Instructors

Robert Garden

A NATIVE OF WEST VIRGINIA, Robert H. Garden graduated from the Ringling School of Art in Sarasota, Florida, with an MBA in Art. His distinguished 30 plus year career in commercial and fine art has afforded Mr. Garden commissions ranging from museum dioramas to convention center murals. A PREMIER GALLERY ARTIST, author, lecturer and teacher, Garden is accomplished in both oils and watercolor. Because of limited availability of competent art instruction, either in or out of college, the “Robert Garden Method” of painting was developed and perfected. Robert has been highly successful during the more than 30 years of teaching beginning students and accomplished artists to paint with confidence and to complete a painting in only three hours or less. He has won the Silver Cup Art Award (the highest award given), two consecutive years from the Corpus Christi Art Association. He is a lifetime member of the Rockport, Texas Art Association. One of a small and select group of artists entrusted in the restoration and repair of paintings, Robert was commissioned by a Florida gallery to restore a painting, which was valued at Three Million Dollars, demonstrating his competence and credibility.

THE AUTHOR of two books, a video series and CO-host of an instructional painting pilot filmed for public television, Mr. Garden has been featured on national television and prestigious newspapers through the U.S. As a farm boy in West Virginia, Robert began painting at the age of seven. He used his mother’s cosmetics and colorful berry juices for paint. His canvases were window shades and scrap materials. His first brushes were made from the hair of his cat and dog’s tails. His first painting was sold at a sidewalk art show in Wheeling, West Virginia, for $80.00 when he was eight years old. Robert Garden has since continued to conduct painting workshops, touring throughout the United States and many foreign countries.

Christen Garden

I was born and raised in Irving, TX. I am the daughter of master artist Robert & Susan Garden. I became interested in art at a very young age, tagging along with art demonstrations and helping my father at the art studio in any way I could. As a child I watched my parents travel and paint on location while their love of art flourished. From a young age, I could see what art did for the soul and I wanted to share that gift with others too. Consequently, I took art as an elective every year in high school and continued my education at North Lake College. I enjoy the fundamentals of color theory and my favorite medium to work with is watercolor. I have been a teaching instructor at Robert Garden School of Art since 2007. I have worked with children all across the Dallas Ft. Worth metropolis teaching Art camps in continuing education centers and city own recreation centers. I also teach private lessons using a variety of mediums to a range of ages.

Recently, my love of the Dental craft has led me to receive my Registered Dental Assistants Degree from Tarrant County College. I revel in dentistry, but I will never stray from what I love most, helping individuals create beautiful paintings to hang and feel proud of. I also find that painting keeps me balanced and relaxed. When I’m not studying or teaching art classes I enjoy traveling with my family to the beaches of the world and going on road trips to the Colorado Rocky’s. I also love going to galleries and fishing with my dad.

Susan Chermack

Susan Chermack is a free-lance artist, designer, calligrapher, and signwriter for over 40 years.

Susan was born and raised in Nebraska, but has spent all of her adult life in Colorado. Her art training began with the Minneapolis Art Institute, attended John F. Kennedy College, 5 years of commercial art classes at Pikes Peak Community College, and numerous workshops and seminars. She also is a certified oil painting instructor with the Dallas-based Robert Garden School of Art. She teaches oil classes regularly in her studio north of Salida.

In addition she is a calligraphy instructor and has done work for the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. Her main area of work has been mural painting for the United States Air Force Academy. She started with one large 7 ft. by 40 ft. mural in the Press Box over 20 years ago, and has since produced over 60 projects and paintings for the Academy, with the largest being over 800 square feet. In addition to the USAFA, she has also painted for the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, the Whidbey Island Naval Base in Puget Sound, and the Davis-Monthan AFB in Tucson, Arizona.

Becky Garrett

Becky Garrett wears many hats…wife, mother, former elementary teacher, lead singer in a band, vocal teacher & Girl Scout Troop Leader. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from University of Central Oklahoma in 1998.

After teaching elementary school for 6 years she decided to stay home to raise her young daughter. She realized that she needed a creative outlet and remembered how much she loved to watch her mother paint.

Becky and her best friend decided to attend a class with Robert Garden at the local community center. That class planted a seed in Becky that she will forever be grateful. She decided to attend the Robert Garden Instructors Course in January. Teaching art gives her the opportunity to do what she loves and still place her family as top priority. Becky now looks forward to being able to use her creative outlet and teach it to others.