Construction Update

A Message from Stan Smith, Board President

Dear Members,

It was a sunny and clear day in Rockport when Ty Husak took his drone in the air to record video and images of current progress at the construction site, found in the video below:

Here is where we are today: 

• Building 2 - The Rockport Conference Center (The ROCC) is now completely dried in. Except for painting of the exterior, work continues primarily inside. The color selected for the exterior is Free Reign, a warm grey color with silver luminosity. Painters are also busy coating and painting the deck, and plumbers are busy finishing the bathrooms. Once that is complete, installation of acoustical sound clouds and LED lighting will commence.

• Building 1 – The Rockport Center for the Arts’ 2-story building is well under way. Workers are busy finishing the installation of Hardie ® board. Inside, the bathrooms are finished and emphasis is being placed on air conditioning the space so the elevator can be installed.

• National Cabling Services of Houston is also on site performing work to install structured cabling and audio visual components in the classrooms, and integrating the WiFi.

• New furniture, fixtures and equipment ordered in the month of March, are in the process of being manufactured for delivery and installation mid-September.

• Last quarter we ordered new equipment for the ceramic studio and kitchen equipment for the staff break room and the culinary arts and catering kitchen in The ROCC.

A block away from the construction site work on a 56-space surface parking lot for our many events has been completed.  You can see the parking lot in minute 2:35 of the drone video in my column.

On Monday, the board approved a hand rail package for the 1.2 acre campus.  Landscaping work in the sculpture garden will commence very soon.

In Rockport, dreams that we had 7 years ago are becoming a reality, thanks to your patronage and support.

Happy summer!

Stan Smith

Where We Are Going

A Message from Stan Smith, Board President

Dear Members,

When I ran into members of the Art center in the community I am often asked about the future purpose of the new buildings, as well as their amenities.  I thought I would spend a few paragraphs explaining in bullets what you can expect to see when we start occupying the new and improved Rockport Center for the Arts’ facilities this fall. 

Building 1: Rockport Center for the Arts

Height: Two-story Building

Size: 14,000 sf

Purpose: Art Education, Visual Arts, Administration

Building Features: 5 classroom spaces including a standalone building featuring a fully equipped clay studio, 4 galleries, gift shop, elevator, restrooms in both floors, an administration suite, roof top terrace, connectivity through porches, state of the art audiovisual, loading dock

Building 2: Rockport Conference Center (The ROCC)

Height: One-story Building

Size: 8,000 sf

Purpose: Business Conferences, Trade Shows, Expos, Performing Arts, Media Arts, Culinary Arts, Literary Arts, the Home of the Clay Expo, Film Festival, Silver meltdown, Guy Clark Music Festival

Building Features: 4,500 sf ballroom supported by a 1,300 event foyer, restrooms, fully equipped catering and culinary arts kitchen (800 sf), a storage bay, partitions to break ballroom into 4 spaces separate spaces, state of the art audiovisual, loading dock

Offsite Parking: Located one-block away from the campus at the intersection of Magnolia and North St.

Size: 60 spaces

Sate of the Art Facilities: Other Campus Features:

• Fiber optic loop cable line for high speed internet solely dedicated and provided for the campus

• Services from Network Cabling Services of Houston, Texas and Layer One Networks of Corpus Christi for telephone, audio visual, structured cabling, Wi-Fi integration, and campus-wide security monitoring. 

• Underground electrical utilities.

• Resilient concrete and steel construction, elevated above FEMA requirements.

Hundreds of people- staff, Board members, volunteers and consultants, have put in thousands of hours during the past 8 years to make the dream of a new home for the Arts a reality. This dream will have a transformative effect on downtown Rockport, and the community which lost so much in August 2017.

Respectfully,

Stan Smith

The Future of the Art Colony

A Message from Luis Purón, Executive Director

Dear Patron for the Arts,

The charming coastal community we enjoy every day of our lives has been touted as one of the top artist’s colonies in the United States. 

It begs the question, what is an art colony?  In general terms, an artist’s colony refers to an organic congregation of artists often drawn by areas of natural beauty, the prior existence of other artists, or a school for the study and practice of art where participants can blossom. 

Rockport’s art colony, referred to in recent publications as taking hold in the mid-1940s with the advent of the Simon Michael School of Fine Art, was solidified by an Art Guild that on May 20, 1969 became the Rockport Art Association, Inc.  The Association became the organization recognized across the United States as the Rockport Center for the Arts (RCA).

