About the Instructor

Gary J. Hernandez is a well-known, award winning artist residing in Houston, Texas.  He attended the Houston Museum of Fine Arts School of Art. In 1986 he sold his graphics design firm to pursue a full-time career as a professional artist.

Exhibiting extensively in the Houston area, his art has also been showcased in SOHO, New York/ Santa Fe, New Mexico/ Chicago, Illinois/ Cape Cod, Massachusetts/ Scottsdale, Arizona/ Fairfield, Connecticut/ Topeka, Kansas/ Naples, Florida/ Springfield, Massachusetts as well as the Contemporary Arts Museum in Houston. He owns and operates the Gary J. Hernandez Gallery of Fine Art and is the owner and Principle Instructor of The Gary J. Hernandez School of Fine Art. Teaching positions include Adult level classes at the Art League of Houston, Grades 6-8 art classes at a private school and numerous workshops at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.

He specializes in representational art with an emphasis on the human figure. In 1991, 1992, 1993 and 2006,  he was a finalist in The Artist's Magazine International Art Competition, an Award of Excellence winner in the Manhattan Arts Magazine Competition, awarded Honorable Mention for Artistic Excellence at Salon International 2006 and Jury's Top Fifty at Salon International 2008, 2009 & 2011.  Hernandez was profiled in the 1991 Manhattan Arts Magazine. His artwork has been published in North Light Books "The Best of Flower Painting" and "The Best of Portrait Painting". His watercolor "Between Pride and Humility" is the book cover art for "Latino Heretics".

Prices for Hernandez's works range from $ 500 to $ 10,000 depending upon size and the complexity of the subject.

Mr. Hernandez is an Associate Member of the Oil Painters of America and the International Guild of Realism. He has served as President of the Art League of Houston and as Board Member of the Visual Arts Alliance and the Watercolor Art Society/Houston.

Awards & Exhibitions

2011     Hilliard Gallery, Kansas City, MO
                  "4th Annual Human Form Show"                                                                                                                                           2011     Richeson School of Art and Gallery, Kimberly, Wisconsin
                  The Richeson 75 / Small Works Exhibition
2011     Greenhouse Gallery, San Antonio, Texas
                  "Salon International 2011"
2011-2008  “The New Reality: The Frontier of Realism in the 21^st Century/ Int'l. Guild of Realism Traveling Exhibition 
            Wichita Art Museum, Wichita, Kansas, April 27-June 22, 2008
            The Springfield Museums, Springfield, MA, July 13-Sept 7, 2008
            The Springfield Museums, Springfield, MA, Sept28-Nov.23, 2008
            R.W. Norton Art Gallery, Shreveport, LA, Dec16,08-Feb.15,2009
            Owensboro Museum of Fine Art, Owensboro, Kentucky-May24-Jul16,2009
            Historic City Hall Ars & Cultural Center, Lake Charles, LA Aug14-Oct 17,2009
            Museum of Texas Tech Univ., Lubbock,TX, Nov8,09-Jan 3,2010
            Appleton Museum of Art, Ocala, FL. Jan.24-March 21, 2010
            Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum, Wausau, WI,
                 June 27-Aug. 29, 2010
            Indian Hills Comm. College, Ottumwa, Iowa,Sept12-Nov 7,2010
            Univ. of Mary Washington/Gari Melchers Museum, 
                  Fredericksburg, Virginia, Dec.4,2010-Feb.27,2011

