DIANNE APPELT, Oil Painter

Hallettsville native Dianne Appelt studied art at Sam Houston State, Southwest Texas State, and Victoria College. She’s tried watercolor, pastels, and ink wash.However, it was upon her return to Hallettsville in 2015 that she began oil painting under Michael Windberg. Dianne’s current paintings reflect realism in rural landscapes and the sea. As she continues her studies, she plans to experiment in abstracted realism where the viewer can discover details. Either way, for Dianne, it’s all about beautiful color and a glimpse of life.

MARIKA BORDES, Author & Sculptor

Marika’s sculptures range from inches to fourteen feet and are easily recognizable. Her imagery is breathtaking due to the dream-like quality of her eye and skillful hands. Marika has been in the forefront of public art, and a driving force behind the creation of the Seguin Commission of the Arts. She was born in Haiti and grew up in Canada. Having lost her mother at three years old, she is inspired to depict mother and child to show the bond and separation that the future holds. Her has been shown on television and throughout the world. She is the author of “Marika The Path of a Sculptor”.

LARRY BOZKA, Wildlife Photographer

Larry Bozka, a fifth generation Texan, is best known for his work as an outdoor writer and photographer for Texas Parks & Wildlife magazine.  Bozka has over 130 state and national awards to his credit and specializes in covering the Texas Coast, partly through his blog, and CoastalAnglers.com.  At the 50th annual conference of the Texas Outdoor writers Association in College Station, Bozka was honored with the L.A. Wilke Lifetime Achievement Award. There is no way his bio can be written on this small card. He’s an amazing and likeable man to all that know him. He considers Lavaca County his home.

BLANCHE AND ROY CAVARRETTA, Master Gourd Artists

Roy Cavarretta didn’t discover Lavaca County, Lavaca County discovered Roy Cavarretta. Roy Cavarretta is Lavaca County’s most cherished artist for his very masculine complex original designs in his gourd art and pen and ink landmark drawings. His work has been featured in Texas Monthly, Texas Highways, Southwest Art, Texas Farm & Home, and Western Art & Architecture. Roy lives in Lavaca County and shares a studio with his wife, Blanche, a an award-winning gourd artist as well.  Blanche is recognized for her bright colors and soft detail that bring delight to any room. They tour together to showcase their works of art.

TONI CONNER, Artist

Media artist Toni Conner uses contemporary style to bring interest to her subject matter. The contrast between the mass of color and the subject bring the subject to the foreground in her works. She is inspired by the rich colors of impressionist Kandinsky’s early work.

“I am enthralled by light and how it completely changes a scene, even in a matter of minutes. I love the different seasonal light as well, how rich the sky is in the fall, and how the sun turns everything pink in the winter in South Texas.

Conner feels that hanging her work here at the Hallet Oak Gallery is her greatest accomplishment. “It’s a vulnerable step to put your heart on the wall in public…I hope my art makes someone feel some sense of connection…”

Conner lives in Columbus with her five equines, a new litter of kittens and three dogs. Conner feels that hanging her work here at the Hallet Oak Gallery is her greatest accomplishment. “It’s a vulnerable step to put your heart on the wall in public…I hope my art makes someone feel some sense of connection…”

Conner lives in Columbus with her five equines, a new litter of kittens and three dogs.Adrénus Craton

MARK CURTIN, Photographer

Mark Curtin began his art experience at a very young age. Mark enjoys seeing what other artists are creating. He says the ones who inspire him the most are those that portray the good, the beautiful, and the true.

Photography is Mark Curtin’s primary medium. “I am a photographer of opportunity, taking advantage of my ability to see. It is only recently that I began to explore the creation of images instead of strictly capturing images,” explains Curtin. He started using tools that are atypical of his trade. Now he’s considered an artistic visionary. Mark exhibited his color photographs of The Very High Frequency Omnidirectional Radio of Texas at the CLUI Los Angeles Exhibit Hall is an example of what catches his eye.

He and his wife Darcy are from Houston, and both pursue creativity in a variety of disciplines. His wife makes handmade books and jewelry. They recently relocated to Hallettsville to enjoy the quiet, starry skies and the space and freedom to pursue their craft.

