Diebel. “We are all willing to state our opinion, but somehow we all come to a consensus,” adds Sally Mitchell, another artist in the group. Currently, the group is set at 10 artists. The cap is simply due to the amount of space in the gallery. Each artist is an equal member in the group and has a voice in all decisions. Everything is decided upon by a majority vote. The work is divided into categories, such as website maintenance, marketing and accounting. It works out great because everyone can focus on a category specific to their strengths. They operate more like a family than business partners; when someone is in need, the others are right by her side. They are not afraid to critique each other’s work, but it’s always in a helpful manner. Each artist comes from a unique background, bringing their own ideas and skill sets to the gallery. “When you get a group of artists together, there is a certain energy that builds and makes each one of us better. We grow together,” says Diebel. So, who are these 10 amazing artists? They are former school teachers, librarians, graphic designers and world travelers. Some have military backgrounds. They are both locals and Texas transplants. They are sculptors, glass artists and photographers. They paint with oil, pastel, acrylic and watercolor. Some paint on site, while others prefer the studio. Each artist is very different, but what brings them together is their love for art and the special art town where each has migrated. The gallery changes every two months, featuring new and exciting work by award-winning gallery artists Anita Diebel, Angalee DeForest, Carol Koutnik, Caro Jackson, Susan Forrest, Betty Shamel, Sally Mitchell, Lorrie Harrington, June Ainsworth, and Genie Mysorski. Wind Way also offers hand-crafted jewelry by Diane Johnson and sculptures by Kent Ullberg. There are special shows and guest artists featured throughout the year to keep Wind Way vibrant. On any given day, if you peek into the windows of Wind Way Gallery, you might catch one of the artists working on her next work of art or teaching a class to a group of eager students or participating in a local fundraiser for a good cause. Either way, you will experience one of the many aspects that makes Rockport such a special art community, because you never know what the wind might blow their way.
Wind Way Gallery 203 S. Austin St. Rockport, TX 361.790.8331 windwaygallery.com
the bend magazine
[the lifestyle magazine of the coastal bend}