Fifty-three years ago, the now mature RCA started as a place for local artists to exchange ideas and host exhibits.  With the near-term completion of 22,000 sf facilities, in a very short time RCA will become the prominent force for all art forms in Rockport that will carry Rockport’s art colony into the future.

As described in President Stan Smith’s column, the new facilities will feature larger, state of the art spaces for education and exhibitions. Expanding into new programs for the performing, media, culinary and literary arts, the future for the Arts in Rockport is bright.  Unlike the facilities we have occupied to date, every space in the 1.2 acre campus has been designed with an intended purpose in mind

There is no better time for working artists to get involved, thanks to 1,300 sf of members’ only premium exhibition space near the front door of the RCA two-story building.

Sometime this fall, the new campus will be unveiled to the entire of State of Texas.  RCA has always been at the intersection of art and commerce.  The growth potential for working artists that reside in the live oak peninsula is limitless.  With 5 fully equipped classrooms and a total 3,400 sf of art education space, artists can hone their skills to potentially become the next Rockport Art Festival master artist.

An artist’s colony cannot exist without artists, and artists cannot exist without proper facilities to learn, work and test their craft in exhibits.  Our $12.3M investment in state of the art facilities ensures the future of the art colony will prevail for decades to come.  

Thank you for your sustained patronage, 

Luis Purón 

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The Genius in Madness

A Message from Luis Purón, Executive Director

Dear Patrons of the Arts:

Vincent Willem van Gogh is considered the most celebrated Dutch post-impressionist painter and among the most influential figures in the history of Western art.

One of my favorite van Gogh quotes is “Great things are done by a series of small things brought together.”  To the great master these weren't empty words.

He painted over 2,000 works of art in over a decade, including 800 oil paintings. These include still lifes, landscapes, portraits of other people and self-portraits. His art is distinguished by bold colors and expressive brushwork that contributed to the foundations of modern art.  The Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam is the preeminent place in the world to get inspired by the life and work of the Dutch artist. 

Often disregarding his physical health, van Gogh had a short and turbulent life and suffered from delusions and psychosis. During one of his seizures, he cut off his left earlobe which he later offered to a woman at a brothel. Due to major depression, van Gogh shot himself in the chest on July 1890. He died from the gunshot injuries two days later at the age of 37.

Though he was commercially unsuccessful during his lifetime, van Gogh is deemed as one of the most talented artists of all time. His works are among the most valuable paintings to have ever sold at auction with realized prices ranging from $10 to $80 million USD. Valued at 111 million USD, van Gogh's Starry Night (in the permanent collection at the Museum of Modern Art in Manhattan), is one of the most recognizable paintings in Western art.

Despite van Gogh’s emotional and physical ailments, there were times he was actually happy. He was passionate about nature, he fancied insects and flowers and knew species by name. 

My second favorite quote by van Gogh is one worth embracing - “The way to know life is to love many things.”

Yours,

Luis Purón

Executive Director

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Spring Construction Update

A Message from Stan Smith, Board President

Dear Members:

Teal Construction Company has been making great progress on the construction project for the Rockport Center for the Arts (RCA), Rockport Conference Center (The ROCC) along with the new Sculpture Garden. Here it is in bullets:

• Site work continues around the perimeter of all buildings, from construction of exterior stairs, landings, retaining walls, sidewalks, loading docks and concrete paving. 

• Both buildings are moving along quickly from the installation of exterior wall treatments along with the ridge board insulation.

• The exterior siding and trim out details will be installed during spring and into summer months. 

• All the roof monitors have been waterproofed with some of the upper glass units in place. 

• All the wood blocking and waterproofing at perimeter parapet walls of the roof systems have been installed ready for the final wall siding.

• The installation of the roof system on Building No.1 is well under way to soon have an enclosed weathertight building. 

• The ROCC building roof system was completed in April.  

• Interior construction continues with all metal studs and one side of sheetrock installed in both buildings. 

• City of Rockport inspections are all good inspection reports. 

• The subcontractors such as the electrical, mechanical and plumbing are working weekly, installing all necessary materials and equipment per Richter Architects plans and specifications. 

• The team of Richter Architects and Teal Construction Company continue to work daily on the necessary construction details and scheduling. 

• The steel erection company is installing the overhead support structures for the four movable partitions in the large ballroom of The ROCC.

