Artist of the Year

CAA Artists earn points from entering and placing in our bimonthly art shows. At the end of the year, the CAA artist who has earned the most points is awarded "Artist of the Year". We celebrate their accomplishment with a special reception, their name added to our perpetual plaque, and a solo art show.

Janet Griffith

2023

Artist of the Year

Janet Griffith has served CAA in many roles, most recently as secretary. Her paintings have garnered many awards at CAA, including 2020 Artist of the Year.

Janet has always been creative and interested in trying and making new things. She pursued an interest in art beginning with decorative painting (also called tole painting). She says that tole painting provides a good basic education for art. Through her experience with decorative painting, Janet realized that everything can be a surface on which to paint. Her paintings on gourds, palm fronds and rocks are favorites in the CAA Gallery and Gift shop.

Janet taught home economics at Norco High School for 26 years, and credits trying to teach her students how to paint with her pursuing her own painting education. Since her retirement, she has spent a great deal of time helping to guide and maintain the Corona Art Association. She has enjoyed meeting interesting people and learning new techniques. Janet shows us that learning never stops, and we should all “keep painting”.

Lori Alarcon

2022

Artist of the Year

Lori’s interest in art began as soon as she “could hold a pencil” and she experimented with every medium. In high school, she served as an illustrator for the school newspaper and learned oil painting in art class. At Cal State Long Beach, she earned a degree in Fine Art and Graphic Design. Lori goes through phases working in her favorite mediums and techniques, including oils, watercolors, acrylic, ink, airbrush, pastels, digital art and glass. She hopes her art brings beauty and positivity into the world and inspires others to create art as well.

Lani Britain

2021

Artist of the Year

Lani is CAA's Gallery Gift Shop Coordinator, and comes from a family of artists. Lani’s mediums of choice include a variety of 2-D applications, including oils, watercolors, acrylics, pastels, pencil, and charcoal. Additionally, Lani is an avid photographer, seamstress, and gardener. When reflecting on what she hopes her art brings to the world, she says , “happiness, joy, and an appreciation for all of the wonders of nature and the natural world”.