DFAAnews
December 2025
The Dunwoody Fine Art Association (DFAA) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to:
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Promote fine art in the Dunwoody, GA area
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Encourage its artists to exhibit their art
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Support each other in their creativity and self-expression through lectures, critiques, workshops and exhibits
THOUGHT OF THE MONTH
"Christmas (Hannukah) is doing a little something extra for someone.” Charles M. Schulz
Direct inquiries to the DFAAnews editor:
Susan Gallo suegallo@comcast.net
Deadline for news items - 15th of each month
TIP FOR MOBILE VIEW --- Turn your phone sideways and the font size will increase as the page adjusts to the new orientation.
IMPORTANT DATES
December 3 - Holiday Luncheon, 11:30
December 10 - S&I submissions CLOSE
No Board Meeting
December 17 - Open Paint/Create, 11:00 - 3
HELPFUL HINT --- Login is not necessary unless you want to view the member directory.
PRESIDENT'S LETTER
“I prefer winter and fall, when you feel the bone structure of the landscape,
something waits beneath it: the whole story doesn’t show.” - Andrew Wyeth
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Dear DFAA Members,
Hope you had a great Thanksgiving and are ready to say good bye to 2025. I see for DFAA a successful ending to this year. We have accomplished much and there is more to come in 2026. We launched a very successful Fall with Dunwoody Fine Art Month, thanks to Julie Marshall and her team. As a result, we now have many more venues in which to hang our art. We have launched Sights & Insights to open in 2026 at the Abernathy Art Center. Please, enter, you have until December 10. It would be grand if our members were the majority of artists in the exhibit.
Also, I personally am winding down my role as president of DFAA. It is time for others in DFAA to step up and take a role in DFAA. Please remember we are a volunteer organization which depends on membership participation, from all of us. Nominations for board members will be coming up soon, please give it some thought.
Lynne and I have put together the luncheon at Marlows Tavern in Dunwoody for Wednesday, December 3 at 11:30. If you have not signed up to attend and find that you are able, please call Lynne no later than November 25. It will be a nice way to end 2025 with a celebration of each other and DFAA’s accomplishments.
And: “Winter is a season of recovery and preparation.” Paul Theroux
Happy Holidays!
Our Best Wishes to you,
Barbara and Lynne
Sights & Insights Submissions Close 12/10
There is still time to submit your work through ArtCall at dfaa2026.artcall.org. Our juror will be Veronica Hogan. Opening reception will be held Saturday, January 31st. Prize money will total more than $1200.
For much more information the prospectus is attached below. And see the ARTISTS CORNER for the event flyer.
DFAA 2026
Sights & Insights
Prospectus
UPCOMING EVENTS
January Presentation - Sandy Teepen
At 87 years old, fabric artist Sandy Teepen continues to create and exhibit with remarkable energy and passion,
transforming fabric into vivid stories of color, texture, and memory.
Teepen’s quilted collages blend traditional quilting techniques with bold contemporary design, reflecting her lifelong fascination with color and texture. A former costume assistant for major theaters including the Guthrie and the Missouri Repertory, Teepen has spent more than three decades exploring the expressive possibilities of textiles, drawing inspiration from the fabrics friends bring her from around the world.
Surrounded by swatches, art books, and mementos in her Midtown Atlanta studio, she continues to craft wall hangings and custom pieces that connect memory and material — proof that creativity, like her stitches, only strengthen with time. If you would like to see her exhibited work it will be available at Gallery 1740 beginning 11/21.
DFAA Holiday Luncheon - December 3rd
This year our holiday luncheon will be held at Marlow's Tavern in Dunwoody at 11:30. The deadline to sign up is November 25th. Questions? lynne.joffe@gmail.com
It's Almost Time to Renew Your Membership
Starting in January it will be time for all current members to renew your membership dues. That includes those who joined for the reduced rate in the fall. Click on the link below to pay online by selecting the "Buy Now" button for the $60 annual payment.
EXHIBITIONS
EXHIBIT CHANGEOUT DATES
Chupitos - TBD
Dunwoody Library - January 7, 1:00 pm 2026
Shallowford Annex - February 4, after our meeting
The BoB Juried Exhibit - Now thru 1/7/26
Thank you to Carol Santos for being the juror for our exhibit. The 3 award winners are pictured below.
