Category: Museum News

Cowboy Claus brings holiday fun to the Briscoe Western Art Museum

The Briscoe’s Cowboy Christmas adds western fun to the holidays. Photo: Briscoe Western Art Museum, used with permission.

Everyone knows that in Texas, the real Santa wears a cowboy hat and boots and thanks to the Briscoe Western Art Museum, everyone can meet him. Enjoy the holidays in a Western way at the Briscoe’s Cowboy Christmas unfolding 10a.m. to 2p.m. on Sunday December 5, 2021. With the Briscoe brimming with holiday cheer, Cowboy Christmas fun is included with general museum admission. As always, children 12 and under receive free admission at the Briscoe, as do active duty members of the military, making the museum a terrific spot for local families to add to their holiday plans. (Briscoe Western Art Museum, 2021)

Cowboy Christmas features a day of family fun exploring the museum with holiday crafts, hot cocoa, and cookies. A special 12 Days of Christmas scavenger hunt will lead you through the Briscoe’s fantastic collection and there will be Christmas crafts and coloring sheets to enjoy onsite or take home. Of course, a stroll through the museum’s McNutt Sculpture Garden is the perfect path to enjoy the River Walk and all of its holiday beauty.

Family activities during Cowboy Christmas include making ornaments with a nod to Mexican and Latino influence on the West. The Briscoe’s fall exhibition spotlights vaqueros and the birthplace of the modern cowboy through almost sixty images from celebrated photographer Werner Segarra in Vaqueros de la Cruz del Diablo: Contemporary Photography of the Northern Mexican Cowboy. Making its United States debut at the Briscoe, the exhibition details the vaqueros’ profound influence on the American West. Vaqueros de la Cruz del Diablo invites audiences to peer into the world of the Norteño Cowboys, not as a casual tourist, but as an intimate observer. The exhibition is open to the public through January 24, 2022.

For everyone looking to fill their gift lists, the Museum Store is offering special deals during Cowboy Christmas, including 10% off all holiday, home décor, and gifts for men, women and children. From Western-themed wine stoppers that make the perfect hostess gift, a serape bib for the most stylish San Antonio babies and fantastic story books that take young readers on Western adventures to sterling silver cufflinks and jewelry that will add sparkle to every holiday occasion, make sure to do your holiday shopping at the Briscoe. A great find to fill your wish list: a platter that is TV-famous. Currently featured in Paramount’s television show, “Yellowstone,” add a fantastic Christmas platter from True West to your holiday table this year.

Something sure to be popular in Cowboy Claus’ bag of gifts this year: gift memberships to the Briscoe. Share the wide open spaces of the West – and all of the art, heritage and programming of Briscoe – with someone special on your gift list by giving them a museum membership. Holiday deals on Friend, Duo and Family memberships are available through December 31. With $10 off of regular museum membership pricing and packaged with a gift-wrapped ornament, Cowboy Claus’ elves will be snapping these up for all of the good cowboys and cowgirls this year.

Preserving and presenting the art, history and culture of the American West through engaging exhibitions, educational programs and public events reflective of the region’s rich traditions and shared heritage, the Briscoe Western Art Museum is located on the San Antonio River Walk at 210 W. Market Street in the beautifully restored 1930s former San Antonio Public Library building. Named in honor of the late Texas Gov. Dolph Briscoe Jr. and his wife, Janey Slaughter Briscoe, the museum includes the three-story Jack Guenther Pavilion, used for event rentals and programs, and the outdoor McNutt Sculpture Garden.

2021-12-05T19:02:00

  days

  hours  minutes  seconds

until

Cowboy Christmas

Composer Nathan Felix and the San Antonio Museum of Art present the four harpsichord concert

The San Antonio Museum of Art will present a new orchestral suite by composer Nathan Felix. Photo: San Antonio Museum of Art, used with permission.

