Martha is from Alabaster, Alabama and has a diverse background in the arts. She majored in art at Auburn University and at University of Alabama in Birmingham where she earned a BA degree in Fine Art. She worked as a commercial artist and as a medical illustrator, and had a successful mural business for 15 years. She has painted in watercolor for over 40 years and has won awards for her paintings. She has received many commissions for watercolor portraits of people as well as animals, homes and businesses. Martha has illustrated “Treasures in an Alabama Attic”, a children’s book by Sheror Caton Moore and the covers for “Fog on My Path” and “The Fog Has Lifted” by Tony Serio. She serves on the board of Alabama Plein Air Artists and for Mt. Brook Art Association where she has recently served as V.P. of Programs in 2023 and 2024 and is President Elect for 2025 . She developed her skills in watercolor through workshops with Wayne Spradley, Don Rankin and Pat Hall. She has taken oil workshops with Dawn Whitelaw, John Lasater, Jason Sacran, Caleb O’Conner, John Guernsey, Craig Reynolds, and Barbara Binford Davis. She studied portraiture for several years with Terry Strickland. She has also studied gouache painting with Kay Lewis, Manon Sander and Kathleen Denis. In everything that she does she seeks to glorify God through her work and gives thanks to Him for His gifts. (Colossians 3:17)

I am a self-taught artist working in watercolor, acrylic, and mixed media. I love to paint florals, landscapes, and abstracts but am always experimenting.

After 25 years as an art educator in public school and five years of teaching in other venues, Susie’s focus now is creating her own art. She works in oil, acrylic, watercolor and pastel and tends to change media seasonally. Subject matter varies, but she particularly enjoys representational still life and landscape painting. She has done many commissions and a handful of shows. Susie looks forward to growing as an artist, continuing to learn and share her work. She holds a BA in Studio Art from Furman University and an MA in Art Education from the University of Montevallo.

Delaina has been drawing and painting since childhood. She has a passion for acrylic painting, but also does some oil and drawing works. Animals, landscapes, and people are her favorite subjects, but often finds whatever may be in front of her an opportunity for study. She was graduated from Auburn University with a B.S, in Nutrition & Foods and a B.A, in Journalism. She began a dedicated focus on art after her children were grown. She has been accepted into and received awards from juried international shows. She is enjoying the benefits of community art associations (especially MBAA 😉 ) with opportunities for growth and special friendships.

Madison Faile is a painter born and raised in Alabama. Originally from Selma, his earliest artistic training came from his grandmother, an avid portrait painter. After graduating from Troy University in 2014 he moved to New Orleans where he began his art career. His first solo show was at Steve Martin Gallery on Julia Street in 2015. In 2018, he was granted a full museum show at Troy University’s International Art Center, the first alumni to be given such an honor. He is currently represented by galleries across the south. He produces a varied body of work from very realistic imagery to pure non objective abstraction. Madison lives and works in Birmingham, Alabama.

Nell Koopman has shown interest in painting and drawing since childhood. In 2011, after several years in the graphic design industry and teaching high school art. she opened a studio geared at teaching and exploring art with the neighborhood kids. Nell loves to paint with color and texture and manipulate the materials. Her artwork often incorporates layers of acrylic, gel, oil pastel, graphite and other mediums. When painting, mixing and layering, she is always wondering….“what happens if?” Her work is inspired by travel, music, and her Texas roots. Having a background in advertising and graphic arts, Nell’s early works were very structured and linear and through years of experimentation, her artwork has evolved to gesturally and a bit more free form and she prefers not to be tied to a particular style or subject matter. ​Nell and her husband Ben have four grown children and a sweet baby grandson named Henry. With the arrival of Henry, Nell began signing her work Nellie which she is called by close family and friends and soon Henry too.

I am an artist that has a background in fashion and illustration from Purdue university. I have fused my illustration background with mixed media and abstracts to define a unique way of painting. South Africa is the country I was born and raised in, but now based in Birmingham, Alabama. I was surrounded by parents that were artists, so was exposed to art from a young age in different genre – painting, music, dancing. I moved to the United States in 1993, and the opportunity to study what I love. My love for colors, flowers and fashion are all expressed in my artwork. My abstracts are an expression of my love for shapes, form, color and freedom! I don’t have to think too hard about what my color or shape theme is going to be. I have traveled too many places, and get my inspiration from everywhere I go, whether nature or a museum. I love to paint every day and continue to study books, and do everything I can to learn new ways to express my artwork.

Denise’s love for art began as a teenager taking oil painting lessons during summers from Margaret Hand, who lived in Gadsden. She majored in accounting at Auburn and had a career in heath care financial management at UAB Hospital. During those years she enjoyed various craft projects, but didn’t pick up a paint brush until she retired in 2008. Neighbor Carolyn Crowe encouraged her to join her in taking lessons from Sharon Wolfe, and Denise’s love for painting came back. Currently, she takes lessons from Ron Lewis. Her favorite subjects are beach and snow scenes and children in a realistic style in oil.

