AMARILLO ART INSTITUTE - Key Persons
Aaron Taylor is an illustrator and fine artist who focuses on figurative work through painting and drawing; his work is marked by an emphasis on structure and perspective to create scenes of stylized realism. He is heavily inspired by the world around him and uses art as an outlet to study it. Concepts like geometry and physics have a special influence in his work as they not only produce characteristics of realism, but also surrealism. He seeks to create a bridge in his work to utilize strong technique to create a degree of realism that inherently bolsters the narrative storytelling that is illustration. Aaron graduated from WTAMU in 2020 with a Bachelors of Fine Arts and has since been working as a freelance artist.
Abigail is a colored pencil artist living in Amarillo. She loves to push the limits of colored pencils in both animal textures and architecture. She has recently started illustrating children's books and her artwork can be found on her website at ascoloredpencil.com.
Job Titles:
- Secretary of the Board of Directors
My name is Brandon Belflower. I'm a goofy father of two perfect spawn. The Best way to describe myself is a Photographic Artist, Innovator of Diagonal Art and Capturer of Time.
I use my camera to capture the beauty in the things that others do not see. Every image I capture is a fragment of time that our planet will never get back. The creation of Diagonal Art is revolutionary in the artistic world, viewing my masterpieces in a unique way.
Christine loves to explore alternative artistic processes primarily in the world of printmaking. The
Cyanotype process involves creating images with the sun/UV light as the active agent. Initially she used
For 65 years I have been absorbing input from my experiences of what my life had become. Now it is time a share my eyes with the world. Born and raised in Pennsylvania, I became a nomad at an early age and moved across the great USA to take in the good
I have been painting and creating since I could hold a crayon, but became serious about my art after retirement. Since then, I have studied under Emin Abbassov and Michael Longhofer. My style is realism and realistic impressionism, depending on the subject matter. In addition to paintings and portraits, I make jewelry, dolls and things that strike my fancy. My objectives are to create things that are delightful, while constantly seeking improvement in my methods. Please come visit my studio partner and myself in Studio F at the Sunset Art Community.
Ian Watson is an Amarillo - Based artist, that focuses on non representation painting, and innovation. Born into a family with a background in art. Ian pulls his inspiration from various artist, and composers, such as Mark Rothko, Robert Motherwell, and Ludwig van Beethoven. This allows Ian to explore a multitude of mediums, ranging from traditional canvas's, photography, and sculpture. Threaded through out much of his work is the idea of using color to shift perspectives and evoke emotions. This has ushered Ian into a space where his work is distinctly unique and recognizable. With his ever evolving approach to art, Ian's focus is on expanding customary views of creativity and challenging fine art paradigms and breaking rules.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Artist
Drawing and painting have been a part of Jannette's life since she was a child, learning from her mother and then from art teachers in Ponca City, Oklahoma schools, winning awards in Scholastic and state art shows. She continued her education at Oklahoma State University, earning her degree in Studio Art and Education. After graduation she taught freshman art classes for 3 semesters.
Janette was a Docent at the Amarillo Museum of Art for 33 years and a teacher for art classes for 17 years. She also volunteered at the Panhandle Plains Historical Museum installing art exhibitions. The museum work gave ger an opportunity to study the work of many famous artist.
I have a bachelors degree from WT with a master in paint and printmaking. I want to re-establish myself as a painter and help younger painters to develop new skills. I need to continue exploring what a painting can be as an unconditional aesthetic object
Johnna Luther has been a studio artist/student for 9 years and loves to set aside large blocks of time to take on the challenge of a new painting. Her style is to paint her impression of a subject by adding more color and an artsy feel to the painting. Johnna's favorite subject are people and animals. She continues to learn from master artist, Emin Abbasov, and a community of artists, donating several paintings to non-profits every year, takes commissions and observing the world around her.
Johnna loves living in the Texas Panhandle (going on 20 years). She was born and grew up in Las Cruces, NM, and enjoys all things Southwest. Johnna has a BA degree in Accounting and retired in 2013.
