MURALS OF ROCKPORT
Past & Present

Curatorial Statement by Elena Rodriguez, Curator of Exhibitions at Rockport Center for the Arts

Murals are a great way to beautify a neighborhood while celebrating the activities and history of a community. That was the motivation behind this project. When these murals were commissioned in 2018, Hurricane Harvey had transformed Rockport into someplace recognizable but very different. Little Bay and Rockport Harbor were still there, but full of storm debris. Most houses still showed signs of wind damage. There were restaurants and stoplights that hadn’t returned. It was our town, but it wasn’t the same.

Rockport Center for the Arts commissioned these murals to remind all Rockportans to take pride in their community and themselves. The designs focused on what makes Rockport who we are: We are fiercely protective of our wildlife; we welcome whooping cranes and hummingbirds each year like members of our families. We take joy in the water, whether its through fishing, sporting, or simply laying on the beach. And we cherish our artists, from the pioneering Simon Michael, to newly arrived retiree, taking their first class at Rockport Center for the Arts.

The murals were always designed to be displayed first outdoors, and then indoor. Rockport Center for the Arts was happy to share them with the community, and now its time for someone like you to take care of these monuments to Rockport’s culture. Each panel may be purchased or rented separately or as a set.  

About the Murals

These murals were painted when Rabecca Signoriello was the 2018 Artist-in-Residence at Rockport Center for the Arts. The design was created with input from the Aransas County Historical Society.  Painting was done by Signoriello with help from the community and students at Rockport-Fulton High School. The murals were installed in the exterior windows of the Kline building until the building was moved in 2021. 

Signoriello retouched the murals in March 2022 after they sustained some damage from the weather.

About the Artist

Rabecca Signoriello was born and raised in Northwestern  Pennsylvania.  Rabecca attended  Edinboro University of Pennsylvania where she obtained her Bachelors of Fine Arts Degree in 2004.  Upon graduation she started Signoriello Studios, specializing  in murals, while retaining her job with a respected paving company as a laborer.  After several years of painting, she was accepted to The New York Academy of Art where she continued her education. During this time she received several merit awards, including the Walter Erlebacher award; in addition to receiving an Artist Residency at Leipzig International Arts Programme in Germany,  Rabecca earned her Masters of Fine Arts degree in 2011 while studying under several noted contemporary painters including Vincent Desiderio, Steven Assael, Margaret Bowland and Jenny Saville. Her works are in private collections in New York, Pennsylvania, Florida, Germany, Texas, and Monte Carlo Monaco.

Set #1

Set #2

Set #3

How to Acquire Art from the Catalog 

To purchase work in the catalog please call Rockport Center for the Arts at (361) 729-5519.

Payment method options include cash, checks and major credit cards. 

Prices listed are before taxes. During check-out, taxes will be added at the local tax rate of 8.25%.

To view the work in person Please call 361-729-5519 or email luis@rockportartcenter.com to make arrangements.

To have work shipped please make arrangements with the art handler of your choice. Shipping expenses are the responsibility of the buyer. Below are three companies we are familiar with who should be able to manage your art shipping neaeds. We strongly encourage you to insure your purchase.

• Ship & Crate, Attn: Chad Miller, 361-461-2416, chad@shipandcrate.com

• Postal Annex, Attn: Gayle Thomas, 361-992-9323,
  pa12004@postalannex.com

• UPS Store #6986, Attn: Zamir, 361-356-1032,
  store6986@theupsstore.com

For additional information or questions please call Elena Rodriguez at (361) 729-5519,    or email elena@rockportartcenter.com.

Guidelines for Lending Materials for Exhibition                              

Mission Statement

Rockport Center for the Arts (RCA) recognizes the fundamental importance of making original art and other visual materials, available for exhibition and intellectual exchange. In order for this cultural heritage to be more widely disseminated among the interested public, it is the policy of RCA to lend material from its collections to exhibitions in museums, galleries, and other venues that demonstrate a commitment to an educational and scholarly mission.

RCA also recognizes its fundamental role as caretaker of these cultural artifacts and will lend material only to institutions with facilities capable of exhibiting the items safely. A decision to lend will depend on several factors, including the condition and value of the object, its relevance to the exhibition and ongoing research, and the facilities of the borrowing institution.  RCA will enter into loan agreements when the conditions in the set forth in the initial inquiry form are met satisfactorily.

Initial loan inquiry

All loan requests should be submitted with as much lead time as possible to ensure adequate preparation, and processing time.

Initial inquiries describing the exhibition, preferably in writing, should be far enough in advance of the beginning of the loan period. Requests made with insufficient lead time for necessary loan processing may be refused.

The prospective borrower will be notified of any special circumstances surrounding the request, such as complex mounting problems, unusual packing and shipping requirements, or restrictions on the loan of the requested item(s).

Initial inquiries should be made in writing to the following individuals:

Elena Rodriguez
Curator of Exhibitions
elena@rockportartcenter.com
361-450-8022

Luis Purón
Executive Director
luis@rockportartcenter.com
361-450-8022