ERICA ESTRADA, ARTIST

Erica Guadalupe Estrada Lopez was born in 1996 in the state of San Luis Potosi, Mexico, and raised in a village of about 10 houses in the state of Queretaro Mexico. Surrounded by hills and nature, the village had no television, telephone, nor electricity until Erica was about two years old. “Our life consisted of helping care for the cows, pigs, sheep and chickens. My dad couldn’t be with us because most of the time he was living in the U.S. providing for us.” Arriving at the age of thirteen in Victoria, Texas, Erica found everything from the food to the weather very different. “My English was extremely poor as in Mexico I only learned some of the basics. I was terrified of the challenges that I would need to overcome, but becoming a U.S. citizen gave me confidence.” Erica’s Victoria College professors inspired her to attend Texas State University in San Marcos to study Art and Environmental Science. “My goal is to make an impact through art while keeping in mind where I come from.”

ALBERTO GODOY, Painter

Born in 1960 in Havana, Cuba, Alberto Godoy is one of Houston’s most sought after Latino artists.  His paintings reflect the fusion of cultural, aesthetic, and historical values in his life.  Elements of time, memory, imagination and the international language of humor are his signature.  He paints feet large because he says “feet are symbolic to self-esteem, meaning have your feet on the ground, know who you are, know where you are going in life.” He can be found painting at all times in his studio in Houston.  Whether his work is commissioned or non-commissioned it is recognizable for his choice of shapes and colors.  Not just his Cuban good looks but his dedication to his art and pursuing what he thinks is important make meeting Alberto a true joy.  He makes art his living and his way of life.

DEBBIE HALLING, Traditional Oil & Watercolor Painter

Debbie Halling grew up all over world and from her experiences she is an ever-evolving artist who has painted with acrylics, watercolor and oil paints. She has painted and will paint again abstract, landscapes, still life, portraits, and whimsical subjects. Her techniques vary including glazing, palette knife, and limited color palette.Debbie’s forte is painting people.Debbie began painting at age 10 and is primarily self-taught. She began to study under Michael Windberg three years ago at which time she painted her first landscapes. She also studied the de Vinci technique of painting portraits using the Atelier method. After her retirement from commercial banking, she settled into her cattle ranch with her husband.

J. HOWARD, Painter

J. Howard artistic journey began when she was a child in Houston, Texas. In graduate school she studied Thea mechanics of visually aided learning while working in the graphics and film industries. She creates vivid animated characteristics in every subject matter. Her talent expands into painting colorful landscapes, vibrant still life, and story-telling life-like portraits. She is the recipient of numerous top awards, including Hunting Art Prize Finalist 2016, National Emerging Artist 2017, International Phototorealist 2018, Platform Artist of the Year Finalist 2018, ADC Purchase Award 2018, Gallery Contract Award2018, American Art Awards 2018 & 2019, Cowboy True Artist Best of Drawing 2018, and Western Art Rodeo Association Featured Artist. Her art works are widely published in books and magazines nationally and internationally, to include Galveston Monthly, Art Reveal, Art Ascent, Art Studio, Art Quench, Southwest Art, Art Collector and Pastel Art, J. Howard originals are also represented in many corporate and private collections. In 2020, J. Howard was selected as Most Inspirational Contemporary Artist by Art Quest.

GISELA FLOTO, International Photographer

Gisela Floto’s central themes are man, nature and the environment and ever more portraits of the worlds of women.  She started working as a photojournalist in London and Paris. Between 1989 and 1991 she worked for various magazines including Time, Gourmet, and Country, type and Architektur & Wohnen.  Her work Brigitte has taken her to Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Fiji and Tonga. From 1991 followed projects in conceptual photography: Garden Theme in Spain, Austria and Germany, report about a German biologist in Vietnam (Savior of Gold monkey), a social project in Mali and a formed therefrom calendar, Minenräumerin Vera Bohle in Bosnia,  and aerial photography in Pakistan, Syria and Germany. From 1993 to 1995 she was exhibition manager for the Museum of Photography at the Museum of Arts and Crafts in Hamburg. From 1995 till 2005 she lectured in photojournalism at the University of Hamburg, Department of Journalism. Since then she has worked as a freelance photographer and lives in Hamburg.

