Bay City Tribune

The Art League of Bay City is displaying the work of nationally recognized artist and local resident Jean Weeks.

The exhibit of watercolor paintings will be on display through Nov. 15 at the Art League Gallery on Fifth Street, though Weeks' vibrant scenes and unique talent have made her a local treasure for 40 years.

She was a founding member of the Art League of Bay City and served as the second president of the group.

Over the years, Weeks has instructed many students in the area and around the country through art workshops and classes.

She recently held a watercolor workshop at the Art League Gallery on Oct. 23-24, and teaches a local ongoing class at her private studio, Studio Mariposa in Bay City.

When asked to choose her favorite activity, Weeks can't decide between teaching and painting.

"I can't imagine not painting, but I love teaching too. I get to watch (my students) develop as artists and it's exciting for me. I'm like a proud mama."

Originally from West Texas, Weeks grew up as the artist of her family. She began her study of art by taking lessons from master artists. She became an accomplished oil painter and taught the genre to students throughout the Gulf Coast area.

When she turned her attention to watercolor, she found it to be a totally unique discipline.

She began seeking out master watercolor artists and taking lessons from them. She traveled to California and many other states collecting the lessons of her chosen mentors and developing her style and skill.

She then began to teach others and travel the world, joyfully practicing her passion of painting.

Weeks carried a journal with her on her travels to the Amalfi and Mediterranean coasts of Italy, where she would spontaneously sketch and paint from her train window and the balcony of her hotel room.

The pages reflect her adventurous spirit of discovery in vivid color as well as a personal and candid experience of seeing the world through an artists eyes.

The journal and some paintings were featured in an article she wrote in Watercolor Magic Magazine, the definitive how-to instruction magazine for watercolor artists.

Weeks has donated many paintings for auction to raise money for community organizations in Bay City.

The hospital has purchased a collection of 30 original paintings that now adorn many hallways of the new Matagorda Regional Medical Center.

She is excited about the growing excitement within the local art scene.

"The Art League has been revitalized in the last few years," said Weeks. "We're bringing in a lot of artists for workshops and it's pretty active."

Weeks reflects on her life as a Bay City artist with joy and pride. "I've met a lot of neat people and done a lot of neat things. It's been fun."