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Patricia, I think you made a good decision too. Who you study with ultimately depends on what your goals are. If you want to learn the technique of oil paintings and copy photos there are many people who would qualify as good teachers. If you want to learn to be a successful business person and self promoter you can also follow the lead of many.
If you want to learn how to interpret and recreate the illusion of three dimensionality on a flat surface you need to be taught to paint and draw from life. This is an all encompassing lifetime study which rewards those who succeed with incredible satisfaction each step along the way.
If you want to learn oil painting then go to someone who teaches that specifically.
You can certainly judge a teacher by the quality of the work of the students but seeing some students of lesser talent doesn't necessarily mean anything. More importantly you should judge the kind of progress that each of the students makes and continues to make even after they finish their study.
Because someone is a good artist doesn't mean they are necessarily a good teacher. In fact, this can sometimes be a liability. Many good artists create great paintings in spite of their approach based on intuition and natural talent. Those two things can't be taught. The best athletes don't usually make the best coaches. If you do find someone who is both you are in a very unique situation. Both teaching and the ability to perform are rare indeed.
Also be wary of teachers whose students' work lookvery much like their own. They are not teaching painting but merely technique. The test of a great teacher is that the students they teach develop as individuals and not clones.
Good luck.
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