Val Cavalheri

​ Behind every successful festival are the people who quietly make it happen. The Plein Air Easton Hall of Fame was created to honor those whose commitment, leadership, creativity, and support have helped the festival grow from an ambitious idea into a nationally recognized event. In this series, we celebrate the 2026 inductees and the lasting impact each has had on the Plein Air Easton story. Walk into a Plein Air Easton competition gallery, and you notice the paintings.

Even artists have asked Tawny Chatmon what kind of paint she uses on her subjects' faces after standing in front of her work. The question doesn't surprise her anymore. "It's a photograph," she said. "But I also want you to have the feeling that you're looking at a painting that existed long before now." That tension between photography and painting is central to the Maryland artist's work, now on view through July 3 at the Academy Art Museum as part of its Juneteenth exhibition.

The audience at the Avalon Theatre in Easton, Maryland, over Memorial Day weekend did not need much background going into Behind the Lines: A 9/11 Story. Most people in the room were old enough to remember exactly where they were on September 11, 2001. Some had clearly carried those memories with them for a long time.