Ms. Whitelaw is currently on the faculty of the Peninsula School of Art and the Portrait Society of America, where she holds the office of Vice Chairman and she serves on the faculty for Plein Air South. For over 25 years she taught painting as an adjunct instructor at David Lipscomb University. She continues to teach throughout the country by conducting workshops in oil painting principles and drawing. Dawn received 2nd place awards in the Door County Plein Air Festival in both 2014 and 2015. In recent years, she has won awards in The Olmsted Plein Air Invitational, the Piedmont Plein Air Paint Out, and in Plein Air Richmond.
Other Awards and accomplishments include:
- Masters Award of Excellence, AIS Small Works Show 2020
- Award of Excellence, Associate and Signature Division,
- Oil Painters of America Eastern Regional Exhibition 2019
- Podcast interview with Eric Rhodes on Plein Air Podcast
- American Art Collector’s Master Award of Excellence AIS Annual Juried Exhibition 2017
- Master’s Award of Excellence AIS Small Works Showcase 2017
- Award of excellence AIS National Exhibition 2016
- Award of Merit, AIS National Exhibition, 2015
- 2nd Place, Pastel/Dry Medium: Richeson 75: Figure/Portrait International, 2007
- Award of Excellence, Oil Painters of America Regional Show, 2002
- Best of Show Award, International Portrait Competition, 2001
- Avalon Award for Creative Excellence -Awarded by Lipscomb University, 1997
In 2012, 2013, and 2015, Plein Air Magazine included her work in feature articles. She was honored by The American Impressionist Society in 2016 when she was elected to Master status. Whitelaw was one of ten American women artists invited to exhibit in “ Inspiring Figures” at the Butler Institute of American Art in 2010. She recently had a painting accepted into the permanent collection of the Rahr-West Art Museum. She is a founding member of the Cumberland Society of Painters.