About Us
New Century Art Gallery’s mission is to reimagine the traditional art gallery setting, how artists build their brand, the ways art can be discovered and collected, and demystify the business of art, all through new technologies and innovative thinking. The art gallery represents exceptional emerging and established artists using digital content, a professional gallery space, and art exhibitions. Welcome to the New Century Art Gallery.
Founders
Jeanne Burris-Johnson
Jeanne Burris-Johnson
Jeanne Burris-Johnson
Having worked every job in an art gallery setting for over 10 years, New Century Art Gallery co-founder Jeanne Burris Johnson launched the art gallery with her husband Cory in September of 2020. A painter of photo-realistic portraits, pop art, and collage, Jeanne is mostly self-taught as an artist. She has exhibited and shown work all o
Having worked every job in an art gallery setting for over 10 years, New Century Art Gallery co-founder Jeanne Burris Johnson launched the art gallery with her husband Cory in September of 2020. A painter of photo-realistic portraits, pop art, and collage, Jeanne is mostly self-taught as an artist. She has exhibited and shown work all over Michigan and beyond. Jeanne brings her experience from both working in art galleries and as a working artist to New Century Art Gallery through programing, artist services, and the online art gallery.
jeanne@newcenturyartgallery.com
Cory D Johnson
Jeanne Burris-Johnson
Jeanne Burris-Johnson
Cory is the Business Manager for New Century Art Gallery, and is responsible for non-art related tasks. Cory has been assisting Jeanne with her personal art business for many years, has a Bachelor’s Degree in Management from DeVry University and retired from the United States Army in 2014, after 26 years of Active Service.
Instructors
Virginia Bur
Valerie Hoste
Valerie Hoste
Pottery Instructor
Award winning and second-generation potter, Virginia Bur, has a lifelong background in making functional stoneware and enjoys helping others learn and experiment in the art of making pottery. From large fine art pieces to smaller useful items Virginia can help others make their vision come to life. Lessons focus on wh
Pottery Instructor
Award winning and second-generation potter, Virginia Bur, has a lifelong background in making functional stoneware and enjoys helping others learn and experiment in the art of making pottery. From large fine art pieces to smaller useful items Virginia can help others make their vision come to life. Lessons focus on wheel throwing hand techniques, holding with core body strength and decorating forms with carvings and unique glazing.
Valerie Hoste
Valerie Hoste
Valerie Hoste
Drawing Instructor
Training students to see like an artist, rather than just teaching them to draw, is Valerie's gift. She is a self-taught artist who developed simple techniques and tools to help anyone learn to draw realistically. She provides the building blocks that lead to a shift in thinking so that what is drawn looks like what is s
Drawing Instructor
Training students to see like an artist, rather than just teaching them to draw, is Valerie's gift. She is a self-taught artist who developed simple techniques and tools to help anyone learn to draw realistically. She provides the building blocks that lead to a shift in thinking so that what is drawn looks like what is seen. Her students begin with the basics and grow to amaze themselves. "I love watching my students transform from thinking they can't draw at all, to creating beautiful works of art that capture the true likeness of their subject," says Valerie.
Valerie's love for art began in childhood and continues to grow in strength and spirit. After successfully climbing the corporate ladder for 30 years, some life-changing events moved her to take pause. She finally reached a place in her life where she could whole-heartedly pursue her passions for teaching art and drawing.
In 2006 she launched Valerie's Art Studio, and moved to her current Port Huron location in 2010. Hundreds of students experienced Valerie's popular Free College Day workshops at St. Clair County Community College. Now all ages enjoy painting and drawing classes in Valerie's unique home studio. Her specialties include colored pencil painting and graphite drawing. She excels at hand-drawn life-like portraits of people and pets.
Mary Quintal
Valerie Hoste
Elizabeth Sommerville
Collage Instructor
Mary Quintal graduated from the University of Michigan school of Art and did post graduate work at Wayne State University in Detroit. Ms. Quintal has continued to expand her art skills by painting with many well known American artists. Three such artists whom Ms. Quintal feels have had a great impact on her work have be
Collage Instructor
Mary Quintal graduated from the University of Michigan school of Art and did post graduate work at Wayne State University in Detroit. Ms. Quintal has continued to expand her art skills by painting with many well known American artists. Three such artists whom Ms. Quintal feels have had a great impact on her work have been Charles Reid, Gerald Brommer and most especially Stephen Quiller whose color theory changed her approach to painting altogether.
