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 SUSIE BLACK NAMED 2025 ROCKPORT ART FESTIVAL MASTER ARTIST

Local artist’s lifelong passion for textiles leads to artistic endeavors

ROCKPORT, Texas (July 16, 2024) — Rockport Center for the Arts (RCA) has announced artist Susie Black as the Rockport Art Festival Master Artist for 2025.

Known for her unique textile and gelli print works of art, Black is the 33rd artist honored as Master Artist, a tradition that began in 1993 with Harold Phenix. As Master Artist, she will host a summer 2025 solo exhibition, presented by IBC Bank, in RCA’s H-E-B Gallery, coinciding with the 57th Annual Rockport Art Festival.

Since its inaugural event in 1969, the Rockport Art Festival has become one of the most respected and longest-running juried art festivals in the United States. Held each year on the July Fourth holiday weekend, the event features art by more than 120 artists including painting, jewelry, ceramics, woodwork, glass and more. 

As Master Artist, Black will produce an original work to be auctioned at the annual Art Auction gala, serving as the kickoff to Art Fest since 1993. The honor also includes the creation of a fine art print by Hare and Hound Press of San Antonio, Texas, which will be based on a piece from her solo exhibition and available for purchase in the RCA gift shop.

“We’re pleased to honor Susie Black as our 2025 Master Artist,” said Luis Purón, executive director for RCA. “She is a Rockport treasure. Susie will be the first textile artist chosen to brand next year’s festival.  Her show will be a unique, colorful experience that is certain to please crowds from across the United States.”

An accomplished seamstress like her mother and grandmother, Black’s lifelong passion for working with fabric led her to begin quilting in the 1970s, creating numerous award-winning pieces, and eventually experimenting with paints, dyes and upcycled materials. A successful business leader in the Rockport community for many years, she left the business world behind in 2006 to pursue her artistic endeavors full-time. Black’s formal training was private art lessons with renowned local artist Carol Koutnik who encouraged her to see her textile work as an art form and to work in a series.

Working from her home studio in Rockport, Black often incorporates paint, dye and paper with textiles.  Having a special affinity for incorporating old linens and repurposed items into her work, she has created numerous commissioned works for clients, often using cherished family textiles. Her work is available to view and purchase at Wind Way Gallery and Rockport Center for the Arts.

For more information on Rockport Center for the Arts, visit rockportartcenter.com follow RCA on Facebook, or call (361) 729-5519.

Rockport Art Festival Master Artists, 1993–present

1993 Harold Phenix†; 1994 Steve Russell (Founding member of the Rockport Art Association, Inc.); 1995 Al Barnes†; 1996 Herb Booth†; 1997 Jesus Moroles†; 1998 Evelyn Atkinson; 1999 Ricardo Rivera†; 2000 Kay Barnebey†; 2001 Jim Offeman; 2002 Flint Reed; 2003 Anita Diebel; 2004 Thom Evans†; 2005 Carol Koutnik; 2006 Hal McCaskill†; 2007 Nanci Barnes; 2008 Teresa Justice; 2009 Lisa Baer Frederick; 2010 Shirley Hughes Blackman; 2011 Betty Shamel; 2012 Bruce Bitter; 2013 Bonnie Lou Prouty; 2014 Pamela Fulcher; 2015 Chance Yarbrough; 2016 Joey Blazek; 2017 Barb Robinson; 2018 Debbie Stevens; 2019 Angalee DeForest; 2020 V… Vaughan; 2021 Robin Hazard; 2022 Jeffrey Neel McDaniel; 2023 Kent Ullberg; 2024 Patsy Lindamood. Legend: †Deceased.

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