Construction is slated for completion September 6.  Directly following, we will begin the process of securing a Certificate of Occupancy from our partner, the City of Rockport.

Thank you, 

Stan Smith

Board President

Growing Our Community

A Message from Karen Ernst, Deputy Director

Dear Esteemed Members,

A quick business note: We are activating our membership committee to review our membership levels and member benefits as we prepare to move into the new campus, and we are looking for four members of our general membership to join this committee.  If you are interested in joining this committee, please send me an email with a brief note about your interest in serving on this committee.  karen@rockportartcenter.com

I hope everyone had a wonderful time at last weekend’s Spring Art Fair and VIP Preview Party.  It was a delight to see so many friendly faces enjoying the wonderful array of art our gallerist brought to the fair as well as one another’s company.  I especially want to say THANK YOU to the many volunteers who heeded my call to chip in a few hours of their weekend to help make the event a success.  Within 24 hours of my email asking for volunteers all the volunteer spaces were full, and more volunteers were still reaching out!  What a wonderful situation to find myself in!  I am grateful.  We truly could not have done it without all of you. 

The whole of the weekend reminded me what an amazing community of artists, patrons, volunteers, board members and staff comprise our organization.  How blessed I am to be affiliated with such a positive community of individuals!  I hope you are proud of who we are and want to share all of the exciting things we are doing with your friends and neighbors so that this community continues to grow and thrive.

Growing our membership base is one of our top staff goals this year.  To achieve this goal we need your help!  You can help by spreading the word about all of the great things happening at Rockport Center for the Arts and encourage your friends and neighbors to join us as members.  If you were able to tune in to our Annual General Meeting last month you will have heard this, but I believe it bears repeating.  When we ask new members how they learned about Rockport Center for the Arts, so many of them indicate that they heard about us from their neighbor or from a friend.  So, I am asking each of you today to please tell a friend or a neighbor about all of the great things happening, and soon to be happening, at Rockport Center for the Arts and invite them to one of our upcoming events.  Our next exhibit opening is next weekend, Saturday, April 9.  This would be a perfect time to invite someone new out to join us!

Thank you all for being members of this wonderful community.  Together, we can continue to deliver on our mission and reach more people than ever before.

Most sincerely,

Karen Ernst

Deputy Director

High Momentum

A Message from Stan Smith, Board President

Dear Members of the Art Association:

Our contractor, Teal Construction is making excellent progress with the capital project, which despite the rainy season, is slated for completion August 2022.

Here is where we are as of today:

• With a total of 45 workers on the job site at any given time, Teal is working at a very high momentum.

• The roof in Building 2 (The ROCC) is 95% complete. 

• Electrical, Mechanical and Plumbing trades are hard at work with installations in the 2nd floor of Building 1 (The Art Center 2-story complex).

• The metal stud work in Building 1 has been completed.

• DensShield board (a Georgia Pacific mold and fire proof product) is in the process of being installed on the exterior of Building 1.

• Additional teal colored weatherproofing will continue after the DensShield board is installed in both buildings. 

• The final envelope for the structures will be HardiePlank lap-siding that will give the building its coastal contemporary look.  That product has arrived on the site.

• The stairs into Building 1 have been formed and will be poured this week.  The stairs to the 2nd story and the roof top terrace above the Clay Studio have been installed.

• Work to add walkways and sidewalks in the sculpture garden has been initiated.

• The loading dock areas for both buildings have been fully designed to give each building high level of functionality.

On the fundraising side the Development Committee has been making strides to close the gap in the Imagine Capital Campaign.  Our $12.24 M project is only $207,000 shy of meeting its ultimate goal.  To make a contribution, visit with Luis Purón at the administration offices or with Kim Ivey at the Galleries.

On the program side, the staff and Board are working to bring innovation to existing programs in the visual arts and art education and to give shape to new programs in the performing, media, culinary, and literary arts. 

Thank you,

Stan Smith

President

Kicking It Into High Gear

A Message from Luis Purón, Executive Director

Dear Patrons of the Arts,

Spring is finally here and summer is around the corner.  For the staff and Board at the Art Center that means the start of our busy season.  

Did you know 2022 marks the 30th anniversary of the poster artist tradition?  Since 1993, a committee has selected one master artist, who will join a select group of individuals known for their achievements in the Arts, their engagement with the Art Center, and their ability to capture the coastal aesthetic that Rockport and the 54th Annual Rockport Art Festival are known for. 

