp and The Art of Elysium. She has advanced through multiple rounds. Public voting determines who advances, and each person can vote once every 24 hours for free or choose to contribute a tax-deductible amount to the charity. The competition concludes on July 9 and she would be honored to have your support. If she is fortunate enough to win the award, she plans to expand artist-led workshops in hospitals, schools, libraries, and community spaces, using art to promote emotional expression, healing, and connection while creating more opportunities for local artists. Here is the link to vote: https://peoplesartist.org/2026/hyacinth-paul-SHpd

Hyacinth’s exhibition, “Udaan – Stories That Rise,” was on display in June at the Springboro Performing Arts Center. The work explored memory, migration, belonging, and resilience through art inspired by the stories of immigrant women in our community.

LANDSCAPES2026 ART EXHIBITION IN JULY

Enjoy beautiful art inspired by nature at the B-W Greenway Community Land Trust & the Fairborn Art Association’s Landscapes2026 Juried Art Exhibition. This year’s juror is Sean Wilkinson, an accomplished photographer and educator from Dayton, Ohio. The exhibition will be held in the FAA Gallery, 221 N. Central Avenue, Fairborn, Ohio, on July 12 from1:00–3:00 pm (Opening Reception and Awards), July 19 from 1:00–3:00 pm, and July 26 from 1:00–2:00 pm with art pickup from 2:00–3:00 pm.

MORE VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR FAIRBORN SWEET CORN FESTIVAL

More volunteers are needed for the Fairborn Sweet Corn Festival! This is our major fundraiser for the year and supports our mission to promote and encourage the appreciation and development of art in various forms, sponsor art classes, workshops and programs, and provide community service.

Please consider signing up soon using this online link: Sweet Corn Festival-Sign Up Genius

If you already signed up and can help a little bit more, please add your hours on Sign Up Genius and Thank you!

Note: When arriving to help at the festival, volunteers can enter through the Vendor entrance and park in the designated Volunteer parking lot.

CALL FOR ARTISTS – ANNUAL FINE ART SHOWS

Artists are invited to participate in the 19th Annual Fine Art Show at the Hoffman Global Methodist Church, 201 S. Main Street, West Milton, Ohio, 45383 on August 7–9, 2026. Applications must be received by Hoffman by July 15, with artwork drop-off on August 6 from 5:00–7:00 pm. The Opening Night Reception will be on August 7 from 6:30–8:00 pm. The show will continue August 8 from 10:00 am–4:00 pm and August 9 from 11:00 am–2:45 pm. Visit their website for more information: https://www.hoffmangmc.org/

Registration is now open for the 34th Annual Piqua Fine Art Exhibition. Artists 16 years of age and older from across the region are invited. This is a non-juried exhibition and artists are encouraged to register early since space is limited to 180 works of art. Drop-off dates are August 15, 17 and 20. The awards reception will be held on September 3. The exhibition will be on display at Apple Tree Gallery from September 4–25, 2026. For more information and online registration, use this link: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/34th-annual-fine-art-exhibition-artist-registration

SUBMITTING ARTICLES FOR NEWSLETTER

Please submit your information for the September 2026 newsletter directly to the Corresponding Secretary, April Coppess, via phone call or email by the August 20, 2026, deadline. Please consult your membership directory for contact information.

---

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Hello Fellow Artists!

Believe it or not, this is my final message as FAA president. These five years have flown by, and I have learned so much about this wonderful organization, not to mention all the fun, friendly, talented members I was privileged to interact with. God truly blessed me when he brought me through the doors of the Fairborn Art Association and it’s been a joy to meet and learn from so many of you. Dave Schneberger will be our new president, and I know you will give him all the encouragement and support that you gave me.

Our Members’ Show is absolutely awesome and congratulations to all our winners, although you are all winners in my book. Steve Rogers picked a wide variety of winners which represented the artistic versatility in our organization. His demo was interesting to observe and the pieces I saw after his workshop were spectacular! I would like to thank Shirlee Bauer for all her hard work and time spent in the planning and execution of this huge endeavor… you did an exceptional job! I would also like to thank Paula Whittington, Frank Trick, and everyone who volunteered to help with registration and hanging of our show. Our association cannot exist without the help, time, and talents donated to keep things running and I am so appreciative for each and every one of you.

Our Social will be held on Tuesday, June 2, at 6:30 pm. FAA will provide hot dogs, buns, condiments, drinks, and paper products. Please bring a side dish or dessert to share. We will be voting on our People’s Choice categories, so please arrive promptly as the voting will end at 7:00 pm. We will also have installation of officers, introduction of our scholarship winners and the Sweet Corn Festival King and Queen.

Keep Creating!

Linda Brandenburg, (Outgoing) President

2026 MEMBERS’ FINE ART SHOW AWARDS

Congratulations to the 2026 Members’ Fine Art Show award winners, to all the artists for a wonderful show, and thanks to the Juror for the show, Steve Rogers!

2026 MEMBERS’ FINE ART SHOW JUROR’S STATEMENT

“I judge paintings with my heart and gut as much as with my head. This is true in the case of both abstract and representational work, and it really involves a lot of subjective feeling on the part of the juror. Visual communication is a two-way street, and I do apologize where the failure to understand a given work lies with my insensitivity or natural bias. I sincerely try to divorce myself from any prejudices of which I am aware, but if we choose to participate in figure skating or painting for a competition, we have to accept the subjective nature of the beast.” 

Steve Rogers, Juror

2026-2027 FAA OFFICERS

The following members were elected at the April meeting to serve as officers on the 2026-2027 FAA Board of Directors:

President – David Schneberger

Vice President – Audrey McGowin

Recording Secretary – Sheryl Scott

Corresponding Secretary – April Coppess

Treasurer – Roger Browning

MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL FOR 2026-2027

Please remember to pay your annual membership dues by June 1 (or the June meeting). Membership forms are available in the Gallery and on the FAA website Home page under Forms (as a printable form or as an online entry form). A completed Membership Form is required, along with your dues payment. Please contact our Membership Chair, Debbie Cosenza, if you have any questions.

BRING YOUR EMPTY WATER BOTTLES TO FAA

Please bring empty water bottles to the gallery by the June 2 FAA meeting. That’s the deadline to collect them. We have 45 of the needed 250 for the 4th of July parade float.  –  Susan Fosnot

MEMBER NEWS

Tessa Kalman sold the two paintings she had entered into the 2026 FAA Members’ Fine Art Show.

Dave Schneberger and Celise McKee each had work accepted into Rosewood Arts Center’s 32nd Annual The View Juried Landscape Exhibition which runs from June 8 – July 18, 2026, at the Kettering Health Art Gallery at Rosewood Arts Center, 2655 Olson Drive, Kettering, Ohio.

Some of our members will be exhibiting in the 2026 Western Ohio Watercolor Society (WOWS) Spring Fine Art Show which will be held June 9 – June 30, 2026, at the Champaign County Arts Council Gallery in Urbana, Ohio.

Lorenzo Lee, along with two other members of the Dayton Plein Air Painters Group, will be exhibiting at the Yellow Springs Arts Council Gallery, 111 Cory Street, Yellow Springs, Ohio from June 19 – July 19, 2026. “Chasing Light, Works in Plein Air” will feature paintings in oil, pastel, and gouache. Gallery hours are Thursdays thru Sundays from 1:00–4:00 pm. The Opening Reception will take place on June 26 from 6:00–9:00 pm.

ENTRIES DUE THIS MONTH FOR LANDSCAPES2026

Landscapes2025 First Place – Connie Gifford “Thick in the Thistles”

Entries for the Landscapes2026 juried art competition will be received at the Fairborn Art Association Gallery, 221 North Central Avenue, Fairborn, Ohio, on Saturday, June 27, and Sunday, June 28, from 1:00–3:00 pm.

