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.
