The recent Cross Timbers Artist Guild Tour celebrated and honored founder Kathleen House (1950-2024) of Double Oak.
Kathleen’s fascination with and love of art led her to hatch the first open studio tour with friend and fellow artist, Melodee Ramirez. Sweety Bowman joined the triumvirate in 2001 and the three Texas Women’s University Master of Arts graduates drove the art effort throughout southern Denton County for years.
From its inception, the Guild Tour gave visitors the opportunity to experience more closely how artists create their works. Kathleen always liked to integrate some sort of “hands on” activity at her studio for the tour so that visitors could directly experience the joy of creating art.
Kathleen had both degrees in Art Education, and believed strongly that art could play a major role in developing a child’s self-image, confidence, and overall learning skills.
While living in Coppell in the 1980’s, she introduced elementary art education to the Coppell school system, first as a volunteer doing it just for the love of doing it, then later as a teacher who commuted throughout the system. She also worked with the State of Texas to establish standards and goals for teaching art to children.
Throughout her teaching career, she continued to produce art herself, and won various awards in juried shows throughout the Metroplex. Kathleen actively participated in creating murals in the Deep Ellum area, often recruiting family members to assist with large-scale images.
In the 80’s, she and other like-minded artists opened an art gallery in Old Town Coppell, where she began teaching privately to children and adults. This was the springboard for the business known as Studio Art House, which at its peak had locations in Coppell, Flower Mound, Southlake, and McKinney. Both of her daughters, Jennifer and Kayli, were inspired by their mom and joined her in creating this business, which they ran for 12 years before selling to the current owners, Anita and Marty Robbins.
Kathleen and her husband, Tim, purchased a property and an old tin horse barn that they converted to Kathleen’s “Red Barn Studio,” where she created large-scale paintings shown and sold throughout the area. Kathleen’s works are currently on display at Studio Art House, the Lewisville Grand, and permanently at The Bartonville Store.
Her passing this year leaves a large gap in the artist community, but her legacy ensures that the art will go on, thanks to old and new artists who were privileged to be a part of Kathleen’s influence. Artist, teacher, mentor, business woman, creator, community leader, muralist, friend, mother, wife…Kathleen House lived as a consummate artist throughout her life
In addition to viewing Kathleen’s works this season, the Flower Mound library will have a show by Deb Kreimborg called “The Gift of Winter.” Murthy Mantha’s art will be displayed at the Flower Mound Town Hall, and a children’s book, “The Sad Tree” by local author Brooke Hoffman and illustrator Rebecca J. Jones, will be available for purchase at local bookstores and online retailers. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to local non-profit Ally’s Wish, further extending the impact of this powerful, local story. This book was inspired by the Flower Mound tradition of making leafless trees come alive with festive decorations the day after Thanksgiving. “The Sad Tree” tells the story of two children who see a special tree while going through hard times at home. The tree becomes a symbol of joy, and the book aims to provide comfort and inspiration to children everywhere.
This December, let’s celebrate the holidays, artists and the art they have gifted us with throughout time.
(Special thanks to Tim House for contributing to this column.)
