ADULT DRAWING AND PAINTING CLASSES

B. Burkett

Barbara Burkett teaches beginner to advanced students in watercolor, oil, acrylic, and drawing in pencil and ink.

The door to the world of art was opened for B. Burkett when she enrolled in classes at the Port Lavaca Art Guild at age 30.  Within five years she was asked to teach classes for adults and children.  She is a successful teacher because she remembers how she learned to draw and paint so she can communicate that to her students.  They are challenged to learn basics and encouraged to experiment so they may express their own creativity.

She has studied at Victoria College and with many instructors in classes and workshops.  In 1993 she traveled in Italy and Greece for 6 weeks with a group from Louisiana Tech University taking classes in painting, drawing and art history.

Patty Lowrie

Patty Lowrie has been teaching beginner oil painting classes at the Art Guild since 2009.  Because she keeps her class to no more than five students, each student gets very personalized instruction. 

Patty has been working in oils for over 30 years, and has taken several art classes at the Victoria College, including life drawing and painting one and two.  

Renowned portrait artist Jonnie Lillidahl was very influential in Patty's training to do portraits and color theory.  Patty took six workshops from Johnnie in the classical technique.  

Local artist Sonny Timme also influenced Patty in classes she took from him for over 15 years. Patty has won numerous awards, including a Best of Show for a portrait of her daughter at the 2009 Spring Art Show in Port Lavaca.

Tommy Thompson

Tommy Thompson is teaching a class entitled "The Tools and the Rules"  Using proper tools, he teaches a method ("the rules") of painting that can be applied to successfully paint any subject matter.

Tommy grew up being taught by Simon Michael in art classes and pursuing in art related endeavors. He always knew that his passion for art would carry over into his career.  He earned a degree in architecture at University of Texas and built a successful career in that field. At age 42, he retired from his architectural firm in Austin to paint full time.  He studied with many noted artists including Dalhart Windberg who is his mentor and partner on Plein Air painting trips.  His paintings of landscapes, marines and still lifes are in galleries in Austin and the western states.

CHILDREN AND YOUTH ART CLASSES

Margo Thorn

Margo Thorn has taught both elementary and high school art classes in Calhoun County Independent School District for 30 years and for 3 years in private school art. She received her bachelor's degree in commercial art at Texas State University and her master's degree in art education at North Texas State University.

Her Calhoun High School students' art work often won state level recognition in V.A.S.E. (Visual Art Scholastic Event) competitions. She also had a student who competed in a national art contest in Representative Ron Paul's district and had work exhibited at the U.S. capital in Washington D.C.