ART JUAREZ, Historical Photographer

Art Juarez enjoys working with horses and in the field.  A self-taught photographer, Art appears in many “come and get it” re-enactments.  He lives with his wife, Ofi, also a photographer, in Lavaca County.

OFI JUAREZ, Historical Photographer

Ofi Juarez is a self-taught photographer with a keen interest in art.  She has won many awards for her imagery on historical re-enactments. Her husband, who participates in the enactments, appears in many of her photographs.   Ofi has an eye for animals, landscapes, and historical events.  She resides with her husband in Lavaca County.

JOANN KOHANAK, Traditional Oil & Watercolor Painter

Kahanek took drawing classes at Victoria Junior College and studied at the Glassel School of Fine Art with the Museum of Fine Art in Houston. Most of her training has been self-taught through studying art books, watching online videos and television tutorials. She studies oil painting with Michael Windberg.

JoAnn taught an art enrichment class for twelve years. Both she and her students took top awards in the Houston Livestock and Rodeo Show school art program. She has worked with oil, pastels, and watercolor. Her favorite mediums are oil and pastels. She admires the work of Impressionist Claude Monet and modern day painters Krystal Brown and Michael Windberg.

JoAnn enjoys doing commissioned pieces and seeing her clients’ appreciation for her work. From portraits to whimsical watercolors of row boats, old barns and fishing spots to realistic still life paintings in oil, JoAnn shows her versatility and her understanding of what constitutes a good painting. JoAnn lives in Yoakum.

MARCUS MAN, Contemporary Artist

Renowned contemporary artist Marcus Mann works can be seen on display at the Houston’s prestigious Lyric Center.  Known for his sporting and outdoor images, Mann’s classical training is apparent in everything he produces. He was educated at the University of Houston School of Fine Art, and he draws on a broad range of style and genre while maintaining an exclusive style. Mann has resisted the temptation to relocate to a more traditional center of art such as New York or Paris.  He wants to make whatever contribution he can to Houston’s ever expanding cultural center and to the state that he loves.

KATHLEEN MCBRIDE, Traditional Painter

A former student of Houston Art Instructor and Judge Shirley Leago, Kathleen enjoys working in both oil and watercolor. Her favorite artists are Caravaggio, Michelangelo, Guido Borelli, and Bev Doolittle. She likes nature and animals.

Kathleen currently works for NASA studying dust particles from outer space. When she is off work she enjoys getting home to Moulton and being able to maintain and hone her artistic skills. Although Rome is her favorite place on earth, she loves Moulton!

LUCIA MUELLER, Artist

Lucia Mueller is keenly interested in character work, whether that’s on stage or splattered on a page. She mainly works in charcoal and acrylic on figurative studies and portraits. Lucia is a native Texan that has finally returned home after years living in Barcelona, Spain, and Brooklyn, New York: She’s your newest neighbor in Yoakum, Texas. Let her know if you’re getting rid of any old wood.

SARAH NAOMI, Artist

Hallettsville High School student Sarah Naomi has been drawing as early as age seven, living in Arkansas, she took classes from Jo Claire Dudson and learned to use chalk, clay and colored pencils. As an eighth grader Sarah placed first for her school in the Houston Livestock Art Show.

The award gave her a feeling of accomplishment and inspired her to continue with her art. Sarah appreciates advice she received to pursue art “no matter who tells you that being an artist is a waste of time,” that “it’s how you want to portray the feelings inside,” that matters. Sara’s main focus is on cartoon art, but she has returned to painting other subjects lately, studying under Lois Weiss, a local realism master oil painter

As a volunteer at the Gallery she has met lots of artists and has welcomed the opportunity to talk with them about their art. She names Van Gogh, Picolio, NashVibes, Qing Han, Dennis Pesek, Lois Weiss, Staci Powers, Satori Davis, Gene Grant, Mrs. Holden, and Mieko Mahi as having influenced her art.