On Friday November 12, 2021, the San Antonio Museum of Art (SAMA) will present a new orchestral suite, Black Neon Rose, by composer Nathan Felix, featuring newly written music for four harpsichords, strings, and a choir. The music draws inspiration from SAMA’s exhibition America’s Impressionism: Echoes of a Revolution. Local harpsichord builder Gerald Self will introduce the performance with a brief discussion on the history of harpsichords and give insight into his building process. The musicians will be in a formation that best activates the acoustics and spatial qualities of the Great Hall. This performance will be limited to fifty (50) people. Tickets are $15 for non-members and $10 for members. (San Antonio Museum of Art, 2021)

Nathan Felix – Composer, Filmmaker, Recording Artist
Friday November 12 from 7p.m. to 8p.m.

The Great Hall
San Antonio Museum of Art
200 W. Jones Ave.
San Antonio, TX 78215

The San Antonio Museum of Art serves as a forum to explore and connect with art that spans the world’s geographies, artistic periods, genres, and cultures. Its collection contains nearly 30,000 works representing 5,000 years of history. Housed in the historic former Lone Star Brewery on the Museum Reach of San Antonio’s River Walk, the San Antonio Museum of Art is committed to promoting the rich cultural heritage and life of the city. The Museum hosts hundreds of events and public programs each year, including concerts, performances, tours, lectures, symposia, and interactive experiences. As an active civic leader, the Museum is dedicated to enriching the cultural life of the city and the region, and to supporting its creative community.

Travel the globe with San Antonio Museum of Art’s November lectures

San Antonio Museum of Art is offering several lectures in November. Photo: San Antonio Museum of Art, used with permission.

This November, travel the globe with the San Antonio Museum of Art (SAMA) through their collection of online lectures. From November 2 through November 30, guests can peek inside a cat mummy, hear about the challenges of restoring a 400 year-old Chinese scroll, decide the truth about a fake Roman mosaic, or discover the female shift in African Art. (San Antonio Museum of Art, 2021)

The lecture schedule is below.

Tuesday, November 2, 2021| 6p.m. – 7p.m.
$5 for members | $10 for non-members
Online Lecture: “African Art in American Collections: From Male to Female Authorship” with Moyo Okediji, PhD
Dr. Moyo Okediji, Professor of Art and Art History at the University of Texas, will examine the growing role of women artists in African art and the responsibility of museums in effecting this transition.

Wednesday, November 3, 2021| 12:30p.m. – 1p.m.
Online Lecture: Conservator Chats: Restoring a 400-year-old Chinese Handscroll Painting: A Story Told by the Conservator Eddie Jose
Fee: Donation Appreciated
Processes usually behind the scenes and inaccessible to the public, conservator Eddie Jose shares the yearlong process and challenges encountered while restoring a 400-year-old Chinese handscroll.

Wednesday, November 17, 2021| 12:30p.m. – 1p.m.
Online Conservator Chats: “A Peek Inside: The SAMA Cat Mummy” with Dr. Sarah Schellinger and Ms. Mimi Leveque
Fee: Donation Appreciated
Take a closer look at the treatment of the ancient Egyptian cat mummy currently housed in the Museum’s Egyptian collection with Dr. Sarah Schellinger, who specializes in the art and archaeology of ancient Egypt, Nubia, and Mimi Leveque.

Tuesday, November 30, 2021| 6p.m. – 7p.m.
Online Lecture: “The Perplexing Voyage of the Marine Mosaic: Ostia Antica Travels to San Antonio” with John Clarke
$5 for members | $10 for non-members
Forgery, an art dealer, and evidence of a fake mosaic, Prof. John R. Clarke, a specialist on Roman mosaics, presents his current findings on the Marine Mosaic in this story without a conclusion.

The San Antonio Museum of Art enriches lives through exceptional experiences with art. Its mission is to collect, preserve, exhibit, and interpret significant works of art, representing a broad range of history and world cultures to strengthen our shared understanding of humanity.

Briscoe hosts free family-friendly Yanaguana Indian Arts Festival

The annual Yanaguana Indian Arts Festival spotlights Native American art, traditions, and local tribes. Photo: Briscoe Western Art Museum, used with permission.