2010   International Artist Magazine / October-November 2010 Issue #75
               "Creating an Oil Study for a Larger Work" / pgs. 42-49
2010   FineArtViews November 2010 Painting Competition
               Awarded FineArtViews 15% (Jury's favorite 15%) for "Between Pride & Humility"
2010   FineArtViews October 2010 Painting Competition
               Awarded FineArtViews 15% (Jury's favorite 15%) for "Matador de Toros"
2010   Jack Meier Gallery, Houston, TX
               "Group Exhibit"
2010   FineArtViews September 2010 Painting Competition
                Awarded FineArtViews 15% (Jury's favorite 15%) for "Illumination"
2010   FineArtViews August 2010 Painting Competition
                Awarded FineArtViews 15%  for "An Arrangement of Gourds"
2010   FineArtViews July 2010 Painting Competition
               Awarded FineArtViews 15% (Jury's favorite 15%) for "Young Man in Black"
2010   FineArtViews June 2010 Painting Competition
               Awarded FineArtViews 15% (Jury's favorite 15%) for "Blue"
2010    Hilliard Gallery, Kansas City, MO
            "The State of Contemporary Realism"
2010   Jack Meier Gallery, Houston, Texas
            "Artist Talk & New Works" Exhibition
2010   Greenhouse Gallery, San Antonio, Texas
            "Salon International 2010"
2010   FineArtViews December 2009 Painting Competition
            Awarded FineArtViews 15% (Jury's favorite 15%) for "Incognito"
2010    J. Willott Gallery, Palm Desert, California
            International Guild of Realism Fifth Annual Juried Exhibition

2009    FineArtViews August 2009 Painting Competition
           Awarded FineArtViews 15% (Jury's favorite 15%)
2009   Greenhouse Gallery, San Antonio, Texas
            "Salon International 2009" / Jury's Top Fifty Award
2009   The Weatherburn Gallery, Naples, Florida
            International Guild of Realism Fourth Annual Juried Exhibition /
            2009 Best Floral Award
2008    The Greenwich Workshop Gallery, Fairfield, CT
            "Small Works North America"
2008   International Artist Magazine, October-November 2008 Issue #63
            Still Life & Florals Challenge #47/ Finalist
2008    Richeson School of Art & Gallery, Kimberly, Wisconsin
            Richeson 75: Landscape, Seascape & Exteriors 2008
2008    Devin Galleries, Coeur d'Alene, Idaho
            Oil Painters of America 2008 Western Regional Juried Exhibition
2008    Greenhouse Gallery, San Antonio, Texas
            "Salon International 2008" / Jury's Top Fifty Award
2008   Finalist - The Hunting Art Prize
            Houston, TX
2008   Trudy Labell Fine Art Gallery, Naples, FL "Reality Check /
            A Juried Exhibition of Realist Artists"
2008    Scottsdale Fine Art Gallery, Scottsdale, AZ 
            International Guild of Realism "Third Annual Juried Exhibition"
2007    The Greenwich Workshop Gallery, Fairfield, CT 
            "Small Works North America"/ Top 40 Award
2007    Visual Arts Alliance, Houston, TX
            "Twenty-fifth Juried Membership Exhibition"
2007    South Wind Gallery, Topeka, KS/ Oil Painters of America
            "2007 Central Regional Juried Exhibition of Traditional Oils"
2007   Winstanley-Roark Fine Arts Gallery, Cape Cod, Dennis, MA
            "Leading Masters of Contemporary Realism"/ IGOR
2007   International Artist Magazine, April-May 2007 Issue #54
            Flowers & Garden Challenge #38 / Top Ten Finalist
2007   Greenhouse Gallery, San Antonio, TX
            "Salon International 2007"
2007    Rive Gauche Gallery, Scottsdale, AZ
            "Go Figure" Figurative Art Group Exhibition 
2007   Rive Gauche Gallery, Scottsdale, AZ
            "A Valentine Celebration of Women" Group Exhibition
2006   23rd Annual Artist's Magazine's Art Competition
            Portrait & Figure Category / Finalist
2006   Visual Arts Alliance, Houston, TX
            "Twenty-fourth Annual Juried Membership Exhibition"
2006   Winstanley-Roark Fine Arts Gallery, Cape Cod, Dennis, MA
            "Contemporary Nude in Art-A Special Figurative Exhibition" 
2006   Manitou Galleries, Santa Fe, NM   
            "International Guild of Realism 2nd Annual Juried Exhibition" 
2006   Visual Arts Alliance, Houston, TX 
            "23rd Juried Open Exhibition"/ First Honorable Mention
2006   Greenhouse Gallery, San Antonio, TX
           "Salon International 2006" Honorable Mention in Artistic Excellence