Born in 1991 in Colorado, Hogge finds many artistic outlets through teaching and creating. Hogge Studied Art at Oklahoma Panhandle State University focusing his studies in Sculpture. There, he received his Bachelors of Art degree. He absorbed the acute attention to form associated with Ceramics, sculpture, and acrylic painting, subsequently refining his own visual and conceptual work vocabulary that emerged through his focus on the points of intersection between Nature, Human form, sculpture, spatial analysis, and emotion. Hogge's work can be found in collections both in the United States and abroad, and has been seen in numerous exhibitions throughout the states. He currently lives and works In Amarillo, TX
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
Amarillo artist, Karen Sorvari Herpich, began her love and passion for art as a small child with a crayon in her hand. Born and raised in Waukegan, Illinois, she was influenced by the beauty and excitement of nearby Lake Michigan. Much of her work is whimsical and colorful which reflects the joy she feels in God's creation. She's intrigued by nature's organic shapes and rhythms and she is also fascinated by man-made whimsical roadside oddities and how they relate to nature. Her main concentration is in watercolor, acrylics and ceramic sculpture. Creation is a living, changing human event that happens to everyone, whether that experience is visual, musical, dance or other human endeavors. As I begin to create a painting, it often takes on a life of its own. It begins to change and evolve in a new direction that oftentimes, I hadn't planned. To me, that's the thrill of creation. Art is as much the process of creation as it is the object of creation. That process requires lot of mental energy but it is also great fun. Each work starts the wheels turning to explore something else.
Blessed with a God-given talent, I use it to create meaningful memories of my love of horses,
ranch life, my faith and the western heritage I grew up with in NW South Dakota and still
Lee Blakeney is a native of Garden City Texas and a graduate of Sam Houston State University, where she earned a letter jacket in rodeo. She and her husband currently reside on their ranch near Canyon, Texas. They are the parents of three children, and have six grandchildren.
She has been a breeder of Quarter Horses for many years as well as a life time member of AQHA. She has been top 10 in AQHA several years. There are 3 world champion AQHA trophies on her on her fireplace mantle. She served for over 20 years on the board of directors for the Panhandle Quarter Horse Association as well as managing AQHA horse shows.
As ab award winning artist she has served on the board of the Amarillo Art Institute. Her art is currently shown in Santa Fe NM and at Sonia's art gallery in Amarillo. Painting in oils, plein aire, pastels and watercolor both in her ranch studio and outside. Painting with the Santa Fe plein air painters is also something she enjoys as member of the
Mandy Gregory earned undergraduate and graduate degrees in art with a focus in ceramics. She has been making functional pottery for more than 20 years and has participated in many local and regional arts and craft shows. Mandy also makes handmade soap as well as other bath and body products as the owner of The Soap Box. She takes great joy in creating unique and high quality products while maintaining lasting relationships with customers.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Vice President
Mary has done art on and off all her life. It started in New Haven when she was given a scholarship. She has done some projects with Free Schools. One of the projects she did with the kids was displayed in the creative arts workshop.
One project she did was sent to the MFA show and was chosen out of 1000 entries to be shown.
Nature and animals inspire her work. She works primarily in mixed media, and recent has been exploring dimensional collage .
Job Titles:
- Treasurer
- Vice President of the Board of Directors
- Crouch Foundation President
Job Titles:
- Executive Director
- Member of the Board of Directors
Stephanie Jung is an artist and educator with backgrounds in both studio practice and art history. She is a faculty member in the Amarillo College Visual Arts department.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
Job Titles:
- Treasurer of the Board of Directors
Job Titles:
- Artist
- Member of the Amarillo Fine Arts Association
Vance is a member of the Amarillo Fine Arts Association, the Lonestar Pastel Association, and the Panhandle Portrait Association. Vance has won numerous awards for both oil and pastel. His work is represented in many private collections throughout the area.
Vance received a bachelor's and master's degree in Art Education from Texas Tech University. He Studied in Italy with Louisiana Tech University Foreign Studies Program. In addition, Vance has studied with Emilio Caballero, Ken Dixon, Matt Smith, Mike Mahon, Ann Templeton, and Keith Wicks.
To Vance, the creation of art requires the artist to first develop a high degree of ability and skill in their media. Next, it is necessary to learn to look deeply into the visual structure of the subject and discover what is visually exciting and intriguing. Then, decide how to help a viewer experience that visual and emotional moment.