Proud Products of Texas Public Schools

Kathy Womack

Klein High School
Klein ISD

Austin artist Kathy Womack tells people to “live vicariously through my paintings. As a mother of three my life is hardly glamorous. It’s very ‘full,’ just not glamorous.”

Much of the creativity in Womack’s work is “focused on the costumes or the fashion design on my women. As a former fashion illustrator/graphic designer for the Austin American-Statesman in retail advertising, the huge move to computer-generated images in the late ’80s meant I wouldn’t be drawing or illustrating as much. This left a void, as I needed to be creating. Having always painted throughout my life, I decided to pick up my brushes again, but with more purpose. I began with local art festivals, picking up commissions, traveling to shows out of state. Before long, my effort began to pay off and soon I had a following, which grew and spread by word of mouth (women do talk). Naturally, my own space was the next step. Now, the gallery in Austin is in its third year, and we have opened a second gallery in Houston. Who knew?”

“I didn’t always apply myself in my academics—but in art class, I was a rock star. Mrs. Lancaster, my art teacher throughout high school, held me to a tougher standard than other students because she knew I was capable. She came close to failing me a couple of times when I became complacent. It woke me up.”

—Kathy Womack