May 2026 Newsletter
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.
April 2026 Newsletter
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.
March 2026 Newsletter
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
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.
February 2026 Newsletter
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.
December 2025 Newsletter
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.