Phyllis Kohring Fannin Wins Top Award In The Juried Art Show In Chautauqua, NY

Serendipitous Lakewood High School Connections

Our daughter, Julie and her husband, Steve Meadows (both'90) happened to see Phyllis and George Fannin (retired LHS teachers - 1969-1998) at the opening of the Cleveland's W. 78th Street Studios. Phyllis mentioned that she had entered the 54th annual exhibition of Contemporary Art at the Chautauqua Institution; NY juried show and would be there at the opening. My husband, Jack ('60) and I went to the Strohl Art Center to meet Phyllis and her husband, George, to witness the announcement of the awards. 

As we entered the exhibit hall, we were awestruck by the powerful, almost life size paper lithography print entitled, "Last Moment in My arms" created by Fannin. The image which she created is of her son, Mark ('03) and herself. George had taken a photograph of the embrace she had given her son before he deployed to Afghanistan last summer. He is based with the Marine Second Battalion, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. The background is layered printings of topographical maps in various colors. As the artist describes the print, she said, "This print is part of a series of prints about saying goodbye and welcome home. The things that are said, the laughs and the tears that occur in those brief moments in deployments. The agony of the good- bye and the long absence and worry, to the ecstasy of their return."  Soon the curator of the juried show began to speak. There had been over 500 entries and 25 were selected for the exhibits. We were all overwhelmed as he announced that Phyllis Fannin had received the top award, the Bellinger Memorial Award. This show was juried by Jim Kempner, Director of the Jim Kempner Gallery, Chelsea, New York City. This print was also in the Boston Printmakers National Juried Exhibition this past winter at the Danforth Museum.

Mrs. Fannin taught in the Lakewood Schools, Baldwin Wallace College, and continues to teach at The Cleveland Institute of Art. Her studio is located in the former Lake Erie Screw Factory which she was instrumental in promoting as artist studios, which now has 30 artist workspaces. 

After the awards were announced, Mrs. Fannin insisted on introducing Jack to the judge. He had delivered both of their sons. Matt ('02) and Mark ('03) are both graduates of the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis. Matt is serving as a Navy Flight Officer as a tactical coordinator on P-3 Orion aircraft. He is based in Jacksonville, FL until he is deployed for his second assignment in the Middle East. Mark is a Marine Officer at Camp Lejeune, where he resides with his wife, Lindsey Reed Fannin ('03), until his next deployment. 

Phyllis and George appreciate all the support and prayers from their friends for their sons and all service personnel serving in the armed forces for the U.S.A.

Another Lakewood connection at the Chautauqua Art Center is that Jim ('59) and Mimi Gallo have supported the galleries with an exhibit hall.