The tradition started with the great Harold Phenix.  This year's great honor is bestowed on Jeffrey Neel McDaniel, who will have a solo exhibition during the peak of summer.  

We will also be busy empowering future artists by imparting the 25th Annual ArtSpace Summer Art Camp for kids and teens.  Storytellers is the theme for this year's camp, which is sure to grab the attention of Rockport’s young emerging artists.  Education Coordinator, Kathleen Clark, says “This year’s theme is an exploration of the power of storytelling through art.  The theme is tied to literature.”

In early July we will host the largest party in the Costal Bend under an air conditioned big-top white tent for our annual fundraiser the Art Auction Gala. This year’s gala is being chaired by the energetic team of Susan O’Bryant, Lynn Powers and Lucy Nye.  Last year’s Gala sold out a month prior to the event, so act quickly when you receive your letter.

Our summer activities calendar is steeped in tradition, and we want you to be a part of it.  The easiest way to do that, is by becoming a member.  

Stay connected and come along for the ride!

Luis Purón

Executive Director

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Catharine (Tinka) Tarver: In Memoriam 1932 - 2022

Tinka and Lewis Tarver discuss their art collection with the Art Center’s exhibition committee at their home in Alamo Heights. 2016

A Message from Luis Purón, Executive Director

Esteemed Artists, Members of the Art Association:

My column this month is written with you in mind.

A week ago, after a ten year battle with Alzheimer’s, a dear friend passed.  I credit her and her husband for mentoring me in the Texas art sphere.  Tinka Tarver and her husband Lewis have been at the core of San Antonio’s contemporary art scene for decades.  A tour de force, the power couple have championed artists, creatives and art institutions in the Alamo City for as long as anyone can remember.

Tinka lived an unconventional life. She was a maverick in the world of abstract art, a world that has limited access for women’s voices.  Tinka was an intellectual student of Carl Jung’s work, a writer, a fashion illustrator, a painter, a dancer, a fabric artist, a sculptor, and a metal smith.  Her pursuits made her one of the most fascinating people to have a conversation with.  Her papers are chronicled at the Archives of American Art at the Smithsonian Institution.  As an artist, Tinka produced a celebrated body of work as diverse as her interests.  Her career as an artist went beyond the beyond. 

The publication Opening Out documents Tinka’s 1989 solo exhibition at the McNay Art Museum in San Antonio.  We met a year later.  The title of her exhibit references a poem by Victorian era writer, Robert Browning:

Truth is within ourselves; it takes no rise
From outward things, whate’er you may believe.
There is an inmost centre in us all,
Where truth abides in fullness; and around,
Wall upon wall, the gross flesh hems it in,
This perfect, clear perception—which is truth.
A baffling and perverting carnal mesh
Binds it, and makes all error: and, to know,
Rather consists in opening out a way
Whence the imprisoned splendour may escape,
Than in effecting entry for a light
Supposed to be without.

She wrote journals in order to explore a desire to know and understand herself.  “They are conversations with my soul,” she wrote. 

Besides a striking presence, a lovely smile and an infectious laugh, one of the things I’ll remember most about her is her self-awareness.  She mastered the art of looking inward, instead of searching for answers in the conscious or the material world. 

If you are a nascent artist or one that has already emerged, I encourage you to take a page from Tinka Tarver’s book, and let your “imprisoned splendor escape.”  Because you alone must become yourself, but you cannot become yourself alone.  Though you are ultimately responsible for creating your own artistic sovereignty, you’ll need support along the way. 

May she Rest in Peace.

Luis Purón 
Executive Director

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Where We Are Today

A Message from Stan Smith, Board President

Dear Members,

If you couldn’t attend the Annual General Meeting of the Membership last week, let me give you a short synopsis.

The Art Center and the Performing Arts and Conference Center are now very close to passing the halfway mark on construction.  It is so exciting to know that they will be finished sometime this fall!

Teal Construction started site work on April 5th of last year. Like a well-choreographed play, the slabs were poured, and the masons started raising the concrete block walls and then right on cue the iron workers, plumbers and electricians all came in at their assigned times. Currently they are finishing 13 roof light monitors (sky lights) that face due North so that the roof system can be installed- the first step to having the buildings dried in. Over the next two months the exterior walls will continue to be installed along with the numerous windows which will bring in an abundance of natural light to the buildings.

