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Artist Bio As a Junior in High School I enrolled in my first art class at Granger High in Granger Utah, now called West Valley City. My teacher was Max Durrant. I guess Art Teachers are expected to be eccentric...he was, a little. Mostly I remember him teaching me things I did not think could be taught. My best friend was a natural born artist and could draw anything really well. She intimidated me. But, I tried anyway, and wa-la! (Click here to see my First Grid). I graduated from Brigham Young University in 1981 with a BFA in Fine Arts. Since then I have studied at Easter Arizona College, University of Utah, Weber State, Utah State University, and Salt Lake Community College. I enjoy learning and subscribe to several Art Magazines. I teach whatever I want to learn to my students, and we learn together. Exhibitions: Eccles Art Gallery Statewide Art Competition in Ogden, July 2008..."Lillywhite" and "Kitchen Serenity" m.e.styles Gallery in Tooele, Utah, June 2006... Several Oils, Pastels, Watercolors and Photos. Tooele Arts Festival in 2006, Tooele County Fair in 2008 and the Utah State Fair in 2008. My work is now represented by Local Colors of Utah. The Gallery is located at 535 S 700 E Every year at Grantsville High we have a Faculty Art Show. We bring in Professional Artist's to judge the show and give awards. I have also shown my work every year at the Faculty Art Show hosted by Cottonwood High School while teaching in Granite School District. It was there I sold my first work (excluding small shows I did at college to clean house and raise a little money). My work is also represented by Artists of Utah. Today I am an Art Teacher, and am in the process of establishing myself as a Professional Artist. I have taught Art for 18 years now. I began my teaching career in Fort Thomas Arizona (Click here to see a painting of my student Ronnie Preston) where I taught for 2 years, the first year as Jane Thurber, and the second year as Jane Autry. Yes, I found my husband (Chuck Autry, Click here to link to his website) in the tiny remote Arizona village of Pima. I took a 10 year break from teaching and doing any real art work to have 6 children, move 14 times, and see my husband through 22 job changes. Everytime I drove past a High School I would get these longing feelings to go back to teaching. Finally, after subbing for 2 years while I renewed my teaching certificate I landed a job at my Alma Mater, Granger High School and taught Pottery there for 7 years. I love doing pottery, and have a lot of keepsakes that I will never sale. In fact, my pottery is not yet represented on my web site...maybe someday. In 1999 we built a new home in Grantsville Utah, and I began teaching at Grantsville High School. I taught English, Art, and Pottery. As the school grew I was able to relinquish the English assignment, then the Pottery assignment. Presently I teach College Level Oil Painting, College Level Basic Drawing, Color Theory, Photography, and Yearbook. No, it hasn't gotten any easier, but I am getting to the point where I am truly doing what I love and loving what I do. The only thing that might be better is to be a full time Professional Artist, however, I have another 14 years before I plan to retire. Judging from the past, those years will fly by. For this reason, I am researching what it takes to be considered a Professional Artist, and taking it one summer at a time. This website is a step closer to getting my work out there! I hope you enjoy it. Watch for updates, and better yet, come see my work in person. It's better in real life! Contact me @ daisyjaneautry@yahoo.com. Another link you may be interested in is Artists of Utah. I have work there too, and just recently I have been developing an account with ArtId.com. As a result of this last affiliation with ArtId.com my work is now listed on Ebay. I look forward to some real action! |