The Gallery will be open to the public on July 12 (Opening Reception) and 19 from 1:00–3:00 pm, and July 26 from 1:00–2:00 pm with art pickup from 2:00–3:00 pm.

The B-W Greenway Community Land Trust & the Fairborn Art Association’s Landscapes Art Exhibition was established in 2009 to heighten public awareness of local greenspaces, the need to preserve them, and to foster an interest in creating art inspired by nature. The juried competition is open to artists 16 years and older, living within a 200-mile radius of Fairborn, Ohio.

For more information, visit their website at bwgreenway.org or contact Heidi at [email protected] .

HOW TO USE “SIGN UP GENIUS” TO VOLUNTEER FOR FAIRBORN SWEET CORN FESTIVAL

These are the days and timeframes where help is needed for the Fairborn Sweet Corn Festival. The Sign Up Genius scheduling tool breaks them down into 2-hour slots. Please sign up for as many slots as you are able to help.

1. Use this link to open the app. Sweet Corn Festival-Sign Up Genius
2. FIRST – Select Sign Up for all the slots you wish to fill, AND THEN select the Save and Continue bar.
3. You will see a list of all the times you selected.

Enter your name, email and phone number.

To complete the schedule, select Sign Up Now.

Thank you!

NEW SUBMISSION DEADLINE FOR NEWSLETTERS

Please submit your articles for the newsletters by the 20th of the month before the next newsletter. Please call or email the article to the Corresponding Secretary, April Coppess, by the deadline.

---

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Hello Fellow Artists!

My five years serving as FAA president is nearing an end, and I would like to thank each and every one of my board members and committee chairpersons. There is no way I could have carried on in this position without their help and expertise. They were always there to listen to me and answer questions, solve problems, think policies through, make phone calls, etc. So, here’s a big HUG to you – Julie, Roger, April, Sheryl, Billie, Warren, Jerry, Shirlee, Carol, Debbie, Paula, Frank, Jim, and Evvie – I love you all!!!

Our meeting on Tuesday, May 5, at 7:00 pm will feature Steve Rogers as our guest artist. I’m sure his demo will be very entertaining and informational. Steve is also our May workshop instructor and the judge for our Members’ Fine Art Show. This is always an exciting evening, so I look forward to seeing you there!

Next month is our Social on Tuesday, June 2, and we will begin at 6:30 pm sharp. FAA will provide hotdogs, buns, condiments, drinks, paper products, plasticware, and members are asked to bring side dishes or desserts. We will have our yearly People’s Choice awards, as well as our Sweet Corn King and Queen introductions, the three scholarship winners, and induction of our officers, so please don’t be late so we can vote and tally the awards results in a timely manner.

I’d like to thank Paula Whittington for filling our gallery with her lovely, colorful, versatile show in April. I’ve heard many wonderful comments and I believe she sold a few pieces. If you are interested in hanging your work, just contact Gallery Coordinator Carol Collett.

Keep creating! I am looking forward to seeing what you enter in our show … such a talented group!

Linda Brandenburg, President

MAY’S GUEST ARTIST – STEVE ROGERS

The Fairborn Art Association is pleased to welcome Steve Rogers as our guest artist for this month. Steve will serve as the judge for the Members’ Fine Art Show, as the instructor for the May 4–6 workshop, and as the demo artist for our meeting on May 5.

Steve Rogers is a nationally-known watercolor instructor conducting workshops all over the United States as well as in Europe. He is known for his breathtaking landscapes and marine paintings. Steve’s purpose, as a REPRESENTATIONAL ARTIST is to portray the beauty of light and color in God’s world as he experiences it within his heart. He has done a series of watercolors from his first trip to the Mediterranean to subsequent trips. He has been able to paint this beautiful land not as one who sees it every day, but as a “visitor”, who is awestruck by something fresh and new and at the same time very ancient.

The “Boats and Reflections in Watercolors” May 4–6 workshop with Steve Rogers has a few openings available so, if you want to take advantage of this great opportunity, registrations are still being accepted! The registration form is available in the gallery, on our website, and in the link below.

May 2026 Workshop Registration Form

2026 MEMBERS’ FINE ART SHOW IN MAY

2025 Best of Show – Tom Kinarney “Frog in Puddle”

The 2026 Members’ Fine Art Show will be open to the public on the following Sundays – May 3, May 10, and May 17, from 1:00–4:00 pm at the Fairborn Art Association, 221 North Central Avenue, Fairborn, OH 45324. Bring your family and friends and enjoy this wonderful show!

FAA MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL FOR 2026-2027

Annual membership dues need to be paid by June 1 (or the meeting in June) in order for the member to be included in the 2026–2027 FAA Membership Directory. Membership forms are available in the Gallery, on the FAA website Home page under Forms and in the links below (as a printable form or as an online entry form). A completed Membership Form is required, along with your dues payment. Please contact our Membership Chair, Debbie Cosenza, if you have any questions.

2026-2027 Membership Form (print version)

Online Membership Form and Dues Payment

ELECTION OF OFFICERS FOR 2026-2027

We will be voting for Officers of the Fairborn Art Association at our May 5, 2026, meeting. The slate presented by our Nominating Committee is as follows:

President – David Schneberger

Vice President – Audrey McGowin

Recording Secretary – Sheryl Scott

Corresponding Secretary – April Coppess

Treasurer – Roger Browning

If anyone wishes to run for one of the above offices or if you wish to nominate someone else for one of the offices, please contact Carol Collett prior to our May 5, 2026, meeting so a ballot with that name can be prepared. If no one else chooses to run, the election will be held by voice vote.

MEMBER NEWS

Congratulations to the following FAA members who were accepted into Watercolor Ohio 2026, the Annual Juried Exhibition of the Ohio Watercolor Society which runs September 26 – October 23 at the Marathon Center for the Performing Arts in Findlay, Ohio:

Billie Dickson “Stephensplatz Vienna”

Connie Gifford “Wheels and Spokes”

Yuki Hall “Ponte Sant Angelo”

Tessa Kalman “Art Reception at Tohono Chul”

Rose Schultz “Only a Whisper of Wind”

LANDSCAPES JURIED ART GUIDED HIKE AND EXHIBITION

As a reminder, this month’s guided hike for Landscapes2026 has been scheduled at the Estel Wenrick Wetlands Nature Preserve, 2855 Union Road in Medway, Ohio on Thursday, May 7, starting at 10:00 am, and the Landscapes2026 juried art competition entries will be received at the Fairborn Art Association Gallery, 221 North Central Avenue, Fairborn, Ohio, on Saturday, June 27, and Sunday, June 28, from 1:00–3:00 pm. The art will be on display at the Gallery and open to the public on July 12 (Opening Reception) and 19 from 1:00–3:00 pm, and July 26 from 1:00–2:00 pm with art pickup from 2:00–3:00 pm. For more information, visit their website at bwgreenway.org or contact Heidi at [email protected] .

VOLUNTEER AT FAA’S SUMMER FESTIVALS

The FAA will participate in two festivals this summer. A meaningful way to help is to join us at Fairborn Community Park to greet visitors, share information about the FAA, and support our largest fundraiser.

• July 3–4 | Fairborn Community Independence Days
  Help staff our information tent and share details about the Sweet Corn Festival and the Fairborn Art Association.

• August 15–16 | Fairborn Sweet Corn Festival (help needed August 13–16)
  Co-sponsored by the FAA and the Lions. This is our largest fundraiser of the year, and volunteer help is essential.
  • Set-up & Tear-down Team: Assist with booths, supplies, and signage before and after the festival.
  • Vendor Gate: Welcome vendors and help with check-in as they arrive.
  • Watermelon Booth: Help staff our watermelon fundraiser.
  • Information Tent: Share information about the FAA, assist visitors with festival maps, and help with fundraising sales. Enjoy FAA’s Fairborn Heritage Collection (prints from the 2025 Fairborn 75th Anniversary Virtual Show).
  • New this year: Patriotic art by Fairborn Intermediate School 4th–5th graders will be displayed in the Corn Eating Contest Tent.

