The American Society Of Aviation Artists, Celebrating 39 years and counting.
ASAA entered the planning stages in 1981 and, after much communication and study, was founded by the five founding artists, Keith Ferris, Jo Kotula, Bob McCall, R. G. Smith and Ren Wicks, with our incorporation in 1986.
The founders’ goals for the organization were to bring together artists sharing a deep interest in aviation and art for the purpose of advancing professionalism in aviation/aerospace art. This was to be accomplished through the exchange of information, the education of artists and the public, and by sharing experience and ideas for the betterment of our profession.
ASAA strives for the highest standards of artistic quality in aviation/aerospace art, while assuring the technical accuracy demanded by the aerospace world.
Beginning with the founders and 25 charter artist members, membership has grown to include some 150 artists from over 40 of the United States, from Argentina. Canada, England, Hungary, Pakistan and South Africa.
We also welcome associate members interested in aviation and Art and, in addition to the countries mentioned above, are proud to have associate members in Bulgaria, Germany, the Philippines and Switzerland.
ASAA holds annual educational aviation art forums in different venues each year and sponsors carefully juried open exhibitions of the best of entries from the world’s aviation art. Artists compete for monetary awards . These exhibitions are usually on display in art or aviation museums near forum locations.
Aviation Week & Space Technology Magazine selects the “Best of the Best” in various categories of art in ASAA’s exhibition with cash awards and publication of the winning entries in its year-end annual Photo and Aviation Art Awards issue.
Members receive our quarterly publication “Aero Brush” which carries ASAA news, tips and stories about the state of aviation art.
Anyone interested in joining the American Society of Aviation Artists as Artist or Associate Member, to keep abreast of what is going on in aviation art, visit ASAA-AVART.COM
Some of our ASAA members had the opportunity to work on an amazing project this past spring. Collected and edited by American Airlines pilot and check airman Captain Linda Pauwels, a series of four books combining poetry, art and the art of flying began with the first book, “Beyond Haiku: Pilots Write Poetry” which was released in December of 2020. Priscilla Patterson, our ASAA Education Chairman, had the honor of mentoring with some delightful young artists on their artwork, and was able to be a contributor on books 2 and 3. This youtube trailer for “Beyond Haiku: Women Pilots Write Poetry” introduces book 2, with an official book launch scheduled for October 27 at Books and Books in Coral Gables, FL. Video composition and design is by Kateryna Sikulska (who starts initial flight training in the fall) and music is by AA Captain Susan Maule. @beyondhaiku
ASAA artists Crissie Murphy, who created the cover for book 3, and Mark Pestana, along with Mark’s daughter and great nieces, contributed to book 4, which are still in production.
While all of our members worked pro bono, proceeds from sale of the books will be contributed to ASAA, along with ISA+21, The Ninety-Nines, and Women in Aviation International, promoting scholarships and education.