PAULA PATTERSON, Artist

A native of Florence, Mississippi, Paulina Patterson expressed her artistic creativity early, drawing on walls, furniture and cars until her parents learned to keep enough paper and canvases around the house.  She studied landscape and still life painting under several well-known Mississippi artists at a young age and under Mississippi artist Dave Burkett at 19. She moved to Houston and became involved in the Art Scene in Montrose and Downtown Houston where she was inspired to use mixed media and create abstract paintings.  She has exhibited in the Houston Museum District and continues to commission artworks. She studied Fine Art at The Academy of Arts San Francisco and teaches both children and adults art classes in her spare time.  Paulina writes poetry, and has published her first children’s book, “The Land of Be” which she also illustrated. She resides in Hallettsville, Texas and considers her two children, Ridge and Sophia, her greatest creations.

ELIZABETH PAYNE, Contemporary Artist

Elizabeth Payne received her BFA from the San Francisco Art Institute and her MA from Hunter College, New York, New York.  Her work has exhibited in galleries and museums across the United States from the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York to the McNay Art Museum in San Antonio.  Her paintings are in private and public collections including the Art Museum of South Texas in Corpus Christi.  Elizabeth lives near Yoakum, Texas.

AARON RISKE, MIXED-Media Artist – Citizen of the Year – Hallettsville, TX

To see Aaron’s work is in one word: awe. His work is powerful and beautiful to experience in person. A handsome docent at a local Gallery, and the assistant treasurer of a non-profit organization, Aaron sees and shares what most people can’t see. His art works are in mixed media and collage.  He says he always liked art because it brings out the best in him and it’s okay he’s different.  His self-portraits shares a different story of who he is. To know Aaron, it’s easy to see a happy, confident man, and yet to see his artworks show a different story of who he is. A story of accepting his life God has given. He paints each of his operations he has had since birth. One of the most famous pain artists is Mexican painter Frida Kahlo, who has had lifelong suffering from a trolley accident. Aaron was born with spina bifda, and he makes every effort to not let it be his life, yet it’s in his art, his point of view, his life, his joys, his pain is brought to life.

HAROLD M. PHARR, Contemporary Photographer

Harold Pharr studied photography at Sam Houston State Universtiy and hone in on his style of image making using what he learned in composition, lighting, and techniques. Pharr carries his camera camera with him frequently, striving to capture moments in time that seize viewers attention. Pharr images are printed large and on canvas that suitable for businesses and homes. Harold was born and raised in Houston. and currently is living in Hallettsville.

TIMOTHY SADLER, Photographer

Timothy G. Sadler earned a Ph.D. in Psychology from University of Houston working as VP of Development at Birkman International. In 2005, Sadler retired and now travels extensively across North America photographing an array of landscapes from snowed rivers with bears to sands along the coast. Timothy now resides in Lavaca County and can be seen throughout the United States photographing the most beautiful close ups, action scenes, sky and landscapes.

ALICE VICKERS, Artist

Alice Vickers, an award-winning artist throughout her life, grew up in Galveston and was always interested in sketching & painting from a very early age.

She attended Sam Houston State Teachers College and studied Art and Business.   She retired from Exxon Company, USA.  Alice has always been enchanted by intense color and at times completely ignores local color to express an emotion or mood.

Most of Alice’s paintings are abstract and she has “no desire to be a slave to reality”. Alice and her husband Bob, reside in the Svetin area.  Alice is a founder of Hallet Oak Foundation.

BRIA WOODS,  Art Photographer

Bria Woods was born in Washington D.C. where she grew up before moving to San Antonio, Texas. Bria has been behind the lens for 9 years, starting journey as the photo editor at her high school and going on to explore digital and film photography all four years while earning her BA in Communication at Trinity University.  Bria worked as a photojournalist for a year before moving to London to earn her MA in Multimedia Broadcast Journalism. When she wasn’t shooting news packages and scripting radio documentaries, Bria continued to shoot photographs, focusing on fashion and lifestyle photography. She worked doing commissions for models, influencers, corporations and small businesses. She is published in U.S and Europe. Her most recent work delves into portrait photography inspired by genuine connection. She enjoys capturing moments that transcend the basic photographer-subject relationship. Bria is attracted to people as they are, not as she wants them to be.