Volunteer details: We will hold a brief August orientation. Volunteers may also help assemble approximately 200 information packets distributed to vendors (food trucks, crafts, and more).

How to volunteer: Add your name at the May meeting or use the online sign-up link when it is sent by email.

Thank you for supporting the Fairborn Art Association!

Questions?

• Festival Volunteers:        Paula Whittington 937-554-9489 [email protected]
• Watermelon Booth:        Susan Fosnot 937-414-3378 [email protected], Leigh Andrews 937-825-7962 [email protected]

SUBMISSION DEADLINE FOR NEXT NEWSLETTER

The deadline for submitting articles to be included in the June 2026 newsletter is Monday, May 18, 2026. Please call or email the article to the Corresponding Secretary, April Coppess, by the deadline.

---

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Hello Fellow Artists!

Spring has arrived, although some days when we venture outside it doesn’t feel like it, but hopefully the snow is behind us and we can enjoy the flowers blooming and the birds singing. I am gearing up for t-shirt, shorts, and flip-flop weather… I actually painted my toenails in anticipation, so let’s all have positive thoughts!

Last month, we enjoyed having the Greene County Senior Artisan Show in our gallery. This month, Paula Whittington has hung her beautiful pieces… what an explosion of colors and variety!  I’m so glad that our members are taking advantage of our wonderful gallery space in which we can experience so many of our members’ works and get to know each other better. It’s a plus-plus for all of us (I’m a poet and don’t know it… LOL).

Our meeting will be held on Tuesday, April 7, at 7:00 pm with our very own Tom Kinarney as demo artist. I am so anxious to see Tom at work. I know many of you have taken classes and workshops with him, learning how he makes his magic with colored pencils. I look forward to seeing you there!

We are coming into our busy season with our Members’ Show in May, scholarship winners, nominations for new officers, our June Social, People’s Choice awards, Landscapes show, Sweet Corn Festival announcements, etc., so be sure and read your newsletter carefully for upcoming details.

This month I would like to thank Carol Collett for coordinating our gallery shows. She is one busy lady scheduling our monthly displays and helping to hang and take down each show. This is all in addition to making sure we have drinks, paper plates and bowls, cups, and plasticware for our various activities. She and Paula Whittington also make sure we have pretty plants and flowers outside our gallery and keep them watered. Thanks so much for all you do for FAA, Carol!

That’s it for now, so keep creating and Happy Spring!

Linda Brandenburg. President

APRIL’S GUEST ARTIST – TOM KINARNEY

Our guest demo artist for this month, Tom Kinarney, is a self-taught artist specializing in colored pencil and pen & ink techniques. With a distinguished career spanning many years, he has worked for several art companies and previously served as a newspaper graphic artist.

He has shared his expertise by teaching colored pencil and pen & ink classes at the Fairborn Art Association (FAA), Rosewood Arts Center, and Riverbend Art Center. A long-time member of the Fairborn Art Association, Tom remains actively involved in the local arts community.

THIS MONTH IN THE FAA GALLERY

FAA member Paula Whittington will be exhibiting her artwork at the Fairborn Art Association Gallery from April 1 to April 26, 2026 (hours by appointment). A casual reception for family and friends will be held on April 26 from 2:00–4:00 pm. FAA and WOWS members are welcome.

Paula Whittington discovered her love of art in middle and high school through Saturday classes at the Carnegie Museum in Pittsburgh. After a 50‑year detour, she returned to art with renewed focus – practicing regularly, studying online, and exploring a range of styles and media. The work on display reflects her lifelong creative journey. Paula is an active member of the Fairborn Art Association’s Thursday Paint-Ins. Paula will give a presentation at the April 21 meeting of the Western Ohio Watercolor Society (WOWS) at the FAA Gallery which will focus on how sharing inspiration and consistent practice has helped her grow as an artist.

MEMBER NEWS

Donna Pierce-Clark won a Jurors Award at the Rosewood Arts Center’s 36th Annual Works on Paper juried exhibition held January 20–February 28, 2026.

Francis Trick gave an Artist Talk on Thursday, February 26, 2026, at the Dayton Society of Artists about his work in Acrylic Painting and Leaf Impressions.

The following FAA members participated in the 2026 Greene County Senior Artisan Show held in March at the FAA Gallery: Rosemary Bailey, Sharon Benedict, Warren Brown, Carol Collett, Jeffrey W. Davis, Billie Dickson, Mary Gale, Debora Hurst, Matt Lammi, Toni Laricchiuta Stratton, Dora Lawson, Linda Perry, Christy Powell, Sue Seitz, Teresa Stoddart, Patricia Tallman, Connie Weber, and Paula Whittington

Yuki Hall had a painting juried into this year’s Transparent Watercolor Society of America (TWSA) Annual Exhibition to be held May 2 to August 2, 2026 in Kenosha, Wisconsin.

Our sincere condolences go out to the family and friends of long-time FAA member, Nita Leland, who passed away on March 5, 2026, at the age of 92. Nita was a professional artist, lecturer, juror, and teacher, with bestselling art instruction books and videos. Her book, “Born Creative: A Memoir of Paint, Passion, and Purpose” was published in 2020.

FAA SCHOLARSHIPS 2026

Fairborn Art Association offers three $1,000 scholarships to outstanding high school seniors who plan to pursue studies in the visual arts at an accredited college or university. Over 30 letters were recently mailed to as many local high schools with the application requirements of:

(1) a completed application form

(2) a personal recommendation letter from a teacher

(3) color photographs of the student’s artwork (digital preferred)

We know some students graduate from home school, so if you know an aspiring artist who might qualify, we have left a stack of envelopes in the FAA Gallery with “ART SCHOLARSHIP” on the bottom. Inside is the letter and an application.

All materials must be submitted via email to [email protected] (preferred), or mailed to Fairborn Art Association, P.O. Box 1231, Fairborn, OH 45324. All entries must be received by April 17, 2026.

James M. Gifford, Publicity Point of Contact/Scholarship Publicity

ARTWORK DUE THIS MONTH FOR THE 2026 MEMBERS’ FINE ART SHOW

The FAA Gallery will be open from 11:00 am–5:30 pm on Tuesday, April 28, for artwork drop-off for the 2026 FAA Members’ Fine Art Show. As a reminder, the three options for registration and payment for the show are:

(1) Online – use the link below or on the FAA website beginning April 1:

2026 FAA Members’ Fine Art Show Online Registration

(2) By mail – mail before April 21

(3) At Drop-off

It is requested that members drop off their artwork as early as possible in the day to allow ample time for hanging and set-up.

REGISTER SOON FOR THE FAA MAY 2026 WORKSHOP

Register soon to save your spot for the May 2026 Workshop with guest instructor Steve Rogers! Steve is a nationally-known watercolor instructor conducting workshops all over the United States as well as in Europe. His work is best described as marine art. He has always been fascinated by boats, the ocean and the coastal marshes. He loves the structure inherent in the design of a ship, or the docks and warehouses of a working waterfront.

“Boats and Reflections in Watercolors” will be held on May 4–6, 2026, from 9:30 am–4:30 pm at the Fairborn Art Association. Our workshops are open to members and non-members. The registration form is available in the gallery, on our website, and in the link below.

Description: My workshop will encourage students at all levels to advance their own vision and to improve the skills necessary to communicate that in watercolor. I paint and teach in a very straightforward traditional manner because I believe I can most honestly say what I want to with my brush and “juicy” watercolor paint. Workshop participants take away from my class knowledge about light and color and the way watercolor behaves through “mini demos” of paint application, “dealing with dark values in watercolor”, “painting reflections” and how these operate in my full painting demonstrations. I really enjoy teaching workshops and I think that translates into a comfortable learning environment for the class. Lots of student painting time along with personal help is available every day.

