Billye Otten - Biography

B i o g r a p h y

Billye Otten was born in 1946 in Taylor, the seventh child of eight children. She lived in Central Texas until 1954. After a family tragedy, Billye and one of her sisters moved to Houston, Texas to live with her mother’s sister’s family. She lived in Houston until 1962. In the summer of 1962 she moved to Seattle, Washington to live with her other sister and her husband. They moved to San Antonio, Texas in the fall of 1962. Billye graduated from Alamo Heights High School in 1965. She worked as a medical assistant in a doctor’s office in San Antonio until she moved to Denton, Texas to attend North Texas State University from 1965-1966. There she majored in art. After completing one year at North Texas State University, she returned to San Antonio to resume her job as a medical assistant. As soon as she had enough money to have her wedding dress made, she married and moved to College Station, Texas in 1967 with her husband. Billye continued to work as a medical assistant, taking time off work to have her first son, until her husband got his masters degree. Then she moved with her family to Birmingham, Alabama. In Birmingham Billye had two more children, a girl and another boy. She lived in Birmingham until 1976 when she and her family moved to Saudi Arabia where they lived until 1982. While living in Saudi Arabia, Billye enrolled in a few art courses. Living in Saudi Arabia allowed the family to travel all over the world. In 1982 they moved back to Birmingham, Alabama. Billye attended the University of Alabama, Birmingham where she completed several studio art classes. Her husband changed jobs in 1986 and the family moved to Houston, Texas. Billye enrolled in the studio art program at The University of Houston in 1987 and received her BFA, Magna cum laude, in 1992. Since her graduation she has continued to take art- related college courses and maintain her painting studio.