Continuing a 32-year Tradition: Six outstanding Rockport Center for the Arts members will display works in the Main Gallery. Five were chosen by juror Joe Peña, Assistant Professor of Painting at Texas A&M University,Corpus Christi. Peña's selections were made in December of last year during Currents, our annual all-members exhibit. A Peoples' Choice, rounds out the selected artists. The Art Center invites all to see this year's standout member artists. The show opens with a reception August 6th from 5-7 pm. Admission is free of charge.

History: The first Rockport Center for the Arts "Merit Show" occurred in July of 1985. The artists chosen were Evelyn Atkinson (Poster Artist 1998), Gertrude Bryant, Kathy Sayre, Cookie Tillman, and Fred Wright. At that time, all were chosen by popular vote. Now each year a distinguished guest juror chooses five artists of merit, and the public chooses the sixth by popular vote.

About the Merit Artists 2016:

Robert Pate (Corpus Christi) – Robert, a Senior District Judge and lawyer, was born and raised in Corpus Christi and has been painting for 5 years. With his bayscapes, figurative work, and more modern oil pieces, he hopes to show that he isn't just a one trick pony. 

Bob Rhodes(Rockport) – Bob is a regular in the Life Drawing sessions as well as a fellow plein aire painter. When he's not painting, Bob likes listening to and playing good guitar music.

Elena Rodriguez (Port Aransas) – Elena graduated with her BFA from Washington University in Saint Louis and her MFA from New York Academy of Art. She has been working at the Art Center for over 3 years. Elena's small oil paintings are often hanging in our Members galleries. She likes cats.

Taylor Starkey (Victoria) – Taylor is a Family Practice doctor living in Victoria and has been turning wood objects since 1990. Many of his pieces are in private collections. He often uses Mesquite for his work.

Ken Reese (Rockport) - Ken retired from an engineering/manager career of 30+ years in 1992. He has been involved in art of one form or another for about 20 years.He regularly teaches series of classes at the Art Center and is currently re-establishing his studio in Rockport, Texas after the move from Ovilla, Texas.

Clementina Rivera* (Rockport) – Clementina started painting at age 10, when her mother gave her anoil painting set. She has been a Shrimporee Poster Artist as well as an Oyster Fest and Hummer/Bird Festival t-shirt artist.