May 2026 Workshop Registration Form.pdf

LANDSCAPES JURIED ART EXHIBITION IN JULY 2026

The B-W Greenway Community Land Trust & the Fairborn Art Association’s Landscapes2026 juried art competition is underway. Landscapes Art Exhibition was established in 2009 to heighten public awareness of local greenspaces, the need to preserve them, and to foster an interest in creating art inspired from nature. The juried competition is open to artists 16 years and older, living within a 200-mile radius of Fairborn, Ohio.

The 2026 location to inspire artists is Estel Wenrick Wetlands Nature Preserve at 2855 Union Road in Medway, Ohio. A guided hike has been scheduled for Thursday, May 7, 2026, starting at 10:00 am.

Entries will be received at the Fairborn Art Association Gallery, 221 North Central Avenue, Fairborn, Ohio, on Saturday, June 27, and Sunday, June 28, from 1:00–3:00 pm. The art will be on display at the Gallery and open to the public on July 12 (Opening Reception) and 19 from 1:00–3:00 pm, and July 26 from 1:00–2:00 pm with art pickup from 2:00–3:00 pm.

For more information, visit their website at bwgreenway.org or contact Heidi at [email protected] .

SUBMISSION DEADLINE FOR NEXT NEWSLETTER

The deadline for submitting articles to be included in the May 2026 newsletter is Monday, April 20, 2026. Please call or email the article to the Corresponding Secretary, April Coppess, by the deadline.

---

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Hello Fellow Artists!

Unbelievably, we are already in March and heading towards Spring! I enjoyed the snow and didn’t mind the frigid temperatures, but I must admit I will be glad to see the crocus and hear the robins singing.  

I’m excited to be working with The Modern College of Design and was thrilled to meet their professor and students at our last meeting. I appreciate everyone filling out the questionnaires needed to help them on their project, which happens to be FAA! They will be designing a new logo, website, flyers, and ways to promote our organization and the Sweet Corn Festival. They will present their final project in April, so I will keep everyone informed.

Our Tuesday, March 3, 7:00 pm meeting will feature Pam Hartford as our guest demo artist working in watercolor and pastels. I look forward to watching how she marries these two materials together.

This month I would like to recognize what a great job Jim Gifford does on cleaning all areas of our gallery and keeping our supplies stocked. Our gallery always looks neat and clean, which is always appreciated. Jim is also our Publicity Chairman, covering our Senior scholarship winners, the Sweet Corn Festival, and any other activity to promote FAA. Thanks, Jim, for all your hard work and dedication (and thanks to his wife, Connie, who sometimes assists)!

Speaking of Connie Gifford, we all enjoyed her show in our gallery during the month of February… KUDOS!

Take care and keep creating!

Linda Brandenburg. President

MARCH’S GUEST ARTIST – PAM HARTFORD

Our guest artist for this month, Pam Hartford, will be demonstrating the four-step process she uses to create an animal in pastel with watercolor underpainting, and will talk about the supplies used.

Artist Bio:

Art has been a part of my life since I was a child. There were many art classes taken in grade school, high school, and college. Though a minor in art was completed in college, an art career was not pursued immediately. Instead, the focused was on a professional career in analytical research. After more than 25 years in that field, the call to be an artist finally won out and I was able to return to my passion of painting and drawing. Today, my focus is on capturing the emotion of a moment in portraiture or figurative work of people and animals/wildlife working primarily in watercolors, pastels, colored pencils, and charcoal.

There are several professional societies that I actively participate in to help grow as an artist. The societies are the:

Central Ohio Watercolor Society – President 2022 – 2025; Ohio Watercolor Society – Signature member; Ohio Pastel Artists League – currently serving as President; Women’s Palette; Pastel Society of America, Associate

Awards for paintings over last few years:

2025 – Third Place, Central Ohio Watercolor Society Spring Show, “Burst of Color”; Second Place, 2025 Piqua Fine Arts Competition, “Waiting after the Wedding”; Best Animal, Ohio Pastel Artists League Fall Show, “Afternoon Snack”; First Place, Central Ohio Watercolor Society Fall Show, “Lounging Leopard”

2024 – Second Place, German Village Haus and Garten Tour Wet Paint Competition, “1034 Jaeger St.”; People’s Choice Award, 2024 Plein Air Exhibition Grange Audubon Center, “Sunlight on Bird Feeder at Audubon”; Third Place, 2024 Piqua Fine Arts Competition, “Basking in the Sun”

2023 – Honorable Mention Central Ohio Watercolor Society 2023 Fall Show, Flower Girl at Orvieto Duomo (Italy); Second Place and Fan Favorite, Ohio Pastel Artists League 2023 Fall Show, “Basking in the Sun”; First Place, German Village Paint Out-Haus and Garten Tour, “City Park Ave”; Third Place, Ohio Pastel Artists League 2023 Spring Show, “Looking Heavenward”; Fan Favorite, Ohio Pastel Artists League 2023 Spring Show, “King of the Jungle”

 2022 – First Place, Central Ohio Watercolor Society German Village Paint Out, “622 Mohawk St.”

WWW.PAMHARTFORDART.COM

WWW.CELTICARTISTSLLC.COM

MEMBER NEWS

Francis Trick will have an Opening Reception on March 6 from 6:00–9:00 pm for his solo show at the Westheimer Gallery, Sharonville Cultural Center, Sharonville, Ohio. The show runs the length of March. Starting April 1, he will be displaying at the Downtown Dayton Metro Library in the second-floor gallery for the month of April.

Warren Brown will be inducted into the Greene County Veterans Hall of Fame Class of 2026 on April 18 in Xenia, Ohio. The Greene County Veterans Hall of Fame recognizes the accomplishments of veterans who served in the military honorably and then continue to serve their communities through volunteerism, advocacy, professional distinction, public service and philanthropy. Congratulations, Warren!

2026 GREENE COUNTY SENIOR ARTISAN SHOW IN MARCH

The Grand Opening of the 2026 Greene County Senior Artisan Show will be held on Sunday, March 8, from 1:00 pm–3:30 pm, at the Fairborn Art Association, 221 North Central Avenue, Fairborn. The show continues on Sunday, March 15, from 1:00 pm–3:30 pm and Wednesday, March 18, from 11:00 am–2:00 pm. Co-sponsored by the Greene County Council on Aging and the Fairborn Art Association, this show features original artwork by Greene County artists and artisans that was created after the artist’s 60th birthday.

2026 FAA MEMBER’S FINE ART SHOW ENTRY DETAILS

Artwork for the 2026 FAA Members’ Fine Art Show will be accepted on Tuesday, April 28, from 11:00 am–5:30 pm at the FAA Gallery. NEW THIS YEAR: Members will have the option of registering and paying entry fees online, mailing in registration and payment, or registering and paying at drop-off. Please refer to the Prospectus for details. The Prospectus and Show Flyer are available in the gallery, on our website, and in the links below. 

2026 FAA Members Fine Art Show Prospectus.pdf

2026 FAA Member Fine Art Show Flyer.jpg

REGISTRATION OPEN FOR MAY 2026 WORKSHOP

Registration is now open for our May workshop with guest instructor Steve Rogers. “Boats and Reflections in Watercolors” will be held on May 4–6, 2026, from 9:30 am–4:30 pm at the Fairborn Art Association. The registration form and artist bio are available in the gallery, on our website, and in the links below.

