Arts Alive San Antonio

Let’s start with the Visual Arts this time.

One exhibit that should not be missed is “Sacred Art of Altars: One People Many Paths, currently at the San Antonio Art League and Museum. The exhibit features small, artist-made shrines. Each piece has an identical shape and size (12” wide x 14” tall niche) but each “altar” is decorated by an artist. The subject matter they chose ranges “from sublime to temporal” and from “spiritual to satirical,” and each artist decided on colors and media, including paint, wax, glass, metal, fabric, ceramics and others. This charming annual exhibit started 20 years ago and found a home at SAALM three years ago. The press release explains that the show is “an embrace of ‘nichos,’ which are small, personalized shrines, common in the popular culture of the Southwest and other places. Proceeds from the sales benefit the Celebration Circle of San Antonio, a nonprofit interfaith organization. (Open through Sept. 14, SAALM, 130 King William St., 78204; closing reception at 5:30 p.m.; to contact Celebration Circle call 210-837-2866; www.celebrationcircle.org)

Popular San Antonio painter, Sylvia Benitez, who leads the Gentileschi Aegis Gallery Association – known as GAGA – is going to have a solo exhibit at the Hunt Gallery, Sept 12. “These new paintings are representative of my ongoing observation of the South Texas landscape,” says her artist statement.
(Opening Sept. 12, 2024, 6-8 p.m.; Hunt Gallery, 4225 McCullough Ave. 78212; 210-822-6527)

At the city-owned Centro de Artes, the new exhibit is “Dining with Rolando Briseno: A 50-year Retrospective.” This is the first retrospective devoted to Briseno and his career. The exhibit is curated by Ruben Cordova. On view will be paintings, drawings, lithographs, photographs and work in the public art space. “The unifying focus of the exhibition is “food” says the press release. Now 72, Briseno is a Chicano activist and culinary historian. The show will feature his work, dating from 1966 to the present day.
(The 50-year retrospective will be open every day through Feb. 9, 2025; organized by the city’s Department of Arts &Culture; Centro de Artes is located at 101 S. Santa Rosa Ave.; free and open to the public, 210-207-1436)

The Dock Space Gallery is proud to announce that its exhibit “Y Todo Lo Que Somos” (“Everything that We Are”) was chosen as one of Glasstire’s top 5 in Texas. Unfortunately, you can no longer see the show that featured four San Antonio artists: Gilbert Martinez, Lee Ortiz, Edward Perez and Gloria Chavez Ramirez. It closed earlier this week.

And here’s something unusual: San Antonio photographer and artist, Susan Riley, has invented her own art form. Working meticulously with old photos of divas of the past, such as Greta Garbo and Gloria Swanson, she learned how to colorize the old photos and add decorative bits of super-fine glitter to their attires and headdresses to produce stunning images, many of which sold quickly at the Galleria Prudencia when she had an exhibit there in 2023. Now, you can see her artistry in a new show at Cappy’s Restaurant in Alamo Heights. Titled “A Second Glance,” the show includes again “re-envisioned portraits” of famous icons from the past.  (Cappy’s Restaurant, 5011 Broadway; Aug. 26 – Oct. 13, 2024; free for restaurant patrons.)

“Viaje Onirico” by Marcos Mares – A Latino Collection & Resource Center art exhibit at the Central Library. The show is described as “dreamlike and surreal.” Mares will be present at the opening.
(Aug. 31, 3-6 p.m., San Antonio Public Library, 600 Soledad, 78205; 210-207-2519; www.mysapl.org/)

Call for Sustainable Fiber Art has been issued by the Fiber Artists of San Antonio for inclusion in the 2024 Juried Exhibition named “Circularity.” Artists are encouraged to use eco-friendly or sustainable materials. Works may choose to address one of the four pillars of sustainability: human, social, economic and environmental/ecological balance. This call closes Oct. 4^th. The show will be held Nov. 10 through Dec. 13 at Semmes Galleries at the University of the Incarnate Word. (For more info check
https://fiberartistsofsanantonio.org)

And there’s music…

Barry Manilow will be at the Frost Bank Center Friday for his last San Antonio Concert. (Aug. 30 at 7 p.m.; 1 Frost Bank Center Drive, 78219; tickets are $19- $499+; at www.ticketmaster.com.

Also, on the 30^th, La Mafia: Estoy Tocando Fuego Tour stops at the Majestic Theater. Winners of two American GRAMMYs and three Latin GRAMMYs, the group’s style combines Spanish music with English rock and pop music. Lead vocalist is Oscar de la Rosa from Houston. (Aug. 30 at 8 p.m.; tickets are $44-$84 at www.majesticempire.com/events)

Billy Bob Thornton & the Boxmasters will perform at the Empire Theater in conjunction with the release of their new album “Love & Hate in Desperate Places.” (Sept. 5 at 7 p.m.)

The musical “Dear Evan Hansen” will be at the Tobin Center Sept. 6 and 7. Winner of six Tony Awards, the Grammy and the Olivier Awards for best musical, the show is described as “a deeply personal & contemporary musical about life and the way we live it.” The New York Times called it “breathtaking.” (Sept. 6 & 7; tickets $51.60 – $99.60 at tickets@tobincenter.org or by calling210-223-8624.)

Bush-Loaded: The Greatest Hits Tour with Jerry Cantrell and Candlebox, plus Bones – Sept. 4 at 7:30 p.m.; Freeman Coliseum, 3201 E. Houston, 78219; tickets at www.ticketmaster.com

If you are not familiar with the Jazz on the Water Series at the Buena Vista Theater, get to know it and its smooth jazz concerts. Trumpeter, Rick Braun will play Sept. 7 at 7 p.m. (501 W. Cesar E. Chavez Blvd; box office 210-458-5119, www.buenavista.live)

At the Boeing Center at Tech Port, you can catch the rock band Nothing More’s Carnal Tour (Sept. 5 at 5:50 p.m. It is promoted as “high energy anthems and blistering guitar solos. Tickets at 1-800-514- 3849
or at www.boeingcentertechport.com)
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