Dortha Mattox, a retired public school teacher who grew up in North Alabama and graduated from the University of North Alabama, began painting with oils but is currently working with acrylics, often very wet on watercolor paper but at other times on canvas using oil techniques. She also enjoys creating works that combine artist inks with acrylics to create a loose, rather impressionistic image.  Dortha is curently exploring abstract and collage work, which is a new direction for her.