Steve Rogers is a nationally-known watercolor instructor conducting workshops all over the United States as well as in Europe. He is known for his breathtaking landscapes and marine paintings. Steve’s purpose, as a REPRESENTATIONAL ARTIST is to portray the beauty of light and color in God’s world as he experiences it within his heart. He has done a series of watercolors from his first trip to the Mediterranean to subsequent trips. He has been able to paint this beautiful land not as one who sees it every day, but as a “visitor”, who is awestruck by something fresh and new and at the same time very ancient.

Description: My workshop will encourage students at all levels to advance their own vision and to improve the skills necessary to communicate that in watercolor. I paint and teach in a very straightforward traditional manner because I believe I can most honestly say what I want to with my brush and “juicy” watercolor paint. Workshop participants take away from my class knowledge about light and color and the way watercolor behaves through “mini demos” of paint application, “dealing with dark values in watercolor”, “painting reflections” and how these operate in my full painting demonstrations. I really enjoy teaching workshops and I think that translates into a comfortable learning environment for the class. Lots of student painting time along with personal help is available every day.

May 2026 Workshop Registration Form

May 2026 Workshop Artist Bio

LANDSCAPES2026 JURIED ART GUIDED HIKE

B-W Greenway Community Land Trust and the Fairborn Art Association will again sponsor the Landscapes Art Exhibition in July 2026. This art exhibition was established in 2009 to heighten public awareness of local greenspaces, the need to preserve them and to foster an interest in creating art inspired by nature. This year’s inspiration for artists is the Estel Wenrick Wetlands Nature Preserve at 2855 Union Road in Medway, Ohio. A guided hike will be held on Thursday, May 7, 2026, starting at 10:00 am. For more information, contact Heidi at [email protected] .

FAA AND THE CITY OF FAIRBORN THIS SUMMER

The City of Fairborn will host a two-day festival celebrating America’s 250th Anniversary at Community Park on July 3–4.  FAA will exhibit last year’s Fairborn Heritage prints and invite FAA members to submit new work; a full prospectus will be available soon.

In partnership with Fairborn Schools, student artwork will be featured on July 3–4 and again on August 15–16 during the Sweet Corn Festival. FAA members may volunteer to mentor students or staff the booth, and donations of unused urban sketching and plein air supplies are appreciated.

SUBMISSION DEADLINE FOR NEXT NEWSLETTER

The deadline for submitting articles to be included in the April 2026 newsletter is Wednesday, March 18, 2026. Please call or email the article to the Corresponding Secretary, April Coppess, by the deadline.

---

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Hello Fellow Artists!

I hope everyone is doing well and enjoyed the holiday season. I feel like the new year is already flying by with new adventures and challenges waiting around the corner. The next few months should be exciting for FAA as we are partnering with the junior class of The Modern College of Design in Kettering on a joint venture to design a new logo, flyers, and update our website to attract more attention for our organization and the Sweet Corn Festival. I met with the professor and class on a Zoom meeting at the beginning of January and invited them to our February meeting, where I am anxious to meet them in person. They will present their final project in April, which I hope will be beneficial to us all!

Our meeting will be on Tuesday, February 3, at 7:00 pm with Marcia Hartsock as our guest demo artist. It will be nice to see everyone again, especially since our Christmas party had to be canceled due to inclement weather. I know there is news to share with everyone about various shows, sales, and awards.

This month I would like to thank Shirlee Bauer for doing such a fine job as workshop chairperson. Shirlee graciously accepted this position and has landed outstanding artists for us twice a year, making arrangements for their housing, food, transportation to and from the airport, if necessary, and also to the gallery each day. She also has to make sure we have the right number of attendees (not too many and not too few), work out a budget, collect the fees, and set up the gallery.  KUDOS, Shirlee, for doing such a splendid job for FAA… we appreciate you!!!

As always, keep creating!

Linda Brandenburg. President

FEBRUARY’S GUEST ARTIST – MARCIA HARTSOCK

Marcia Hartsock, our guest artist for this month, will present a watercolor demo, “Painting the shadows first!” Marcia will focus on shadow shapes in watercolor and demonstrate how to paint them first as an underpainting, rather than the traditional light to dark process.  

After training as a fine artist with a BFA and an MA in illustration, Marcia Hartsock spent over 35 years as a medical illustrator, a perfect career for an artist who is just as fascinated with science as she is with creative image-making. Now retired from medical illustration, Marcia explores the world of personal art through traditional drawing and watercolor media. She enjoys sharing her love of watercolor painting, and teaches small group classes in her studio at Brazee Street Studios in Cincinnati OH.

She is a member of the Greater Cincinnati Watercolor Society, the Ohio Watercolor Society, the Kentucky Watercolor Society, and an Emeritus Member of the Association of Medical Illustrators. Her work has been juried into the KWS Aqueous 2024 and Aqueous 2025 exhibitions, and she is also part of the traveling exhibit of Ohio Watercolor 2025. Marcia enjoys sketching in plein air, and has filled multiple sketchbooks with quick sketches and small paintings. These may be inspiration for later studio paintings, but more often serve as a tool for frequent practice in observation and drawing. Her studio paintings are more deliberate, involving multiple sketches and value studies, usually starting from her own photo references but then evolving into a more personal expression of the subject matter.

As an illustrator, she used directional light, form and cast shadows, and compositional techniques to tell a story with her illustrations. She applies these same skills to her varied subject matter, to engage the viewer in an emotional response to her watercolor paintings.

http://www.hartsockillustration.com

https://www.instagram.com/cincymarcia

THIS MONTH IN THE FAA GALLERY

Connie S. Gifford will have a solo art show, “My Colorful World,” at the Fairborn Art Gallery located inside the Fairborn Art Association, 221 N. Central Avenue, Fairborn, Ohio, during February 2026. An artist reception will take place February 8, 2026, from 2:00 pm until 4:00 pm. The event is free and open to the public. The gallery will also be open Sunday, February 8, 15, and 22 from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm.

Gifford is a signature member of the Ohio Watercolor Society (OWS), a former president of the Western Ohio Watercolor Society (WOWS), and has received numerous art awards. She said, “Bright colors have always motivated me. In 2011, I discovered the magic of watercolor. I’m inspired by nature, shapes, objects and bright colors that transfer my focus on the bright, transparent freshness of watercolor to lure a viewer into my painting. I want people to feel the animated life that is visually created on the paper after the transparent colors blend together creating a glow that is only found in watercolor.”

MEMBER NEWS

Throughout February, Connie S. Gifford and husband, James Gifford, will hold a combined watercolor (Connie) and photography (Jim) show in the hallways of the Charles L. Lathrem Senior Center (next to the Kettering Recreation Center) at 2900 Glengarry Drive in Kettering.

The following FAA members’ artwork was juried into the Rosewood Arts Center 36th Annual Works on Paper exhibition currently held at the Kettering Health Art Gallery in the Rosewood Arts Center, 2655 Olson Drive in Kettering, Ohio, with a Closing Reception on February 28, 2026, from 1:00 pm–3:00 pm: Nancy Dankof, Billie Dickson, Connie S. Gifford, Yuki Hall, Tessa Kalman, Tom Kinarney, Bonnie Kuntz, Donna Pierce-Clark, and Tamiko Stump

Linda Brandenburg was the first artist to be spotlighted in the newly added Art Corner section in the City of New Carlisle’s quarterly newsletter. Linda will also be teaching art classes at the Earl Heck Center in Englewood, Ohio, for eight weeks beginning on April 1, 2026.

Tessa Kalman has three paintings on display in February at the London Arts Center in London, Ohio, in their annual “Teachers Show” (an exhibit of works from folks who will give a class, demo or workshop at the LAC in 2026).

CALL FOR ENTRIES – 2026 GREENE COUNTY SENIOR ARTISAN SHOW

The Greene County Council on Aging and the Fairborn Art Association, as co-sponsors, invite Greene County artists and artisans to enter the 2026 Senior Artisan Show with original artwork created after the artist’s 60th birthday. This is not a juried show and there is no entry fee.

