MEDIA CONTACT:
Karen Ernst, Deputy Director
(361) 729-5519 / karen@rockportartcenter.com
ARTISTS FIND SILVER LINING AMIDST COVID CHALLENGES
Spirit of mentoring shines through as female designers’ jewelry takes center stage in Nov. 7 event
ROCKPORT, Texas (October 29, 2020) — For five female designers, the upheaval of 2020 simply meant working together to creatively showcase their unique fall lines. This year’s aptly named showcase — Women on the Verge of a Silver Meltdown, presented by La Palmera — is Rockport Center for the Arts’ (RCA) celebration of the creative spirit in artists who work with metals, primarily silver.
The popular annual event is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 7, at Estelle Stair Gallery from 10 a.m.–7:30 p.m. Although the traditional runway show was prerecorded this year due to COVID-19 restrictions, the event will include individual shopping opportunities culminating with an evening trunk show. The event showcases dozens of one-of-a-kind jewelry pieces, as well as select winter white mudcloth garments and leather purses, from RCA Member Artists and Rockport residents Danya Heck, Teenya Barnard, Diane Johnson and Juleanna Fuller, along with Kim Knifechief, an RCA Member Artist from New Mexico.
"This has become one of the highlights of our year,” said Karen Ernst, deputy director for Rockport Center for the Arts. “These are creative, strong women who support each other in their creativity. Kim mentored Diane, who in turn has been mentoring Juleanna, who has served as Diane’s studio aide in Rockport. This community of artists is like no other in the country in its’ support of the arts and the artists’ support of one another.”
The fashion event has become Rockport’s most coveted event of the fall season. Instead of a room full of 200-plus female guests the event usually draws, RCA has set up six one-hour blocks from 10 a.m.–1 p.m. and 2–5 p.m., where up to four social pods of five women each are scheduled every hour for private shopping experiences, followed by the trunk show from 6–7:30 p.m. with a limit of 70 guests. Pod costs range from $125 to $250 per group based on the time slot.
“I came up with the idea for a jewelry-focused runway show for ladies only following the devastation caused by Hurricane Harvey, “ said Luis Purón, executive director for Rockport Center for the Arts. “It’s our gift to the resilient women of Rockport who have done so much over the course of five decades to create a strong and vibrant art center and community. Even a pandemic can’t stop them.”
For information and to register a social pod, contact Karen Ernst at the RCA Administration Office, (361) 450-8033, or karen@rockportartcenter.com. Those who would like to attend the event should plan to reserve a spot soon as space is quickly filling up. A preview look book and runway show are both available online at rockportatcenter.com.
About Rockport Center for the Arts
Rockport Center for the Arts is located in downtown Rockport at Estelle Stair Gallery, 406 S. Austin St. Hours of operation are Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m.–4 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Admission is always free and open to the public. Visit rockportartcenter.com, follow us on Facebook, or call (361) 729-5519 for more information. #PodWithUs
About La Palmera
Located in Corpus Christi, Texas, La Palmera is a 1 million-square-foot super-regional mall with more than 100 retail and restaurant tenants including Dillard’s, JCPenney, Macy’s, P.F. Chang’s and H&M. Acquired in July 2008 by IMI and Trademark Property, La Palmera is the first mall to be awarded LEED® Silver for Core and Shell 2.0 established by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and is an IREM Certified Sustainable Property. The mall features a 600-seat food court with a 4,500-gallon feature aquarium and a children’s ocean-themed play area. For more information on La Palmera, go to www.lapalmera.com, or call (361) 991-3755.
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