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:
Honorable Mention: Paula Whittington “The Forest King”
Honorable Mention: Billie Dickson “Stephensplatz, Vienna”
Honorable Mention: Chris Powell “Soleil”
Honorable Mention: Teresa Stoddart “Symphony of Flowers”
Honorable Mention: Debbie Cosenza “Beneath the Surface”
Honorable Mention: Cindy Sayeedi “The Masked Bandit”
Judge’s Merit Award: Carol Edsall “A Cruise Awaits”
Judge’s Merit Award: Sue Seitz “I Am A Rhino”
Judge’s Merit Award: Connie Weber “Blossoms and Birds”
Judge’s Merit Award: Linda Keller “Whidbey Island, Washington
Judge’s Merit Award: Cynthia Davis “Pansy Parade”
Judge’s Merit Award: Jeffery Davis “Innocence”
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
“Thick in the Thistles”
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.