Frances Charin Willner, a resident of Maplewood, was nominated by the Community Health Law Project. Known to both family and friends as "Aunt Fran," Ms. Willner is 92 years old and is still a working artist and teacher who exhibits her artwork in several shows each year.
She teaches papermaking, book arts, jewelry making and other crafts at several venues in the area, including the Baird Center in South Orange, the Museum of Early Trades and Crafts in Madison, the Newark Museum and the Union County Teen Festival in Cranford and opens her home and studio for the South Orange and Maplewood Artists Studio Tour. Ms. Willner continues to participate in local art shows and exhibits, including "The Glove Project" that raised money for medical research and "Brava!" that raised money for breast cancer research and treatment. "Every day is a holiday for me," Willner said. "I still walk up stairs to my third floor studio every day to work on my art," she added.