Categories include Oil or Acrylic paintings (framed, not under glass), Mixed Media (framed, under glass; watercolor, acrylic, pastel, charcoal, pencil, pen & ink), Photography (framed), and Three-dimensional sculpture, woodcarvings, hand-thrown pottery and ceramics, freestanding. Deadline for entries (artwork and completed forms) is Friday, February 27, 2026.

Show dates: Grand Opening Sunday, March 8, from 1:00 pm–3:30 pm, Sunday, March 15, from 1:00 pm–3:30 pm and Wednesday, March 18, from 11:00 am–2:00 pm at the Fairborn Art Association, 221 North Central Avenue, Fairborn. For more information, including entry packet, contact GCCOA at 937-376-5486 or [email protected] .

MAY 2026 WORKSHOP WITH STEVE ROGERS

Steve Rogers will be the guest instructor for a watercolor workshop to be held May 4–6, 2026, 9:30 am–4:30 pm at the Fairborn Art Gallery. Steve Rogers is a nationally-known watercolor instructor, conducting workshops in the United States and in Europe. He is known for his breathtaking landscapes and marine paintings and now his intuitive abstract acrylics. More details will be forthcoming.

ART ON THE COMMONS APPLICATIONS OPEN

Applications are now open for Art on the Commons, a fine arts and crafts festival to be held on Sunday, August 9, 2026, at Kettering’s Lincoln Park Civic Commons. Now in its 38th year, this event is hosted by Rosewood Arts Center and features jury selected artwork from artists across the country. The deadline for artist submissions is March 31, 2026. For more information, visit: https://www.playkettering.org/art-on-the-commons/

VILLAGE ARTISANS GALLERY EXHIBIT

Village Artisans are currently presenting a “Whimsy” exhibit in their lobby gallery during regular gallery hours at 100 Corry Street, Yellow Springs, Ohio, through March 8, 2026. This exhibit features playful, quirky or charmingly odd art. The exhibit is free and open to the public.

SUBMISSION DEADLINE FOR NEXT NEWSLETTER

The deadline for submitting articles to be included in the March 2026 newsletter is Wednesday, February 18, 2026. Please call or email the article to the Corresponding Secretary, April Coppess, by the deadline.

---

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Hello Fellow Artists!

We have come to our last newsletter for 2025 which means I will need to remember to start writing “2026” very soon, which could be a challenge for me these days! I hope you all had a tasty Thanksgiving and that preparations are underway for Christmas, and speaking of Christmas, our holiday party will be on Saturday, December 13, from 3:00–5:00 pm, at the gallery. Our meal will be catered and be sure to bring a $15 present if you want to participate in our gift exchange. We always have a lot of fun with delicious food and Warren playing Santa Claus, so give your RSVP to Debbie Cosenza by Saturday, December 6.

There will be no meeting in January so we can all stay indoors and hibernate, and we’ll meet again on February 3, 2026, (see, I did it!) at 7:00 pm with Pam Hartford as our demo artist.

This month I would like to thank Paula Whittington for keeping the outside of our gallery looking beautiful. She worked with Carol Collett in planting flowers, keeping them watered and fertilized, and adding her bird nest sculpture to one of the planters. She has also worked diligently at clearing out the dead plants, power washing the picnic area, brick walls, and pavement, and using her leaf blower to remove all the twigs, leaves and peanut shells that accumulate. Thank you, Paula, for all your hard work!

I would also like to thank Roger Browning and his son for purchasing and installing our new TV for the gallery. I know it was an all-day project and not easy, so thanks to the two of you!!!!

I wish everyone a very blessed Christmas and New Years and as always, keep creating!

Linda Brandenburg, President

HOLIDAY PARTY

Please join us for our annual Christmas Party on December 13 from 3:00–5:00 pm. FAA will cater the food but you MUST make a reservation for yourself and your guest with our greeter, Debbie Cosenza, by Saturday, December 6. If you would like to participate in the gift exchange, please bring a wrapped item, $15 value. We hope to see you there!

FAA GALLERY FEATURED ARTIST OF THE MONTH

FAA member Francis Trick will be exhibiting his artwork at the Fairborn Art Association Gallery during the month of December 2025.

Artist Statement:

I am new to the art world as an exhibitor. I have dabbled with art all my life and have a Concentration (more than a minor but not quite a degree) along with my degree in Marketing from the University of Dayton. I have worked all my life in retail and the last 26.5 years of that work career with The Home Depot. In July I will have been retired for 2 years, and in July of 2024 I rediscovered my passion for creating beautiful things. I am an Acrylic Fluid/Liquid artist and also do leaf impressions and some multimedia work using modeling paste or a hot glue gun. I am also available for commission work and have done two fairly large pieces to that end.

There are many techniques to my art form and I am hoping to display several of them here. There are also many types of acrylic paints, i.e., metallics, transparent, semi-transparent, semi-opaque, opaque, iridescent and interference paints to name a few. There are also many techniques to be learned and some of them can be combined: ring pour, dirty pour, open cup, flip cup, transfer, double dip, Dutch Pour and The Bloom and my personal favorite, The Hide-N-Reveal……just to name a few that I use.

Color. Color is what creates my pieces and how they play with the light. Some pieces require a dark background in order for the mica powders in the paint to react with the light, others require a light background. Interference/Iridescent paints work best on a dark background while color shift paints work best on a light background. I am obsessed with the way these paints play with the light.

I have pieces all over Ohio and am a member of this Association, Tipp City Area Council of the Arts, The Miamisburg Art Gallery, The Springfield Museum of Art where I have a piece in their members show, The Dayton Society of Artists where I took first place in their peace accords show. I have 4 pieces in The Middletown Juried show and have just been honored to do a solo show in Salem, Ohio (June of 2026).

Please enjoy the show….

Francis (Frank) Trick

MEMBER NEWS

Our Thursday Paint-In members were able to watch the live broadcast in the gallery as our very own Warren Brown was inducted into the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame Class of 2025 in a ceremony held on November 6 at The Ohio State University. This recognition honors outstanding achievement and service to others following honorable service in the military. Congratulations, Warren, and thank you for your service in all its forms! The video of this event can be seen at the following link:

https://ohiochannel.org/video/ohio-veterans-hall-of-fame-induction-ceremony-11-6-2025

Pat Higgins and Brendan Higgins had a show at the Kettering Lathrem Center for the month of November. Pat Higgins had a photograph selected in the Evendale, Ohio Photo Contest. The selected photos were reproduced on posterboard and are on display outside at their city swimming pool on Reading Road.

Tessa Kalman exhibited a solo show in October at the London Arts Center, London, Ohio, and sold 9 pieces. She exhibited a solo show in November at the Beavercreek Community Library, and won First Place at the Western Ohio Watercolor Society Fall Show with her piece “Bringing in the Beans.”