In March we will see exterior hardscape beginning with walkways, ramps and retaining walls. Paving will also start not only at the Art Center but also at the Art Center parking lot a block away, which will be used for overflow and event parking during large events.

I hope to see you at The Spring Art Fair on March 26th and 27th.

Thank you for being an active member of the Art Center! 

Stan Smith,
President

Spring into the Art Fair

A Message from Luis Purón, Executive Director

Dear Art Patrons,

A week after spring break, from March 25-27 we are presenting the Art Fair, an event we started last year with a new format.

This year, by bringing the finest galleries and collectives statewide, we are shining the spotlight on Texas Art.  The Fulton Convention Center is the place to be on Friday, March 25 for the VIP Preview Party.   Art patrons, event sponsors and collectors like you, will get the first glimpse and opportunity to acquire the work of artists represented by each gallery.  

 What else has changed?  There will be less booths, the booths will be twice as big as last year, and the walkable area to visit each booth will also be more spacious.  These improvements are all to make your art collecting experience more enjoyable. 

Tickets to the VIP Preview Party are on sale now, with a special discounted rate for active members!  To buy tickets to the party, to underwrite or sponsor the three-day event or to buy tickets to the Fair on Saturday and Sunday March 26-27, please click on the button below.

Last year’s Art Fair was a tremendous success.  We are looking forward to welcoming our friends from near and far to make this year’s event a top drawer activity for locals and visitors from out of town.

Best wishes, 

Luis Purón 

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Dreams Do Come True

A Message from Stan Smith, Board President

Esteemed Members of the Art Association:

I am honored and proud to be serving as your Board President this year. It is going to be an exciting year for many reasons, not the least of which is the completion of the Art Center and Performing Arts and Convention Center (PACC) buildings.

A few weeks ago, Luis and I had the opportunity to take a walking tour of the construction site. It was a beautiful and sunny winter day when we donned our hard hats and walked through the construction gates.

I was immediately struck by the enormity of the exterior aqua colored walls in the PACC. I was glad to learn that the color was not a paint selection but the color of the waterproofing sealant. I was impressed with the spaciousness of the Art Center and could envision all the natural light streaming through the many spaces dedicated for art education programs.

As we were walking through, it was apparent that many hours of hard work, much thought, and meticulous planning had gone into the design and construction of the entire campus. While the space between the buildings looked like any other construction site, I am excited to imagine how the sculpture garden will look this fall.  

As members of the Rockport Center for the Arts, we should all be proud of the part we have played in bringing this dream so close to reality.

Yours,

 Stan Smith

2022 Here We Come!

A Message from Rebecca Bridges Rice, Board President

Dear Members:

This extraordinary year has gone quickly. The Rockport Center for the Arts has seen tremendous progress on our new building. Special events and shows have also been incredibly successful.

A heartfelt thank you to our donors, sponsors, underwriters and volunteers. Our community is fortunate to have wonderful companies and individuals that make all this happen.

The Art Center staff and Director, Luis Purón, plus RCA members and volunteers have dedicated many hours well above normal workweeks to make all this happen. Art Loop--our gallery walks--featuring the Art Center and local galleries happens 9 times a year. FREE Family Saturdays and summer programs like ArtSpace Summer Programs for kids, plus ongoing regular classes in arts and crafts offers a full calendar for the RCA. Add to that, larger events such as the first annual Spring Art Fair, Art Auction Gala and Art Festival, Rockport Film Festival, Silver Meltdown and this year’s Guy Clark Festival. One wonders how it all happens. We have many people to thank for their time and dedication --- too many to list here. 

All our board members have served on committees and volunteered time and resources to make these events a success. Many will continue to be part of our team as volunteers and advisors, even though some of their official terms will end this year. This sort of commitment is not unique for this little town with a big art-heart. 

Rockport Center for the Arts is a gathering place for artists, collectors, art students, and those who simply enjoy the arts. Working on events and projects together creates a unique sense of family and camaraderie. The same happens when people attend classes together. This sense of community in the arts is a core reason RCA was originally created.

In late 2022, our very own dynamic building complex will open with dedicated classrooms, clay studios, multiple galleries and administrative offices. Exhibiting, teaching, learning, sharing and rejoicing in arts together in one building will enrich the cohesiveness of our art community. As a working artist, I feel lucky to be a member of the RCA in the coming year.

