Meet Our Members
Beginning in February 2026, Mary Lemma has been writing Meet a Member profiles on a member for each monthly newsletter. Here's your chance to catch up on past member profiles!
Leslie Scott | PAG Co-Secretary and former President
Why did you choose the medium you work in, and what’s gratifying or challenging about it?
My chosen medium is oil paint. It is classic, has a smooth, buttery texture, blends very well and stays open for a longer period of time. I also like the translucence of oil paint. For me, the challenge is painting expressively in oil. Maintaining the same style of brushwork for a second layer after the first has dried is very difficult for me.
Were you interested in creating art early in life, or is it a second career?
After I left the Army, I was offered the opportunity to go back to school. I chose the Corcoran School of Art and Design for my BFA. That school has since become part of George Washington University in Washington, D.C.
Who or what have been significant influences in your creative journey?
Over the years, I have admired a great many artists, from Vermeer to Basquiat; a wide range for sure. What appeals to me the most currently are works in a very plain, primitive style as they seem timeless and sincere. My problem is that I appreciate so many different artists and types of art that I often wonder whether I am more of an art lover than I am an artist.
How has PAG helped or influenced you?
PAG has been a wonderful organization for me. There are many very talented artists in PAG, some of whom I'm proud to call my friends. PAG members are supportive and dedicated to their art while also remembering to reach out to the local community to share their work and encourage novice artists down the path toward whatever their goals may be.
Lauren Busch | Vice President
Why did you choose the medium you work in, and what’s gratifying or challenging about it?
When I got back into art as an adult, I started with unforgiving mediums like pen and ink and watercolor, so getting into oils and realizing that mistakes can be reworked was an attractive aspect of the medium. My perfectionist side enjoys the ability to recreate the same image wherever I want it, whether it’s printmaking, on paper, fabric, or something else that can be printed on. I really admire imaginative color, and for the last year or so I’ve been learning to use color more in that way. For any medium, I find it easy to get over-invested in details, and loose, free styles tend to appeal to me. So I’m always caught in a battle between my perfectionist tendencies and my free-spirited aesthetic taste.
Were you interested in creating art early in life, or is it a second career?
My dad tells a story about showing me how a pen worked when I was 18 months old, and legend has it that all I ever needed from then on to keep myself entertained was paper and a mark-making implement. I’ve always loved creative and artistic hobbies, and I’m building up my art practice so I can eventually call that my day job—what my husband and I affectionately refer to as “soft retirement,” when we’ll be able to travel around the country doing art fairs to make ends meet. But I worked in tech for about 15 years, but now my day job is being a realtor.
Who or what have been significant influences in your creative journey?
Some of my local favorites are Paul Heaston, Clyde Steadman, and Mitch Caster. Alai Ganuza is not local, but she's my color idol and her teaching has made a huge difference in my advances in color application.
How has PAG helped or influenced you?
I hesitated to join because I worried I wasn't "real" enough as an artist, and that was a huge mistake! This group is the most friendly, generous, encouraging, and surprisingly outgoing group of artists I've ever encountered. I have gained so much experience in applying to shows and being able to test-drive Art in the Park by sharing a tent before committing to buying my own. It was an incredible opportunity, and I absolutely adore being able to have art friends.
What made you want to serve on the PAG Board?
I wanted to be part of the PAG board because it has added a ton of joy to my life and has helped me pursue my artistic dreams and I would never want that to go away. I'm glad I can contribute to keeping it going so we can continue to do all these excellent and supportive things for our art community. Organizations like this take a lot of work to run, so I wanted to make sure I’m giving back so we can continue to be the best group of artists I've ever encountered.
"Luna Is The Star" won NAP Best of Show in 2026