FAA members who also won awards at the WOWS Fall Show were:

Second Place – Paula Whittington for “Sunlit Pumpkins”

Third Place – Eileen Thomson for “Our Gang”

Honorable Mention – Audrey McGowin for “Pumpkin Interrupted”

Honorable Mention – Shirlee Bauer for “In the Mist of Colors

Honorable Mention – Carol Collett for “The Last Harrah”

CALL FOR ENTRIES – 36TH ANNUAL WORKS ON PAPER

Rosewood Arts Center’s 36th Annual Works on Paper juried exhibition will be held on January 20 through February 28, 2026. Artists living within a 40-mile radius of Dayton, Ohio, may submit original works in any media (2-D or 3-D) on or of paper, completed within the last four years and not exceeding 40 inches in width. Entries can be dropped off at the Gallery, 2655 Olson Drive, Kettering, Ohio, on January 3, 2026, from 1:00–3:00 pm or January 5, 2026, from 12:00–8:00 pm, along with the entry fee and completed entry form. For more information, visit: https://www.playkettering.org/artist-entry-information/

CALL FOR ARTISTS – CONTEMPORARY DAYTON

The Contemporary Dayton is inviting artists to donate original postcard-sized artworks (measuring 4 x 6 inches) for its new fundraising exhibition and sale to support their mission of advancing equity, diversity and access. “In Small Measure” will take place February 13–14, 2026. Submission deadlines: February 1, 2026 (Postmark) and February 4, 2026 (In-person drop-off). For more information, visit their website at: https://codayton.org/events/calls-for-entry/

FAA EVENTS 2025

December 1–31 Art exhibit by member Francis Trick

December 13    3:00 pm–5:00 pm Holiday Party

FAA EVENTS 2026

February 3        7:00 pm–8:30 pm Watercolor with pastel demo by guest artist Pam Hartford

March 3            7:00 pm–8:30 pm Watercolor painting in steps by guest artist Marcia Hartsock

April 7              7:00 pm–8:30 pm Watercolor demo with guest artist Andrea Walker 

May 3               1:00 pm–4:00 pm Members’ Fine Art Show

May 5               7:00 pm–8:30 pm Demo/Workshop artist TBD

May 10             1:00 pm–4:00 pm Members’ Fine Art Show

May 17             1:00 pm–4:00 pm Members’ Fine Art Show

June 2               6:30 pm–8:30 pm Social

August 15–16   Fairborn Sweet Corn Festival (Community Park)

September 1      7:00 pm–8:30 pm Oil painting demo with guest artist Marybeth Karaus

October 6         7:00 pm–8:30 pm Demo/Workshop artist TBD

November 3      7:00 pm–8:30 pm Oil/acrylic/mixed media demo with guest artist Dr. Hyacinth Paul

December 1      Holiday Party (Date subject to change)

SUBMISSION DEADLINE FOR NEXT NEWSLETTER

The deadline for submitting articles to be included in the February 2026 newsletter is Monday, January 19, 2026. Please call or email the article to the Corresponding Secretary, April Coppess.

---

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Hello Fellow Artists!

We are now on the fast track towards Thanksgiving and Christmas! Wasn’t I just wearing shorts and flipflops? I am now wearing sweaters, sweatshirts, jeans, huddling in blankets, and decorating my house in pumpkins and turkeys.  I hope you all are enjoying the experience of changing seasons and the joy they bring.

The guest demo artist for our meeting on Tuesday, November 4, at 7:00 pm will be Charmaine Boggs who works in mixed media. I look forward to seeing you all there!

This month I would like to thank Debbie Cosenza for all she does as Membership Chairperson. She greets us each month and is in charge of keeping track of membership paperwork and collecting dues, makes sure we have a new directory printed every year to distribute to members, and brings our door prizes. She is such joy to work with, and I appreciate all she does!

Just a reminder that our Christmas party will be held on Saturday, December 13, from 3:00-5:00 pm. It will be catered, and you need to bring a $15 gift if you want to participate in our gift exchange. We always have a good time with Warren Brown playing Santa Claus.

That’s all for now, so keep creating, my friends!

Linda Brandenburg, President

NOVEMBER’S GUEST ARTIST – CHARMAINE BOGGS

Charmaine Boggs will demo at FAA on Tuesday, November 4, at 7:00 p.m. Charmaine, visual artist and photographer, is a long time Centerville resident and retired Incarnation School teacher. Her present work is focused on mixed media experimentation, combining the traditional art materials of canvas, paint, and ink with photography, cyanotype print-making, and collage. Her work is often inspired by the beauty of the natural world, by the written word expressed in poetry and literature, and sometimes just by the materials on her worktable. All find their way into her art, as she experiments with layers of paints, inks, and other art mediums, combining them with her photography, cyanotype prints, and even repurposed older artwork.

Charmaine is a member of the Dayton Society of Artists, the Miamisburg Art Gallery, and the Women’s TriArt Society. She shares her work regularly on Instagram and Facebook, offers tutorials and behind the scenes video clips on YouTube, and has a website at www.CBoggsArt.com

FAA GALLERY FEATURED ARTIST OF THE MONTH

The walls of our gallery will feature the works of member Shirlee Bauer for the month of November. Besides being a long-time member of FAA, Shirley is a signature member of the Ohio Watercolor Society and is a member of the Western Ohio Watercolor Society.

If you would like to showcase your art at our gallery, please contact Carol Collett.

MEMBER NEWS

Bonnie Kuntz has a painting at the Springfield Museum of Art’s 79th Juried Members’ Exhibition which runs through December 28, 2025. She had two paintings in the “Earth Tones” show at the Woodbourne Library and a solo exhibit “One Woman’s Journey” at the Gallery at Sinclair College in Centerville in October. She is also teaching watercolor classes now at that same campus.

Congratulations to the following FAA members whose entries were accepted into the Middletown Arts Center 2025 Area Art Exhibition. The exhibition runs through December 11, 2025, at 130 N. Verity Pkwy., Middletown, OH 45042.

Billie Dickson – “Pensive” (Watermedia)

Carol Edsall – “Botanical Wonder” (Watermedia)

Darci Salinas – “Royal Malachite” (First Place in Jewelry), “Opal Ice with Topaz” (Honorable Mention in Jewelry), “Hemimorphite in Copper” (Jewelry)

Rose Schultz – “Ready, Set, Go” (Mixed Media), “Wallflowers” (Mixed Media)

Francis Trick – “Mulberry in the Fall” (Oils/Acrylics), “An Iridescent Cosmos” (Oils/Acrylics), “After the Rain” (Oils/Acrylics), “The Pink Garden” (Mixed Media)

Mary J. White – “Geraniums” (Third Place in Watermedia)

Yuki Hall won second place for her painting at the Ohio Plein Air Society’s Annual Competition in September.

WOWS FALL MEMBERS SHOW

The Western Ohio Watercolor Society Fall Members Show “Essence of Autumn” will be held November 1–22, 2025, at the Yellow Springs Arts Council Gallery, 111 Corry Street, Yellow Springs, Ohio. Hours are Thursday–Sunday 1:00–4:00 pm with a reception on November 7 from 4:00–7:00 pm.

FAA EVENTS 2025

November 4      7:00 pm–8:30 pm Mixed media demo by guest artist Charmaine Boggs

December 13    3:00 pm–5:00 pm Holiday Party (Note date change)

FAA EVENTS 2026

February 3        7:00 pm–8:30 pm Watercolor with pastel demo by guest artist Pam Hartford

March 3            7:00 pm–8:30 pm Watercolor painting in steps by guest artist Marcia Hartsock

April 7              7:00 pm–8:30 pm Watercolor demo with guest artist Andrea Walker 

May 5               7:00 pm–8:30 pm Demo/Workshop artist TBD

June 2               6:30 pm–8:30 pm Social

August 15–16   Fairborn Sweet Corn Festival (Community Park)

September 1      7:00 pm–8:30 pm Oil painting demo with guest artist Marybeth Karaus

October 6         7:00 pm–8:30 pm Demo/Workshop artist TBD

November 3      7:00 pm–8:30 pm Oil/acrylic/mixed media demo with guest artist Dr. Hyacinth Paul

December 1      Holiday Party (Date subject to change)

SUBMISSION DEADLINE FOR NEXT NEWSLETTER

The deadline for submitting articles to be included in the December 2025 newsletter is Monday, November 17, 2025. Please call or email the article to the Corresponding Secretary, April Coppess.

---

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Happy Fall Y’all, (wasn’t that original!?)

It was wonderful to see everyone last month after our summer break, and I always enjoy our demos and am happy to pick up some pointers. I have just finished painting an octopus, two dog slates, (a commission) and am now working on an old saw, (another commission), so life is interesting and keeps me hopping!  