The Art Center plans to begin booking events for the Performing Arts Center for the Fall of 2022--music, meetings, seminars, and more. We are planning a variety of classes and members-only events for 2022. We want to hear from you—our members—as we plan 2022 classes and events.

Even though we are a small community, we have dared to dream big. We will stay focused on the arts and our treasured arts community, and we encourage you to communicate with us your wishes for programs, classes and events.  You, our members make this happen. Have a wonderful and successful New Year!

Finally, it has been a pleasure to serve as your President in 2021.  I will be passing the mantle to Stan Smith January 4.

Rebecca Bridges Rice
President

Hail to the Chief!

A Message from Luis Purón, Executive Director

Dear Patrons of the Arts,

It’s that time of year where we turn to ourselves to reflect on what has been accomplished and what lacks to be completed. Since thanksgiving, I have spent the majority of my time tying up loose ends and preparing for what is to come in 2022.  

The year 2021 has been our most productive year in a decade.  If I had been told six years and seven months ago where we would be today, I wouldn’t have believed it.  Preparation is key to success.  In 2015 we carved a path towards the future. Now that the future is upon us, we must learn how to grow gracefully into the new responsibilities with which we have been entrusted. 

I have been blessed to co-lead this organization through change with some remarkable Board Chairs:

2015, Dr. Mitchell Wess

2016, Terry Baiamonte

2017, Jean Giesey 

2018-2019, Hugh Morrison

2020, Mary Hime

2021, Rebecca Bridges Rice

I dedicate my last column of the year to their remarkable leadership and friendship. These people have big hearts.  Behold the fruit of their labor in the video link below.

Merry Christmas!

Luis Purón 

Executive Director

Video credit: Ty Husak

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One Big Week in Art, Music and Film

A Message from Luis Purón, Executive Director

Dear Patrons of the Arts,

Last week we kicked off the Guy Clark Festival with the opening of Steve Russell’s show- Rockport Kind of Guy. The festival is a multifaceted event that combines activities in art, music and film. A total of 122 patrons visited with Steve at his opening reception and acquired Festival merch, including giclée of one of his paintings memorializing 4-time Grammy award winner and one of Rockport’s favorite sons, Guy Clark.  For the exhibition we created an exciting catalog, and a companion CD of music recorded in 2021 with artists such as Lyle Lovett, Gary P. Nunn, Michael Martin Murphey and other Guy Clark protégées.

You can continue to enjoy the Guy Clark Festival on Sunday and Monday, November 7-8 in an acoustic musical performance we are calling An Evening With Verlon Thompson and Shawn Camp. This is a ticketed event and it is selling out fast.  Visit GuyClarkFestival.com to buy your tickets, they start at $50.

International in Scope and Local in Flavor the 15th Annual Rockport Film Festival returns in fierce form November 11-14.  Festival Creative Director, Elena Rodriguez is going to deliver huge this year with the screening of 40 American and foreign films, including 16 entries from Texas.  Endorsed by the Texas Film Commission, the Texas Commission on the Arts, and the City of Rockport; the Film Festival is a partnership with the Rockport Rotary. Proceeds benefit the many humanitarian and cultural causes of both organizations.

The Film Festival kicks off with a Red Carpet Party at Rancho Tiki, a private home on Copano Bay, with the screening of the documentary Open Field which tells the story of the sports-women who leave nothing on the tackle football field in their push for recognition and respect. Considered Rockport’s premiere social event of the fall season, the “tailgating chic” film experience features cocktails and food, catered by local eateries, beginning at 6 PM, with the screening of the full-length feature at 7:30 PM.

The Film Festival continues November 12-14 with film screenings held at Movies Inc Aransas in Aransas Pass. Tickets to the Red Carpet Party are selling fast, so act now because of limited capacity.  For tickets and a complete screening schedule visit RockportFilmFestival.com.

Whether it is Art, Music or Film, Rockport Center for the Arts always has you covered.

Regards,

Luis Purón 

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Godspeed!

A Message from Rebecca Bridges Rice, Board President

Dear Members:

The Art Center is on the business end of its calendar year, and it has been Godspeed for us since January 1.  We have been blessed with authentic and competent staff and volunteers that have written the book on adapting to challenge, no matter how difficult.  I have delighted in presiding over the most successful year in the organization’s 52 year history.  