1st Place - Communication, Jenny Kalmin
3rd Place - The Guitar Player, Pat Webster
2nd Place - Solitude, Mark Nanes
Fine Art Month - New Venues
Several of the businesses that hosted our artwork during Dunwoody Fine Art Month have decided to become permanent venues for our group!
Atlanta Marriott Perimeter Parkway, Berkshire Hathaway, Dunwoody Pediatrics, Dunwoody Pediatric Dentistry and Judy and Grace Boutique. We are excited to have 5 more places to share our work with the community! Julie Marshall has volunteered to be the External Exhibits Chair overseeing the details for each venue. We need captains for the 5 new venues. Volunteer with a friend!
Please let Julie Marshall know where you would like to display your artwork in order to facilitate placement of artwork.
Text Julie at 404-312-0346
Members should pick up their BoB pieces from the library at 1:00 after the January meeting. You may bring 2 pieces to hang for the changeout. Contact Barbara Riordan with questions briordan@comcast.net​
ARTISTS CORNER
Holiday Ornaments for Hotel Trees - Update
Create Dunwoody invited local artists to celebrate the season by showing and selling their works at participating hotels who will display a professionally decorated holiday tree featuring artwork in a variety of mediums.
The participating hotels in Dunwoody will be:
The Hampton Inn
The Atlanta Marriott at Perimeter Center
And possibly The Atlanta Crown Plaza Ravinia
At this time we aren't sure if DFAA ornaments will hang together at 1 place or mixed together ith other participants…Dunwoody Gallery, Spruill Gallery, Spruill Art Center plus some school age children. The ornaments that’s don’t sell will be returned in January.
Harriette Perlstein
“On Safari”, a watercolor by Harriette Perlstein, sold during the Dunwoody Fine Art Month kickoff reception at Chupito’s Azteca Grille. Congrats to Harriette and to the new owner of her beautiful painting.
DUMC Veil Exhibit
Mary Phillips will be exhibiting her creations at the VEIL (Visual Arts Exhibit in the Library) of the Dunwoody United Methodist Church during November and December 2025. She calls her collection “My Journey in Creativity.” The selections will display a variety of original works including paintings, jewelry, fused glass, poetry, crewel embroidery, macrame, samples of her 400 Covid sewn masks, and a child’s lined pink coat to name a few. After exploring creative opportunities, Mary selected painting personal cards in watercolor as her favorite artistic endeavor. Contact info: maryphil@bellsouth.net
Harriette Perlstein
Hariette also recently exhibited her painting “Don’t Let Me Down” at the Distillery of Modern Art exhibition “Distilled Impressions - A Visual Pour”.
Corners Outreach for December
The Corners Outreach bags were filled on November 19th. 100 students will receive our gift bags at their Christmas party in early December from DFAA. Thanks to Queenie and Harriette who helped Mary Phillips put the bags together. And thanks to Mary for gathering all the materials!
DFAA LEADERSHIP TEAM 2024 - 2026
DFAA Officers
President: Barbara Riordan
Co - President: Lynne Joffe
1st Vice President: Joan Monroe, Programs​
2nd Vice President: Traci Kruger, Membership
Secretary: Harriette Perlstein
Treasurer: Karen Peay
DFAA Committee Chairpersons
Barn Paint Days: Janette Worley
Corners Outreach: Mary Phillips
EBlast Communications: Jenny Kalmin
Hospitality: TBD
Membership: Traci Kruger
Newsletter Editor: Susan Gallo
Online Directory: Traci Kruger
Programs & Workshops: Joan Monroe
Printed Brochure: Tim Minton
Publicity: Sharon Weiss
Social Media: Traci Kruger
Webmaster: Susan Gallo
Exhibit Chairpersons
Best of the Best 2025: J Kalmin, S Weiss, L Joffe
Dunwoody Library Hall: J Kalmin, S Weiss, L Joffe
Dunwoody Fine Art Month: Julie Marshall
External Exhibit Coordinator: Julie Marshall
Sandy Springs Library Gallery: Donna Fitzwater
Sights & Insights 2026: Barbara Riordan & Lynne Joffe
Shallowford Annex: Joan Monroe
PLEASE NOTE: DFAA members do not need to subscribe to the newsletter.