TAWA at 45
The Exhibition
Lonn Brander
Chestnut Walk
watercolor on paper, 2023; 15″h x 22.5″w
Lonn Braender grew up in Central Jersey but spent his summers at the Jersey shore. He attended Trenton State College (now The College of New Jersey) where he received a degree in art. He painted for over 20 years with his sister Kim. They showed their work throughout New Jersey, New England, and had a constant presence in the Artful Deposit in Bordentown, NJ. He joined TAWA in the late 1990s and was the president in the early 2000s. In 2004 Braender opened an art gallery in New Hope, Pennsylvania where feature works form a diverse group of artists: local, regional, national, and international. After a life event in 2011, Lonn was unable to devote the needed time to paint. But the creative force in him wouldn’t rest. While spending many hours on trains and planes, Braender started writing to keep his muse content. Since then, he has had seven short stories published in competitive anthologies, three of which were selected for awards. He continues to write both short stories and novel-length works and plans to self-publish a collection of short stories later this year. Braender will retire from corporate life soon and plans to get back into painting with the same fervor he had fifteen years ago. “Chestnut Walk” is the first painting he completed since 2010. Braender lives and works in Washington Crossing PA with his husband and muse.
“I’m humbled to have been asked to join TAWA for the 45th anniversary celebration! Because of them, I picked up my paints once again. After hours of fear and hesitation, I remembered that painting is fun, calming even. So, I forgot about the pressure and had a blast. I can honestly say, it was not like riding a bike. This show has kickstarted me. Thank you, TAWA.”