A very active member since 2006, Janet has served the association in many positions, but notably as President for 3 consecutive years and as Show Chair for many years. She is currently serving as Senior Member at Large as well as content editor for our newsletter. Award-winning works in oil or acrylic, popular depictions of local street scenes and churches, or horses done in loose wide brush strokes. Janet has studied with many well-known regional and nationally famous painters. Originally studying at the now renamed College for Creative Studies in Detroit gave her a firm background in composition and perspective, evident in her paintings today. Janet transitioned to working in interior design, store display and management for many years, creating only a painting or two a year until moving to Mountain Brook where she found encouragement and fun in painting with other artists.

Melinda Ponder Goode Born and raised in Mountain Brook, a suburb of Birmingham, AL, I’ve loved art and nature since a young child. I’m so grateful to my parents for instilling in me a love of the outdoors through camping, birdwatching and living in a home surrounded by nature. I earned a degree in Graphic Design from Auburn University in 1987. Transparent Watercolor was my favorite course at Auburn. I remember my professor telling me, “Let the water do the work.” I’ve never forgotten his words and credit him with the foundation for the success and joy I have found in painting today. After college, I was a staff designer and artist for Oxmoor House, the book division of Southern Living. Later, I became a full time mom of four boys. This was indeed the best job I ever had! After years of raising the boys, I found myself teaching preschool and working in Special Education at our local elementary school. I retired early to reconnect with my art and have never looked back. I paint with watercolor and gouache in my home studio located in Indian Springs Village, just outside of Birmingham. I paint primarily birds and animals. I’m so inspired by their beauty and unique personalities. I try and capture the finest details and combine those with loose, expressive brushstrokes, hopefully creating the sensation of movement or the most peaceful stillness. I hope each piece will bring a sense of wonder and beauty, that’s so readily found in nature, into my clients’ homes. Please follow me and my art on Instagram @MELINDAPONDERGOODEART

Janice Wood is a Birmingham award winning artist whose paintings have been displayed in numerous galleries. Janice developed an appreciation for the Old Masters’ still life paintings while majoring in Art at Huntingdon College in Montgomery, Alabama. Most recently, she studied for over five years under John Lonergan where her love for painting the details of light and shadows on everyday objects was reinforced. Today her work is best described as a blend of classical realism and impressionism..

Mediums: watercolor, acrylic, oil, mixed media, charcoal, pencil…..whatever I am in the mood for and whatever the client wants! Education: Samford University, B.A.; School of the Museum of Fine Arts.-Tufts, University, Boston;;Graphic Design & Illustration / BFA Program: Massachusetts College of Art and Design; Corcoran College of Art & Design, Washington, D.C.-George Washington University; Lisa’s artwork has been selected for many juried group exhibitions throughout the Southeastern U.S. and Washington, D.C. She has been fortunate enough to have been able to participate in the Bluff Park Art Festival since 2021 and a handful of other local shows in the B’ham area and along the Gulf Coast. Lisa is a former elementary school art educator, having worked with many children over the years whose only exposure to art was through the public school system, She now teaches part time through the Hoover Rec program for Adults with Special Needs. and is a member & part time volunteer with Studio by the Tracks, an art organization that provides free lessons and support for Adults and youth with Autism. Married to a retired Naval Aviator who served our country for 27 years, Lisa relocated 18 times across the United States. This experience afforded her access to exceptional art programs and the opportunity to learn from renowned artists. An avid nature enthusiast, Lisa holds the belief that God is our greatest artist. She draws inspiration and strength from the world around her.

Christi Bunn’s fine art paintings and drawings have been commissioned by clients across the United States and in the U.K. She is sought out for her architectural pieces, from homes to churches to commercial buildings and more. While her special attention to detail and faithful representation of perspective lends itself to architecture, she has also done portraits of people and animals. When she is not working on commissioned portraits, she loves doing paintings in vivid color of everything from florals to landscapes to scenes of everyday life. She is inspired by the beauty she finds around her everyday and by the Creator whose hand is in every part of that beauty. She is grateful to be doing what she loves everyday. Christi owns her own small business which includes both her fine art and also web and graphic design. She holds a bachelor of arts in advertising/graphic design from the University of Alabama. She has served MBAA as President in both 2016 and 2024 (which by default means she also served as President -elect in 2015 & 2023 and also Past-president in 2017 & 2025), along with other board roles as Corresponding Secretary, Recording Secretary, and VP Membership. She has also served as MBAA Web & Tech Admin for many years.

Creating oil paintings of landscapes of Alabama and the Smoky Mountains are one of my favorite works to create. I enjoy the outdoors, as long as it’s not too hot, and thus find it very satisfying to create oil paintings of landscapes and riverscapes of places I have visited. In the hot months of Alabama I have begun painting still lifes of fruits and vegetables and Master copies of paintings famous 18th and 19th century artists. I paint regularly with a group of artist in Mountain Brook. I have made some very good friends there. We occasionally paint together in other areas of Alabama. I also attended Ron Lewis Art classes in Mountain Brook for several years. I have been a member of the Mountain Brook Art Association for 20 years. I was the editor/publisher of the newsletter for 2 years and another 2 years Membership VP. I regularly volunteer to help with events and sometimes participate in events myself. I have been a member of the Alabama Plein Air Artists for at least 15 years. I have been able to participate as a painter and I have been able to show my work a few times most years. I have studied with British artist Peter Keegan and American artists Albert Handel, John MacDonald, Seth Haverkamp, John Cosby, and others. Commissions are accepted. You may email me at sojohnsey@gmail.com