During the summer of 2023 we sent all of our members from our three online galleries — Featured Artists, Artist Showcase and Associate Artists — a request to share their most recent exciting news. We wrote, “Share your exciting news! Do you have an exhibition? Did you receive an award? Are you planning to give a workshop? Are you working on an important commission? Did you get publicity? Pick your best news and tell us about it.” We are always delighted to present this running series in which Artist Members Share Exciting News. I know you’ll love reading their impressive responses.

Artists are arranged in the order in which we received their replies. The artists’ names will take you to their pages where you will see more of their artwork and read about their many achievements. Please visit the artists’ websites and contact them directly to inquire about purchasing their art.

Banner image: Mexican Zinnia and Hydrangea by Sandra Belitza-Vazquez

Barbara Rachko

My new short film, “Barbara Rachko: True Grit,” is an Official Selection of the Newport Beach Film Festival, the International Fine Arts Film Festival (Santa Barbara) and the Montreal Women Film Festival. We made it with a first-time female director and a mostly female crew. The filmmakers and I are thrilled and cannot wait to attend the NBFF in October. We are hoping to turn our short documentary into a feature film at a later date.

Tommy B. McDonell

On August 4, 2023, I received a Second Place Award in Photography for “New York Minute”. And on August 26 I will be moving back to NYC, NY.

Jane Foley Ferarro

Very honored that my painting “Echoes Softly Pace” (shown above) was awarded Third Place Abstract in the June Bold Brush Painting Competition. Thank you to judge Kyle Stuckey and award sponsor FASO (Fine Art Studio Online).

Yvonne Welman

Visual Art Open (VAO) presented her with a Certificate in the VAO23. Her painting “Dance Macabre Event”, shown above, has been selected to appear on a large screen in Times Square, NYC, NY.

Eva Breitfuß

Recently I received three awards: The Michelangelo Art Prize; The Star of Art and Market 2023 Teatro Italia in Rome, Italy; and ZEUS ‘Il Re degli Dei Olimpi’ from the ‘Accademia Italia in Arte Nel Mondo’, Teatro Politeama Greco, Lecce, Italy. Currently I’m participating in ‘Sur la Route’ #2 – “Internal Borders“, a traveling exhibition through Italy, curated by Gilbert Ciervo, Director of Monteoliveto Gallery in Napoli. In September, 2023, two of my artworks will be exhibited in ‘Interconnecting Lines’ at Artio Gallery, One Art Space, in NYC, NY.

Ruth Soller

“New Frontiers”, juried art exhibition includes diverse artistic visions of our Western Heritage. Cheyenne Frontier Days Old West Museum sponsors the Opening Reception on Friday, November 3rd, 5:30- 7:30. The Show runs through December 3rd, 2023. I am thrilled four of my landscapes are included along with two holiday decorations. My paintings are “Minerva Terrace Yellowstone”, “Cliff Palace Mesa Verde”, “Yosemite Falls”, (shown above) and “Bluebird Sky Walden Pond”. My holiday mini paintings are “Partridge in a Pear Tree” and “Pink Poinsettia”.

Editor’s note: Ruth Soller has been presented with a Special Recognition Art Award in “The Healing Power of Elements” 2023 exhibition. This will include an interview on the Manhattan Arts International website.

Barbara Brown

I’ve been asked to give an interview telling my story as an artist and be on the cover of a local magazine: Discover Sixty-Five, Kootenay Seniors Living. “Dedicated to providing valuable information, resources, and inspiration to enhance the lives of seniors in our community”; highlighting “inspiring stories, profiles of extraordinary people, and showcase(ing) the diverse talents and achievements of seniors in the Kootenays.” Living in the Kootenay region, and being a senior myself, these are my people! Exciting!

Joe Stavec

Joe supplied this impressive list of awards:
2023 August – 47th Annual Juried Art Exhibition, Fairmount Center for the Arts, Novelty, Ohio – Best of Show for “Anticipation of a Moment”, Sumi Ink on paper.
2023 July – Curated Invitational BIG @SS @RT SHOW, Gallery at Lakeland, Kirtland, Ohio for “The Village” Twenty Five Scenes, oil on canvas.
2023 June – Juried Online Exhibition, World Art Awards – Surrealism 1st Place Award for “The Departure”, oil on canvas, Surrealism 6th Place Award Tie “A die was cast”, oil on canvas and Fashion 1st Place Award Tie “It was here more than anywhere, they held their invisible meetings”.

Dee Tivenan

My exciting news may not be exciting to some but it is to me. I’ve been experimenting with collage and asymmetrical shapes. I started with no expectations and just wanted to play. However, I’ve been learning more about shapes and am delighted with some of the pieces.

Leanne Fink

The American Impressionist Society has selected “Arrival”, my oil and cold wax painting (shown above) for inclusion in their 2023 Associate Member Online Exhibition. I was thrilled to be recognized by AIS. Their bar is set to the highest standards which makes for stiff competition. So exciting to have my work chosen.

Anne Morrison Rabe

My latest show was at the 63rd annual juried Art On The Rocks Art Fair in my summer hometown in Michigan. It was very successful for me in terms of sales and exposure. (Jackie Speier, a long-term Congresswoman from my home state of California, even paid a visit to my booth!) I was honored to have my image, “Hosta,” chosen for all the promotional materials including the poster that was sold for the show.

Sandra Duran Wilson

I just completed an artist residency in Apulia Italy. I waded into ancient neolithic grottos, climbed rocky plateaus, swam in the bluest waters and discovered ancient standing stones and dolmans. It was only an hour to go from one coast to the other and the sea was an incredible range of blues and greens that I am still processing. Travel is the best way to jumpstart creativity and I offer workshops in Italy and other countries as well.

Paula Borsetti

My recent work is focused on healing, understanding and raising awareness of ALS. My friend’s son lost his 9 ½ year battle with ALS on June 12, 2023. He was 34. I reached out to a local brewer who is creating an ALES for ALS for November. We will honor Bobby’s story with this ale and one of my paintings will be the label. This coincides with my solo show at the Gulu Gulu Cafe in Salem, MA. in November.

Sandra Belitza-Vazquez

My granddaughter’s first grade teacher invited me in April, to talk about my self-published bilingual children’s books with her class. I was met by fifteen super excited, and interested children all anxious to hear about the wrens, sparrows, insects and spiders I wrote about in my books during the pandemic. My granddaughter and I shared reading one of the books while also answering a barrage of questions. It was a thrill for them to hold a real robin’s nest, too!

Mary Lou Dauray

My “Coal” art series will be featured at the Gefen Gallery in San Francisco the night of October 12, 2023, for a special program hosted by Appalachian Voices.

Rajul Shah

My art was accepted to be a part of the Autumn issue of “Art Seen” magazine based in the UK! My art was also featured in an online exhibition in Times Square with HVMC gallery!