I have also grown fond of this column, primarily written to keep you informed on all things South Austin Street. Today, I am going to give you the latest news about our capital project in bullets:

• Major foundations on both buildings has been completed and cured.

• The masonry subcontractor has made great progress erecting CMU block walls, and building doors and window openings on Building 1 (Visual Arts and Art Education Complex). Since this is a two-story building, the stairs are in the process of being poured.  The elevator was ordered this spring.

• On October 4, the foundation on Building 2 (Performing Arts and Convention Center) was poured. A concrete subcontractor started grinding the foundation this week. Next week, the masonry subcontractor will start erecting walls on Building 2.

• We have received all of the steel and decking we ordered in February.  The steel is ready to be erected starting November 8.

• Windows and doors ordered earlier in the year have been manufactured and are in storage.

• You can expect to see a completed shell for Building 1 by the end of the year.

I wish each and every one of you Godspeed as we enter the upcoming holiday season.  Until next time,

Best wishes, 

Rebecca Bridges Rice

Photos by Ty Husak

It’s All In the Name

A Message from Luis Purón, Executive Director

Dear Patrons of the Arts,

I can recap my 6 year tenure as director in themes as they relate to the biggest thing happening in Rockport today, our capital project.  Drumroll…

2015 - The year of strategic planning.

2016 - The year of land acquisition. 

2017 - The year of our renaissance. Did you think I was going to say hurricane?

2018 - The year we imagined the future.

2019 - The year of the capital campaign.

2020 - The year we removed all obstacles for construction.

2021 - The year of construction.  

When construction of our new campus is complete next year, a concept that began as 5 bullet points on a strategic plan will have been accomplished.  

Going into this, I knew it would be challenging and complicated, but not impossible. Everything starts with a dream, and dream big is what we have done together.  As we head into the sunset of 2021, another hurricane season almost behind us, I want to thank you for your help and belief in us.  

Listed below my signature are the naming rights I promised to release in this month’s column.  These gifts account for $3M of the funds raised through the Imagine Capital Campaign.

In Texas, generosity is bountiful.

Luis Purón 

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• Loggia: The Meadows Foundation

• Gift Shop: John and Mary Willrodt

• Member’s Gallery: David Mendez, Houston Endowment

• Main Gallery: H-E-B

• Gallery 2: L. Patrick and Dora J. McKelvey

• 1st Floor Privée: Castaways Thrift Store

• Classroom 1: Bridgie and John Barrett

• Classroom 2: June Ainsworth (made possible through an anonymous contribution)

• Classroom 3: Margaret Sue Rust Foundation

• Ceramic Studio: Bill Hildebrand and Sam Williams

• Multi-Purpose Classroom: The Fernandes Family

• Sculpture Garden Promenade: Reliant, an NRG Company

• Foundation Circle: 50ROCK! Society

• Sculpture Garden: Patricia B. Moore (made possible through an anonymous contribution)

Building the Future, One CMU Block At A Time

A Message from Rebecca Bridges Rice, Board President

Since the last big milestone achievement of pouring the floor slab on Building1, more columns have been poured, and the initial polishing of the slab was completed. This week, the masonry sub-contractor mobilized scaffolding, and will begin the installation of walls and doorframes which will take approximately one month.  Last week, structural steel was delivered. It had a lead time of 8 months, meaning the order was placed in February after Teal Construction was given Notice to Proceed with the project. This steel package includes floor joists and steel decking. I’d like to thank the members of the Board for their wisdom, to approve the order avoiding a significant delay.

On Building 2, the Performing Arts and Convention Center (PACC), all plumbing, electrical and underground work was finished this week as well.  Concrete grade beams have been poured, and barring bad weather, another milestone will occur this week, when the PACC floor slab is poured.  After curing, the masonry contractor will move to Building 2 to begin wall erection. Our partners in the project, the City of Rockport, will perform a rebar inspection before the slab is poured.

In the near term, the next deliverables will be the erection of structural steel and placement of windows. The elevator for Building 1 has been ordered.  I am confident in stating that you will see the shell of Building 1 by the end of this year. These are big accomplishments considering 30 days of weather issues, and delays associated with the relocation the Kline’s Cafe Building to St. Mary’s Street. 

If you drive by old Kline’s you will notice that the new owner has started to pour the concrete for the parking area and make other site improvements around the building.  When you drive by our construction site you’ll see a lot of activity, the vertical movement I promised, and a construction site chock-full of construction materials.  

