Meet Corky

As a child I loved art. I was encouraged to pursue my interest by my second-grade teacher who said I would be an artist some day. After beginning my journey in
high school in Birmingham, Ala., I studied “Art in The Dark” at the University of Georgia and then in 1967 graduated from Auburn University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Visual Design.

My plans to become a graphic artist were put on hold as I joined the U.S. Army and served in Germany and Vietnam. After returning, I spent 36 years in the family cash register business in Mobile, Ala. I continued painting in oil, especially scenes of my travels, and began learning watercolor.

My watercolor classes at Auburn gave me a love for the medium, but when I tried to paint, the pictures did not have the clarity that I hoped to capture. In the 80’s I took watercolor classes at the Nolen Schmidt studio.

In 2011, upon retirement, I taught for seven years with Bill Morris, then left to teach on my own. I currently instruct students in Mobile at Spring Hill Baptist Activity Center. I enjoy teaching and paint every day with a diverse subject matter.

My work begins with a solid composition and then seeks to inspire and stimulate creativity. I am a realist and enjoy painting portraits, landscapes, buildings, animals and people. I have been commissioned by a variety of people, both locally and internationally. It gives me great satisfaction to create paintings that bring pleasure to others.