Page 32 - Senior Link Magazine Winter 2025 - Online Magazine

MUSIC & ART

at the Buddy Holly Center and at the She teaches her “Paint with Passion”
Broadway Contemporary Fine Art classes once a month at the Garden
Gallery. She also sells prints, cards, and Arts Center on University
notebooks, and coasters featuring Avenue. Each class has a different
her original works. Her most recent theme from land/seascapes, still life,
endeavor is painting wine bottles. architecture, sky/sunset, to animals.
Martha's Class She guides folks on the basics and
Martha Hunnicutt encourages “coloring outside the

advice to anyone facing retirement Martha’s story is different as she has lines.” Martha wants people to enjoy
is to “find your passion and do what been painting for decades—starting the process and believes that “there
makes you happy.” When she was with a set of oil paints she received at are no mistakes, only opportunities.”
painting with oils, she did what she age 14 as a gift from her big sister. Her She gets great joy from seeing the
thought other people wanted. Now, sister saw that she was creative and success of her students.
Tutti is doing what makes her happy. told Martha to “go do what you were What about you? Have you been
born to do.” Despite that challenge, thinking about art but feared you
Kathryn Thomas like many of us, Martha’s life took were too old? I hope these stories

Like Tutti, Kathryn spent 30 years many twists and turns that didn’t motivate you to pick up a brush (or a
in healthcare. Other than decorating include art. blowtorch), to take a class, and explore
lockers in high school and doing a bit She became a licensed cosmetologist your creative side. What are you going
of sketching, the only art in her life at 17, holds a business degree, and to do for your next chapter?
involved visiting museums and art worked in sales and management at
galleries. Once she retired, she started Dillard’s. She calls herself a “survivor”
looking for something to fill her time. following domestic violence in her
“I was a blank slate,” she said, but first marriage. Martha also owned
“I wanted to do art.” Kathryn once New Image Hair Design Institute in
took a freehand drawing class at TTU Lubbock. Her daughter had a near
which inspired her to begin sketching death experience that resulted in a
and later painting. She has learned by seizure disorder. Through it all, art
taking more classes and participating was Martha’s salvation as it helped
in the demonstrations offered by clear away the stress and emotions.
the West Texas Watercolor Society She participates in three West Texas
(WTWS). Watercolor Society shows a year

She has served as chair of the and typically does two national
Exhibit committee for WTWS, juried shows—including Lubbock’s
and later as President for two esteemed Art on the Llano Estacado,
years. She is still active with the held each year at the Texas Tech
Society and enters all their shows. Museum. Martha is represented by
Kathryn now does watercolor, the Broadway Contemporary Fine One of Martha's paintings
gouache (a method of painting Art Gallery. Currently, she works
using opaque pigments ground in primarily in acrylics. Though she
water and thickened with a gluelike doesn’t have an art education, Martha
substance), acrylic, and pastels. Some loves to teach painting. While her
years she does six paintings, and students range from ages 18-82, more
others 26. Her record for one year than 50% are seniors. Some painted
is 46. She paints when she wants to when they were younger, and she just
and sometimes goes weeks without encourages them to pick up a brush
painting. Though Kathryn considers again. Others have never painted.
herself a “hobbyist,” meaning she At each of her classes, students leave
hopes her art income covers her with a finished painting—often
expenses, she has done a solo show surprised at what they accomplished.

Kathryn's painting "Love in Bloom"
32 Lubbock Senior Link