Mary Quintal’s paintings have been a familiar sight around southeastern Michigan
art fairs and galleries for the last twenty years. Mary Quintal has won several awards at these shows including Best of Show at the Grosse Pointe Art Festival, the First Place Award for Mixed Media at The Eastern Michigan International Exhibit, Port Huron and many purchase awards. Ms. Quintal’s paintings can be found in many corporate and private collections throughout the United States and Canada.
“I feel that painting should be a joy and an on going learning experience, and so
I like to paint in many mediums and not be confined to a particular technique or subject matter.” ~Mary Quintal
Elizabeth Sommerville
Elizabeth Sommerville
Elizabeth Sommerville
Home School Instructor
Elizabeth Sommerville is a Michigan Artists from the east side of the state. She has a Bachelors of Art Degree from Central Michigan University in Art Photographer and a Minor in Journalism. Along with photography her college years were spent immersing herself in the study of drawing, painting and printmaking. She
Home School Instructor
Elizabeth Sommerville is a Michigan Artists from the east side of the state. She has a Bachelors of Art Degree from Central Michigan University in Art Photographer and a Minor in Journalism. Along with photography her college years were spent immersing herself in the study of drawing, painting and printmaking. She also attended St. Clair County Community College and studied under Earl Robinette in Drawing and Painting.
For many years Sommerville ran a Photo/Media Department at one of Michigan's big box stores. After leaving, she started her own photography business that specialized in portraits and special events. At that same time she also joined an artists cooperative, The Shop, that once resided in Port Huron. Along with the cooperative she also joined Studio 1219 Art Gallery where she sold her art and was introduced to teaching. She taught at the Studio for over 10 years in various classes and mediums. Her last position held at the studio was Education Coordinator.
Sommerville's love of creating has always been her driving force in her field. Her art focus has mainly centered on her love of nature in this ever changing world and the effect humanity has on it. Through art she is able to share her passion with others in her work and in teaching. Her philosophy is that there is beauty all around us, we just need to look. Helping others to take time to learn and experience new things brings her great joy in her career.
Jenny Walker
Elizabeth Sommerville
Jenny Walker
Acrylic and Oil Painting Instructor
Born in Argentina, Jenny discovered at an early age her love for and talent as an artist as she crayoned her first mural masterpiece on her mom’s sewing room wall, (nothing more to say here). She and her family immigrated to the US (legally) when she was twelve.
Jenny attended Cass Tech High School
Acrylic and Oil Painting Instructor
Born in Argentina, Jenny discovered at an early age her love for and talent as an artist as she crayoned her first mural masterpiece on her mom’s sewing room wall, (nothing more to say here). She and her family immigrated to the US (legally) when she was twelve.
Jenny attended Cass Tech High School in Detroit excelling in art classes learning technique and styles of the world’s greats. She took what she learned and created a style that is unique to her, Realism. Acrylic, oils, or watercolor; landscapes, animals, portraits, and mechanical, any subject, any medium, she can do it. In recent years she began recreating historical paintings of ships, trains and buildings that have been lost to time but not forgotten. When she undertakes one of these projects, she spends hours researching time era colors and costumes to make it as historically accurate as possible.
Jenny met her future husband, Mike, in 1977 where she took his challenge to paint him a mural; nine months to completion and they were wed. Mike was a driving force encouraging her to paint and paint she did. They ran the arts and craft show circuit for 26 years with Jenny painting on whatever Mike built out of wood, i.e. bread boxes, serving trays, and the only line they currently maintain, the Christmas wreath. When the economy crashed in the early 2000’s she walked away from doing shows and painting on wood and concentrated on canvas paintings.
She was a member of Studio 1219 for many years displaying her artwork as well as teaching acrylic and oil painting classes. She now displays at New Century Art Gallery and St Clair Art Association. She teaches class in her home studio and gets the occasional teaching gig at the two afore mentioned establishments.
If you don’t have paint on your hands and face….. you haven’t lived!