On May 7, Lancaster County Art Association (LCAA), located at 149 Precision Ave. in Strasburg, opened two exhibits: the spring membership show and "Tall Lady Wearing a Hat," which features the work of LCAA member Dot Stepanaski. The spring membership show is located in the Kauffman Gallery, and Stepanaski's work is in the Steinmetz Gallery. Both exhibits will be open until Thursday, June 1, during LCAA's regular hours, which can be found at http://www.lcaaonline.org.

The spring membership show includes artwork from a variety of LCAA members. Each member was able to enter up to two pieces of work for the show. The paintings will be judged, and awards will be given out in both the professional and nonprofessional categories.

Stepanaski named her exhibit after the unofficial title given to her by the community, due to her high stature and signature wide-brimmed hat. Stepanaski, who is 6 feet tall, said that she wears the hat to prevent her eyes from straining while she paints. "Sometimes, people don't even recognize me without my hat," Stepanaski added. "It's just how everyone knows me."

"Tall Lady Wearing a Hat" primarily features paintings of landscapes, but also includes a few portraits of animals. Stepanaski is an avid gardener and loves to be immersed in nature, where she finds rest and inspiration for her work. "It speaks to your soul. I always prefer to be out in nature," Stepanaski said.

All of Stepanaski's paintings are made from pastel paints, and she is a member of the Maryland Pastel Society. Stepanaski said that she prefers to use pastel paints due to the purity of their color. All types of paint utilize the same color pigments, but they are differentiated by the substance that is added to make the paint: oil paint is thick and viscous and watercolor paint is thin and translucent. Pastel paint is distinguishable from other types of paint due to the fact that very little binder is applied to the pigment. "When you apply pastel paint, there's a quality that is visually exciting because of the way it reflects light," Stepanaski said.

As a member of the Maryland Pastel Society, Stepanaski gathers with other pastel painters to compete in art shows. The group also holds quarterly meetings, where members discuss pastel painting techniques and watch demonstrations from guest artists.

LCAA will hold a plant sale fundraiser on Saturday, May 20 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and on Sunday, May 21, from 1 to 4 p.m. The plants in the sale will all be donated from LCAA members' gardens, including many from Stepanaski's garden. For more information, call 717-687-7061.