This month’s meeting is on Tuesday, October 7, at 7:00 pm with Janet Rogers as our guest demo artist, so come early to get a good seat!

I also want to remind everyone that if you are considering being our next FAA president, please contact Carol Collett or myself, as this will absolutely be my last year.

Take care and keep creating!

Linda Brandenburg, President

OCTOBER’S GUEST ARTIST – JANET ROGERS

The Fairborn Art Association is pleased to welcome Janet Rogers as the guest artist for our October demo and workshop.

Janet Rogers has been a working professional artist for over 40 years, and is a National Instructor, conducting workshops across the United States and Europe. She is a Signature Member of the American Watercolor Society, Transparent Watercolor Society of America, Florida Watercolor Society, and many others, winning numerous awards for her paintings. As well as a National Instructor, she has demonstrated extensively for various groups and exhibitions. Her demos are widely seen on YouTube and Florida Watercolor Society.

Artist’s Statement

I love the qualities of watercolor – its fluid nature. To me, the interaction of artist with the medium is like a dance – full of motion, feeling and expression. I love to watch the painting develop and to discover new color and composition. As a teacher, I would like to enable students to find their connections with watercolor in a new and expressive way.

Janet Rogers AWS

OCTOBER WORKSHOP WITH JANET ROGERS

Our workshop, “Expressive, Loose Watercolors – Flowers to Figures” with Janet Rogers, will be held October 6–8, 2025, in the FAA Gallery, 221 N. Central Avenue, Fairborn, Ohio, 45324, from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm each day. The workshop is now full. Please email [email protected] if you would like to be put on the wait list.

FAA GALLERY FEATURED ARTIST OF THE MONTH

FAA member Joyce McCartney will be exhibiting her artwork at the Fairborn Art Association Gallery during the month of October 2025. Joyce plans to host a reception on October 25 from 2:00–4:00 pm for friends and family, including FAA members.

Artist Statement

I just love to paint. My routine is to go for walks in nature each day, take some photos and then paint them. I try to capture the peace and beauty I experienced on my walks or drives in the country. When I paint, I focus my mind on just one thing which gives me relief from all other thoughts which might be stressful or disturbing. In that focus, I connect with that small still voice that most artists encounter. It is the same “presence” that the mystics talk about, and it comes with a distinctive feeling of peace and contentment. With that, I feel happy. And so, that is why I paint. I didn’t attend art school, nor do I find that I sell much of what I do, but that does not matter because nothing compares to the happiness and peace that I feel while in nature and when painting. I also love to be in the company of other artists who feel this way because they also seek the relief from the stresses of life and enjoy diving into the delight of creating beauty. They do beautiful things and never any harm, so they make good companions. And so, we all make our way through life. 

Thanks for coming to view this collection which represents where I have come so far. Next year’s collection will be different and somewhere else down the road of an artist’s journey to create beauty in this world, but it will contain the same feelings of peace and bliss. That’s just what art is all about.

Joyce McCartney

FAIRBORN SWEET CORN FESTIVAL NEWS

“Sketches from the Cornfest” by Paula Whittington

At the Sweet Corn Festival, one of our 2023 FAA Scholarship recipients, Emma Williams, stopped by to visit. She is studying architecture and digital art at the University of Cincinnati DAAP (Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning). Such a bright and dynamic young lady! The $1000 scholarship helped with her school expenses, and Emma sends her thanks!

Paula Whittington

WATERMELON BOOTH REPORT

Leigh and I would like to thank everyone who supported the Watermelon Booth during the Sweet Corn Festival! We chopped and sold approximately 1,845 cups of watermelon!! This is our first year as co-chairs and we couldn’t have done it without all the volunteers!!! A big Thanks and Shout Out to Roger Browning for guiding us through it all!!

Susan Fosnot and Leigh Andrews 

FAA DONATION TO FAIRBORN PHOENIX

On September 6, 2025, FAA member Paula Whittington presented a $500.00 donation from The Fairborn Art Association to Fairborn Phoenix Director Jordan Terrell at the 75th Anniversary Gala.

FREE PORCELAIN PAINTS

Please contact Barbara Singerman (see Membership Directory) if you are interested in a free set of porcelain paints.

MEMBER NEWS

Congratulations to the following FAA members who won awards at the Piqua Arts Council 33rd Annual Fine Art Exhibition held in September 2025:

Tom Kinarney – First Place in Drawing for “Frog in Puddle”

Carol Edsall – Second Place in Water Media for “Merry-Go-Round Fantasy”

Diana Hoke – Third Place in Water Media for “South Beach”

James Gifford – Honorable Mention in Photography for “Thorny Situation”

Debbie Cosenza – Second Place in Miscellaneous for “Contemplations 4”

Congratulations to Yuki Hall whose work “Vintage Tram in Milan” was chosen for the Travel Exhibition of Watercolor Ohio 2025.

We are happy to announce that Warren Brown, who served as our Sweet Corn Festival Chair for many years, has been named as an Inductee into The Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame Class of 2025 which honors outstanding service and accomplishment following honorable service in the military. Congratulations, Warren!

LANDSCAPES2026 JURIED ART HIKE

A Juried Art Hike will be held on Thursday, October 2, 2025, at 11:00 am. The target area to inspire Landscapes2026 artists is Estel Wenrick Wetlands Nature Preserve in Bethel Township, managed by B-W Greenway Community Land Trust and owned by the Clark County Park District. Another Juried Art Hike at his location is planned for Thursday, May 7, 2026, at 10:00 am.

TIPP CITY AREA ARTS COUNCIL PRESENTS PLEIN AIR EVENT

The Tipp City Area Arts Council is hosting a plein air event on October 4, 2025. Register online before October 4 for the early bird rate or register day of/in-person at 9:00 am at the Hotel Gallery, 109 E. Main Street, Tipp City, Ohio. For more information, call 937-543-5115 or visit their website at: tippcityartscouncil.com

CALL FOR ENTRIES – MIDDLETOWN ARTS CENTER AREA ART EXHIBITION

The Middletown Arts Center Area Art Exhibition will be held October 24–December 11, 2025. Any artist 18 years of age or older and living within a 50-mile radius of Middletown, Ohio, is eligible to enter this juried competition. Work will be received starting October 9. Visit their website for more information: middletownartscenter.com/events-exhibits

FAA EVENTS 2025

October 6–8……9:30 am–4:30 pm Watercolor workshop with guest instructor Janet Rogers

October 7……….7:00 pm–8:30 pm Watercolor demo by guest artist Janet Rogers

November 4……7:00 pm–8:30 pm Mixed media demo by guest artist Charmaine Boggs

December 2……Holiday Party (Date subject to change)

FAA EVENTS 2026

February 3……..7:00 pm–8:30 pm Watercolor with pastel demo by guest artist Pam Hartford

March 3………….7:00 pm–8:30 pm Watercolor painting in steps by guest artist Marcia Hartsock

April 7……………7:00 pm–8:30 pm Watercolor demo with guest artist Andrea Walker 

May 5…………….7:00 pm–8:30 pm Demo artist TBD (Workshop TBD)

June 2…………….6:30 pm–8:30 pm Social

September 1… 7:00 pm–8:30 pm Oil painting demo with guest artist Marybeth Karaus

October 6………7:00 pm–8:30 pm Demo artist TBD (Workshop TBD)

November 3…..7:00 pm–8:30 pm Oil/acrylic/mixed media demo with guest artist Dr. Hyacinth Paul

December 1…..Holiday Party (Date subject to change)

SUBMISSION DEADLINE FOR NEXT NEWSLETTER

The deadline for submitting articles to be included in the November 2025 newsletter is Monday, October 20, 2025. Please call, or email the article to, April Coppess.

---