“The Last Days of Autumn” (featured in my last article) received the Donna Balavitch Memorial Award in the Winter Arts Festival Competition at Gallery Uptown (Grand Haven, MI) last night. Donna was a watercolorist who loved and grew up on the shores of Lake Michigan. She was also the mother of Lee Ann Frame, who is the chair of the Winter Arts Festival in Grand Haven, MI.

In my correspondence with Lee Ann, who is now a print maker, she expressed how she loved sharing art with her mother; in fact, they used to share shows, galleries, and regular critiques.

I was very happy to hear how much Donna would have enjoyed my painting, and am honored to receive this award in her memory.