Expanding Access To Visual Art
Gulf Coast Traveling Art Stars League (GTASL) is a recognized 501(c)3 organization dedicated to advancing visual arts by delivering a traveling museum and art gallery directly into Texas Gulf Coast communities. With a particular focus on underserved communities, GTASL expands access to quality visual art, fosters appreciation for culturally diverse artistry, strengthens community engagement, and supports the professional development of local artists.
Upcoming Events
GTASL Activities
Artistic Initiatives
GTASL serves Texas Gulf Coast communities and artists of all skill levels and backgrounds, with a deliberate focus on areas that have historically lacked reliable access to visual art, arts education, and professional artist exposure. GTASL emphasizes traditional artistic disciplines—oil, acrylic, watercolor painting, and photography—while fostering creative growth, artistic discipline, and meaningful public engagement.
Traveling Gallery
Traveling galleries that bring art to local communities.
Workshops
Hands-on art education experiences for all ages.
Exhibitions
Showcasing local talent in vibrant displays.
Events
Community fairs and events that celebrate creativity and culture.
The Artistic Journey
Michael Johnson grew up in Houston’s South Union and Fifth Ward, where art became both an outlet and a way forward. As a student at Fleming Middle School, his work was entered into the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Art Contest, earning several awards & ribbons. His early talent also found expression painting graffiti on the streets, which lead to his first business start-up, painting murals on interior walls for Houston businesses.
Mike earned a degree from The Art Institute of Houston, where he received the Best Graphic Design Portfolio Award. After graduating tops in his class, he was recruited to be a graphic designer at a Black-owned accounting/consulting firm in the Galleria area. From there he launched his own graphic and web design firm.
Driven by a desire to teach tech skills to incarcerated individuals so they could build businesses after release, Mike returned to college and earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Sam Houston State University. SHSU awarded him a full scholarship to continue and in 2015 he earned his master’s degree. His thesis won the Best Student Researcher Award.
Throughout these years, art remained constant. Mike taught neighborhood kids out of his garage in Sunnyside, instructed art classes for nonprofits in low-income apartments, and taught art at Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church in its "Boys Rights of Passage" program. He later became a certified Tech Applications teacher and served as a Department Chair, teaching multimedia courses at a Cy-Fair ISD high school.
After moving with his wife to Galveston County, Mike began painting local Galveston scenes. His work caught the attention of area collectors and galleries, leading to his work being placed in the AOP Art Gallery and the Galveston Art League.
Mike’s lifelong experience as an artist, educator, and community advocate led him to found Gulf Coast Traveling Art Stars League.
GTASL's Mission
Gulf Coast Traveling Art Stars League is a 501(c)3 charitable organization that exist to expand access of visual art to diverse communities across the Texas Gulf Coast. GTASL advance visual arts by taking a traveling gallery into Gulf Coast communities, assisting in artist development, and engaging the community in hands-on art learning experiences.