Fairfield Art Association opens Membership Exhibit

The Fairfield Art Association has announced the opening of its annual Membership Exhibit.

Twenty- five artists have original art works on display in the Main Gallery at the Fairfield Arts & Convention Center. It is open to the public for viewing during business hours Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Masks are required, and attendees must practice social distancing.

A reception will be planned later in March, when awards will be announced with four outstanding art works and a critique of each piece will be given. This event will be also be viewable online, with details later.

This year, the FAA invited its members to select from several canvas size options to work on, a set of four 6” by 6,” a 6” by 12,” 11” by 14,” 12” by 12,” or 16” by 16.”

'As we got into the project, and COVID cases were rising around us, a few artists asked if they could use a canvas they already had at home if it were close in size,” said FAA volunteer director Suzan Kessel. 'We wanted to be lenient in this upside-down year, along with concern we would not have as many participants, so the answer was yes. We even opened up to include a non-canvas entry of a 16 by 16 metal piece by Curt Swarm.”

Kessel said she feels turnout is good with 25 entries featuring paintings in oil, acrylic and watercolor, several mixed media, photography, and textile.

'I am thinking that next year, FAA might go back to including all art medias as we used to do,” she said.

Artists participating are from Fairfield, Washington, New London, Mt.Pleasant, Ft. Madison, Pulaski and Pleasant Plain, and include: Susan Bomzer, Kathleen Almelien, Cindy Ballou, Deb Baughman, Ann Bosold, Care Connet, Elaine Duncan, Rolf Erickson, Annie Guldburg, Bonnie Hendericks, Brett Hendericks, Suzan Bates Kessel, Jessica Kirby, Gin Lammert, Pamela Lander, Cathryn Layer, Hans Eric Olson, John Preston, Trish Rocca, Wyndi Rutledge, Mark Shafer, John Schirmer, Curt Swarm, Laura Weinberg and Ron Weinberg.