Next month I will update you on what the Board and staff are doing to make sure we deliver state-of-the-art facilities to our membership. 

Best wishes, Rebecca Bridges Rice
President

Get a Piece of the Rock

A Message from Luis Purón, Executive Director

Dear Patrons of the Arts,

Like Rebecca states in her column, there is no better investment in your community today or a more sure bet than the Rockport Center for the Arts’ Imagine Capital Project.   To date 500 donors have given tax deductible gifts between $25 and $500,000. 

Slated for completion in August of next year, our total real estate investment in downtown Rockport will be $12 million dollars.  Adding 22,000 square feet of fully conditioned space, the 1.2 acre campus will be tied together by a glorious 16,000 sculpture garden- home to a growing collection of sculptural works.  

If you have not yet contributed to Imagine, there is still time do so.  To date 13 major donors have contributed almost $2.5M in funds for naming rights to the many classrooms and art spaces that will comprise the three buildings.  Are there still naming rights available?  Yes there are!  An additional 9 opportunities still exist and they start at $50,000.

For a limited time, Foundation Circle gifts at the $10,000 level are still available.  In 2019, the 50th anniversary year of the organization, the 50ROCK! Society was formed.  To date, 60 members of the Society have contributed almost $900,000.  We would like to make that a clean million!

Many of you have supported the project by acquiring Imagine’s official t-shirt starting at contributions of $25 or dropping spare change into our donation jar in the gallery.

No gift to the Imagine campaign is too small, and there are several ways to give at any level:

1.     For those of you who must take a Required Minimum Distribution from your Traditional IRA, you have another option for giving.  You can make a distribution in whole or in part directly to the Rockport Center for the Arts.  By doing this, the distribution will not be taxable.  It is a great way to make your money make a bigger impact.  To do so, you will need some information from us which we can handle over the telephone.

2.     You can make a donation in cash, check or credit card by visiting with one of the staff. 

3.     You can also make a donation of highly appreciated stock through our broker. 

4.     You can visit RockportArtCenter/Imagine to learn more about the project and click the Imagine With Us button.

If you are ready to make a contribution but want to learn more, Tracey Bennett, our Capital Campaign Chair, and I are happy to sit down with you and go over an investment packet.  You can secure a visit by dialing 570-702-4032.

In September’s newsletter, I will be releasing the naming rights that have already been committed. 

Get A Piece Of The Rock, the Rockport Center for the Arts, that is.

Yours,

Luis Purón
Executive Director

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The Only Way is Up

A Message from Rebecca Bridges Rice, Board President

It’s time to head downtown to witness the future, as Rockport Center for the Arts begins to take its capital project vertical.  Once the foundations for both buildings are poured, the rest of the project will move along quickly.

We have a treat for you.  In one of the items in this month’s newsletter, we have a drone video shot and edited by Ty Husak which shows the pouring of the foundation for Building 1.  This happened on Tuesday, August 24. A link to this video is below:  

Other successes accomplished during the past month:

1. Our architects, David Richter and Elizabeth Chu Richter of Richter Architects, were awarded the highest honor bestowed in their profession, the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Texas Society of Architects. Richter Architects designed our new campus.

2. We signed an agreement with Kent Ullberg for Merry Time Romance, a new sculpture acquisition that will be featured prominently in the new campus.

3. We checked on the progress for another sculpture that is currently at a foundry in Loveland, Colorado. Stay tuned for an upcoming press release on this project and the artist that designed Beach Day.

4. Al Johnson, Builder, poured a foundation for a metal sculpture titled, Austin Street Red by Nic Noblique. It will be installed in front of the Baker Law building. Noblique is the author of several works along the Austin Street corridor, including one at the Daily Grind which is in the Art Center’s permanent collection. Eight-foot tall Red will bring beautification to the downtown area.

5. We have continued to raise funds for the Capital Project. Right now there isn't anything bigger, more certain, or important to invest in than our new facility. If you haven't taken part in the Imagine Capital Campaign, reach out to one of the staff or visit RockportArtCenter.com/Imagine. If you want to make a major gift with a naming right, read Executive Director Luis Puron’s column.

The future for the Arts in Rockport is bright.  With us, the only way is up!  Come along for the ride and put your shades on.

Rebecca Bridges Rice
President