Kelly Alison studied painting at West Texas State University in Canyon, Texas, under David Rindlisbaucher and she studied philosophy at Baylor University in Waco, Texas. Moving to The University of Houston her junior year, she was one of the students involved with the original Lawndale Art Annex, where she studied under Richard Stout, Gael Stack, John Alexander, and James Surls. Kelly Alison's figurative work has been exhibited in National and International museums, as well as published in books, catalogs and magazines such as Art in America, Texas Monthly and Town and Country. Alison's work is on permanent exhibition in downtown Houston as part of the Wayfinder project and her work can be seen in many public collections. View a full resume and images www.kellyalison.com.

Hagit Barkai is an Israeli painter living and working in the U.S. She received an MFA from Penn State University and a B.A. in Philosophy from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Prior to her MFA she studied at the Jerusalem Studio School Master Class in Israel. Her paintings have been exhibited at Chashama Gallery in New York, Crane Arts Gallery in Philadelphia and the Pennsylvania State Museum in Harrisburg. She was awarded the 2008 College Art Association Professional Development Fellowship and represented Penn State University in Big Ten MFA Exhibition in Chicago. At Penn State University she received a first place award in the University-wide Graduate Research Exhibition and a Travel Grant to Israel from The school of Visual Arts. View her work at www.hagitbarkai.com.

Andrea Canalito graduated with an MFA in Painting from Ohio University and a BFA in Painting and Drawing from the University of North Texas. Her whimsical style can be found manifested in her drawings, paintings and installations. Her work has been featured in many prominent design and art websites including Artistaday.com and Notcot.org, as well as published in LOOP, a German lifestyles and design magazine. She believes that a large part of what makes art so intriguing is a sense of the strange: the weird and wonderful, fresh and unpredictable. More of her work can be viewed at andreacanalito.com.

Cholla is a celebrated area portrait artist who worked as a court room sketch artist for NBC News for several years before pursuing art as a full time career. She studied at the Art Student’s League in New York where she was greatly influenced by Rafael Soyer’s naturalist style. Her work is collected and exhibited worldwide. She lives and works full-time as a studio artist in Houston, and has been teaching classes for Art League Houston for 40 years!

Ruben Coy studied at the University of Houston and The Houston Museum of Fine Arts School. An instructor for 24 years, his works are found in numerous exhibitions, museums, galleries and collections. His popular rainforest paintings reference the mind's eye– with the theme of earth as a sacred place, they evoke both religious and sensuous feelings. Ruben has been teaching at Art League Houston for over 15 years. He specializes in glazing techniques with oils. Examples of his work can be found on his website.

Kermit Eisenhut works as a muralist, designer and illustrator, as well as a studio artist. Named Best Artist by the Houston Press in 2000, his work is seen throughout the city in numerous exhibitions and collections. To read about and view images by Kermit visit his website at www.kermitart.com

Caroline Graham, a signature member of the Watercolor Artists Society, began studying art at the Witte Museum and McNay Art Institute in San Antonio. Continuing in the arts, she received her MA from the University of Texas at Austin.  Her love of figures and portraits eventually led to study in the Anatomy Lab at the Baylor College of Medicine. An award winning watercolorist and studio artist, her work is included in numerous exhibitions and collections. Her commissions are seen all over Houston, and collected throughout the country. She has been teaching at Art League Houston for over 12 years.

Polly Liu received a BA and BFA from the Dominican College, Houston, an MFA from the Dominican Fine Art Institute in Florence, Italy, and also completed graduate studies at UH, University of St. Thomas, and in Florence, Italy. She works as an art consultant, art director and calligrapher. She has received numerous exhibitions honors, and her work is in private collections in Europe and Canada. Ms. Liu is an accomplished teacher whose range encompasses Classical Methods, Watercolor, Chinese Painting techniques, and calligraphy. She extensively works in portraiture, figurative and landscape painting, which she considers specialty areas. Click here to view examples of Polly's work.

B Moss has a BFA in printmaking from the University of Missouri, and an MFA from the University of Houston where he taught introductory printmaking for five semesters. He has worked as a professional fine art and commercial printer and exhibited his work at Joan Which & Co. Gallery. He has also created a series of etchings for the education department of the MFAH.

Steve Parker is a graduate of the Texas Academy of Art and has taught for over 20 years. He is a full time studio artist, and his work can be seen inmany exhibitions, as well as private and public collections.“Part memory, part observation, part intuitive response to deeplyfelt experiences, Steve Parker’s landscapes evoke in the viewer the feeling of havingremembered something long forgotten, a place once visited. There is a feeling of recognition, of the familiar and yet the  elusive.” - Michael Chmiel, Owner, Jack Meier Gallery. To view images of his work and a detailed resume visit his website at www.steveparkerart.com .

Armando Rodriguez was born in Mexico and moved to the U.S. as a child. He received a BFA in Printmaking from the University of Houston in 1982. He works in many media including photography, printmaking (etching, lithography, and monotype), graphic design and bookmaking. In addition to teaching at Art League Houston, he also works for the Houston Chronicle and in the education department of the Museum of Fine Arts Houston. His works can be seen at www.canalstreetgallery.com.

Mary Rogers received her MS from the University of Houston, Clear Lake, and her BS in Art Education from the University of Northern Illinois. She is an instructor at Bellaire High School and an award-winning, nationally recognized jeweler and metal-smith. In 2006 the Texas Commission on the Arts honored Mary as a “Texas Original” for her outstanding craftsmanship and high artistic standards. To view images of her jewelry visit her website at www.maryrogersjewelry.com.

Ann Rush ’s journey into the field of Art Jewelry has been anything but typical. While teaching Earth Science, Ann developed a great appreciation for precious metals and stones and the processes within the planes that created them. Creating jewelry became, for her, a natural extension of this passion. Metal Clay, and Metalsmithing became her primary focus. Ann Rush is a Senior Instructor with Art Clay Silver and a Certified Artisan with both PMC Connection and Rio Grande. She has taught Metal Clay and Glass fusing classes to adults, teens, and those with learning and with physical disabilities. Her designs are found across the nation.

Emily Sloan Emily Sloan has an MFA in sculpture and interdisciplinary studies from the University of Houston and an MA from Stephen F. Austin State University. She has participated in many artist residencies, exhibitions, and the New York Studio School's Drawing Marathon in 2004. Sloan's work incorporates drawing, sculpture and painting. Many of her pieces use humor to engage the viewer in a dialogue about the environment and preoccupations with the social. To view more of her artwork visit: www.emilysloanblog.blogspot.com.