Dawn E. Whitelaw
"It's not about rendering every eyelash or tree limb, but about finding the character of your subject and presenting the essential information."
Dawn Whitelaw is one of the artists in residence at On Track Studios in Franklin, Tennessee. The opportunity to paint “en plein air” with her artist colleagues adds richness and honesty to her studio work. Most of her formal instruction came from a long-term mentorship with New York painter, Everett Raymond Kinstler.
Ms. Whitelaw is currently on the faculty of the Portrait Society of America, where she holds the office of Vice Chairman. She is a frequent instructor for Plein Air South and the Plein Air Convention. For over 25 years she taught painting as an adjunct instructor at David Lipscomb University. She continues to teach throughout the country by conducting workshops in oil painting principles and drawing.
Selected Commissions & Collections
Dawn's work is included in the permanent collection of the Rahr-West Art Museum, as well as numerous private collections throughout the United States.
Honors & Awards
- 2025, The Richard M. Carrell, Distinguished Artist Award
- 2024, The Fine Art Connoisseur's Liftime Achievement Award
- 2024, The Portrait Society of America's Excellence in Fine Art Education Award
- 2022, Invited Artist, Inaugural Plein Air in the Smokies Event
- 2022, Featured Main Stage Demonstration, PACE, Santa Fe, NM
- 2021, The AIS, All Associate Member Online Exhibition, The Master Member Award, First Place
- 2021, Plein Air Magazine Special Feature, “Five Artists to Admire All Over Again”
- 2020, Award of Excellence, Oil Painters of America, Eastern Regional Exhibition
- 2020, Masters Award of Excellence, AIS Small Works Show
- 2019, Award of Excellence, Associate and Signature Division, Oil Painters of America Eastern Regional Exhibition
- 2017, The American Art Collector’s Master Award of Excellence at the 2017 AIS Annual Juried Exhibition
- 2017, Master’s Award of Excellence, AIS Small Works Showcase
- 2016, Elected to Master status by the American Impressionist Society
- 2016, Award of Excellence, AIS National Exhibition
- 2015, Award of Merit, AIS National Exhibition
- 2014, 1st Place, Piedmont Plein Air Event, High Point, NC
- 2014 and 2015, 2nd Place, Door County Plein Air, Fish Creek, WI
- 2014, 3rd Place, Richmond Plein Air Event, Richmond, VA
- 2012, 2013, 2015, Plein Air Magazine included her work in feature articles
- 2010, One of ten American women artists invited to exhibit in “Inspiring Figures” at the Butler Institute of American Art
- 2007, 2nd Place, Pastel/Dry Medium: Richeson 75: Figure/Portrait International
- 2002, Award of Excellence, Oil Painters of America Regional Show
- 2001, Best of Show Award, International Portrait Competition
- 1997, The Avalon Award for Creative Excellence awarded by Lipscomb University
In recent years, Dawn Whitelaw has also won awards in The Olmsted Plein Air Invitational, the Piedmont Plein Air Paint Out, and in Plein Air Richmond. She has also been featured in a podcast interview with Eric Rhodes on Plein Air Podcast.
