The downtown San Marcos art community is providing an abundance of resources to local artists looking to display, perform and sell their art, while also conducting art extracurriculars for the expressive youth.
The Price Center and the San Marcos Art Center sell and display art and host community events, such as pop-up art exhibits. Each of these establishments holds a role in the San Marcos Art League, connecting citizens with local artists.
The Price Center is a community center focusing on visual, cultural and performing arts. Clay Destefano, the Price Center’s executive director, says the center hosts classes, workshops, community events and a rotating art gallery.
“You can participate in an event here, that might be like last year for the holiday season, we did prayer flags that were peace flags, so people came and made a prayer of peace,” Destefano said. “Then we would have that on a string of flags and vectors still on display in the Price Center today. Those were based on Tibetan monk flags that are sending positive vibes out into the universe.”
The Price Center is managed by the Greater San Marcos Area Seniors Association. In its earlier days, the center mostly attracted senior citizens; however, its group of visitors has broadened over the years.
“We’ve had a number of events throughout last year, in particular, kids [making masks] for Mardi Gras. Things that they can kind of relate to a current holiday but also give them a chance to come out and participate for free in something that they otherwise might not get to do,” Destefano said.
The San Marcos Art League similarly focuses on interacting with youth to give children an artistic outlet to express themselves. The Art League has a gallery downtown that exhibits over 20 different artists and offers scholarships to graduating high school students looking to pursue higher education in the arts.
The Art League is also the showrunner behind Art Squared, a long-time market event in the San Marcos community that invites local artists to gather in one place to enjoy both art and music.
Tracy Weinberg, a board member of the San Marcos Art League and artist, says Art Squared was originally named Art Hinged and was a seasonal market provided by the city.
“Some of the people approached the Hays County folks and said we’d like to use this space and actually to use that space at no charge requires you being a nonprofit associated with a nonprofit,” Weinberg said. “Art Unhinged approached the Art League, the Art League took it on. Now the Art League runs, what is now called, Art Squared. We changed its name because we’re now at the Courthouse Square.”
Some local artists, such as Norman Bean, show gratitude for the consideration that has gone into appreciating art within the San Marcos community, as well as in creating a space for artists to come together.
“It is that diversity that brings in chances for everybody to show off. All the shows, markets, and things, that’s what counts as far as interaction, the Art League, and various art communities arrayed around the town,” Bean said.
This year, the Art League hosted Art “Scared” and invited kids to come and display art they made in downtown San Marcos.
“We had about 50 or 60 different students from elementary through high school that decorated store windows with kind of a Halloween theme,” Weinberg said. “It’s very colorful and creative, and it was a family-oriented event that was very successful. That’s one of the kinds of things we’re trying to do: Make art more visible in the community. It’s not just the artists; we’re spreading the word to students and children and families in the community as well.”
Bean says art sales are a major contributor to galleries and are how they receive their commissions. He says if artists are looking to sell in the area, they will have to find one of the many establishments looking to exhibit art.
“You kind of have to put on that other hat—the sales hat—and seek out places to go and venues that cater to the artists. In this area, there’s a lot of folks that get a kick out of developing, as well as making art,” Bean said.
Kolit Asdo, a 33-year-old artist who recently moved to San Marcos, was allowed to showcase his art at the San Marcos Art Center. Instead of paying full price to have his art shown at the center, Asdo chose to volunteer and pay a percentage of the price.
“You just volunteer and just show up to the art center,” Asdo said. “It’s kind of like working there, when people come in you greet them, chat them up, and if they want to buy something you just sell to them.”
Many of the art organizations and establishments that sell art focus on community engagement and art sales, but Asdo believes the town could do more.
“One [more thing] that I would want is kind of like a fine arts gallery for fine art, not for people trying to sell their art. Bring that through here, [be]cause then that will bring people from Austin, from San Antonio, that want to come to see the art,” Asdo said.