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Ann Schmidt (below, right) is hard at work on a colorful portrait of one of her grandsons. The trick here is that this pastel shows a small child, totally wrapped up against a snowy background and could pass for just about anybody's grandson! Something she is banking on because she plans to tell each of her 3 daughters that it's of their son! That's Ann's cute sense of humor.

Cathy Peel is working on a precious pastel that her family will fight over one day (I predict.) It is a scene from her own photograph at the State Fair of Texas last year. Big Tex looms over the figures of her husband and their little grandson who are standing below. I've told Cathy I can "see" the finished painting as a full color cover of a future issue of "Texas Monthly." Just remember: You heard about it here!

I guess I caught Linda Polston (left) by surprise! Well, she didn't surprise me with her talent! She came into my class loaded with it ... She is very fond of portraits and takes every opportunity to further her studies. It's paying off beautifully.

Here's a great example of how to take a personal photograph and make it a unique piece of artwork! Linda Martinez (above) snapped this little picture of her grandchildren one day and then created a pastel painting that can be used in a variety of ways from prints to note cards to greeting cards.

Juan Tellez, an up-and- coming young entrepeneur, was a student for several years until work got in the way ...

Kathy Darst (below) works on a pastel seascape. All of my students do exceptional work!