About the Artist   

B.F. A Studio Art 

University of Texas – Austin, TX   

My career as an artist has afforded me the honor of working with many wonderful clients over the past 40 years. It is my passion to meet people, discuss what artwork they want in their homes or offices, and create it while staying true to my style of painting. I express my love of architecture, gardens, Italy, and the Texas-American landscape through my art. It is my goal to inspire those who view and are drawn to my style of oil-on-linen or canvas painting, pen & ink drawings and murals.   

I’ve been blessed to live and gain clients across Texas, spanning from Amarillo, Houston, Fredericksburg, Austin, Dallas, and Lubbock. My primary focus has been oil-on-canvas or linen paintings of landscape and architecture, and home renderings of pen and ink, pencil, watercolor and gouache. I strive for each paint stroke to be made with quality and intention for my clients. I receive great joy when the finished product is handed over to the client and it becomes a part of their history with their dream brought into reality.   

Houston   

Another way I share my love of art is through murals. This began early in my career when I was hired to design and paint European-style images in Houston homes for 3-4 years. These custom murals were painted on ceilings, walls, front doors, and even garage doors! Doing so allowed me to grow my skill set as a painter as I learned to overcome the challenges of creating large works of art on a grand scale.   

Amarillo   

After Houston, I moved back to my hometown of Amarillo, TX to marry my now husband of 30 years, James H. Man. From there, my next chapter began as I pushed myself past greater limits and further out of my comfort zone; stage sets. Here, the Director of “Amarillo Little Theatre,” Allen Shankles, took a chance on me to design and execute several stage sets for their upcoming season lineup. "Guys and Dolls", "Once on this Island", "Santa, This is Your Life", "Beehive", and assisted on "Phantom" and "Oliver".  Also, Harpo Productions needed painting on the stage sets for "Oprah" at the Amarillo Little Theatre while she lived in Amarillo for her months long trial facing the Cattle Feeders Association. (She won.)   

Thankfully, my experience of painting murals would pay off two-fold. By the end of the season, I’d received the "Magic Circle Award” for outstanding contribution to the artistry of the theatre, specifically in the areas of set design and scenic art.   

Through this period, it helped me create an even stronger work ethic making strict deadlines on larger mediums of work where detail was still a crucial foundation of my art. This would help me tremendously in the future when I traversed the road to Rome for my solo art show.   

Italy   

During the year of the celebrated Jubilee 2000, I found myself in the bustling streets of Rome, Italy. Here, a one-woman show of my Italian Villas and Gardens was held at “Studio S-Arte D'Contemporenea.” My tour guide and marketing liaison, Marcella Grabou of Lucca, Italy, was instrumental in connecting me to the lovely gallery located by the Spanish Steps. From this trip alone I was able to not only network, but also further build an extensive photo-slide database of Italian villas and gardens. My trips to Italy played a monumental role not only fine-tuning my craft as a detailed oil-on-linen painter, but also in my spiritual journey with Christ. My appreciation for God's inspired beauty grew as I studied the created displays throughout Italy.

From Italy, I was blessed with clients across the United States through advertising in "Town and Country" magazine. This sparked one-on-one client consultations including a selection of my sketches from which the client chose the image for me to design and paint. Vacation Portraits were born out of the mutual admiration of the beauty found throughout the history, architecture and landscape of Italy.     

Additional Exhibitions

Group Show: Hyde Park Bar and Grill, Austin, TX   ·   ArtFall, TexARTS: Capitol Lake Region, Austin, TX   ·   4 New Artists Exhibition: Cudahy’s Original Art & Fine Crafts - Richmond, VA   ·   Artisans at Rocky Hill, Fredericksburg, TX   ·   Art After Dark, Fredericksburg, TX   ·   Whistle Pik Christmas Show, Fredericksburg, TX   ·   The Houston Ballet – Nutcracker Market, Houston, TX   ·    Illustrators Art Show: Baylor College of Medicine - Houston, TX   ·   The Houston Board of Realtors, Houston, TX   ·   St. John the Divine Episcopal Church Art Show, Houston, TX   ·   The Little Brown House, Amarillo, TX  ·  Three Friends: The Coble Building - Amarillo, TX  ·  Taste of Spring: Ferrari-Carrano Winery, Sonoma County, Healdsburg, CA  ·  First Friday Art Trail, Lubbock, Texas

Currently

My commission-based and print business continues to be a blessing in my life. It was with great joy that my husband and I moved to Lubbock in the spring of 2022. Our son, Dowden Man also moved to Lubbock about the same time. We have extended some of our extended family members in Lubbock, Midland and Amarillo. We attend Indiana Avenue Baptist Church and Hillside Church. I attend and lead a small group for the International program called Bible Study Fellowship. 

Curator, Tracee Robertson and the Art Department of the Museum of Texas Tech has contracted with me to participate in their Teaching Artist Program.

Lubbock has proven to be a great lover of the Arts, in which I am excited to participate. The people are welcoming, friendly and remind me of my Panhandle upbringing.  I look forward to contributing to the Arts and Culture, and to participating in upcoming local shows and festivals.

My art business has been designated as a "Trusted Art Seller" with The Art Storefronts Organization, which means you can shop with confidence, and know that I stand behind the quality and value of my products. 

Click on links to view my art gallery and shop Italian Villas and Gardens or American Landscapes and Gardens.