Highlighting the continued vibrancy and artistic traditions of Native American communities – and the local tribes who helped shape San Antonio – the Briscoe Western Art Museum invites everyone to enjoy its annual Yanaguana Indian Arts Festival, Saturday, November 13, from 10a.m. to 5p.m. The event is free and includes admission to the Briscoe, making it a perfect way to celebrate the important role Native Americans played in shaping the West while enjoying art and artifacts that highlight Native American history during Native American Heritage Month. (Briscoe Western Art Museum, 2021)

Offering a view into traditional and contemporary Native American culture, the free community festival features storytelling, artist demonstrations, pottery, weaving and carving, as well as Native American-inspired food. Yanaguana Indian Arts Festival also features workshops and lectures celebrating Native American culture. The event starts with a special blessing, followed by a ceremonial drum circle that invites everyone to join.

The annual event is named in honor of the Payaya people who were indigenous to the San Antonio area. “Yanaguana” was the word they used to describe what is now known as San Antonio River. The festival highlights Native Americans, a core pillar of Western Art and featured in the Briscoe’s permanent collection. Since the museum opened, this festival has taken place annually, with 2020’s event taking place virtually.

Photo: Briscoe Western Art Museum, used with permission.

“Native Americans are a key component of the American West and one of the pillars of Western Art. The Yanaguana Indian Arts Festival offers the opportunity to see, interact and celebrate with Native American artists and performers. The performances and art tell a story that’s compelling for all ages, making the event a true family affair.” – Michael Duchemin, Ph.D., President and CEO of the Briscoe Western Art Museum.

The Yanaguana Indian Arts Festival features:

  • An opening spiritual blessing by the American Indians in Texas at the Spanish Colonial Missions. Established by the Tap Pilam Coahuiltecan Nation, descendants of the aboriginal people who populated South Texas and Northeast Mexico the organization works for the preservation and protection of the culture and traditions of the Native American tribes and other indigenous people who resided in the Spanish colonial missions.
  • A Pow Wow-style drum circle kicks off the day, with United San Antonio Pow Wow, Inc. and Enemy Horse Drumming demonstrating and explaining common pow wow dance styles.
  • Live music by Native American artists including flute players Tim Blueflint Ramel and Ryan Little Eagle. An enrolled member of the Bad River Band of the Lake Superior Chippewa, a federally recognized American Indian Tribe, Blueflint has opened for and shared the stage with Grammy Award Winner Mary Youngblood and a wide variety of artists. Hailing from the city of San Antonio, Texas, Ryan Little Eagle is of mixed Lakota/Taino and Latino heritage and is a multi-award winning international performer and musician.
  • Stories from Amy Bluemel, a Chickasaw storyteller and the great-granddaughter of Eastman Kaney, an original Dawes Commission enrollee. Bluemel shares Chickasaw customs, and those of other southeastern tribes, through elaborate storytelling.
  • Crafts and lectures that include a community weaving basket, pottery making, loom weaving, wood carving, and leather stamping.

Festival visitors can also enjoy the museum’s permanent collection of Western art and artifacts, including exhibitions that highlight the stories of the American Indian, cowboys, pioneering women, and others that define the West. The Briscoe’s fall exhibition spotlights vaqueros and the birthplace of the modern cowboy through almost sixty images from celebrated photographer Werner Segarra in Vaqueros de la Cruz del Diablo: Contemporary Photography of the Northern Mexican Cowboy. Making its United States debut at the Briscoe, the exhibition details the vaqueros’ profound influence on the American West. With almost sixty images that span more than twenty years of the lives of the vaqueros, Vaqueros de la Cruz del Diablo invites audiences to peer into the world of the Norteño Cowboys, not as a casual tourist, but as an intimate observer. The exhibition is open to the public through January 24, 2022.

Preserving and presenting the art, history and culture of the American West through engaging exhibitions, educational programs and public events reflective of the region’s rich traditions and shared heritage, the Briscoe Western Art Museum is located on the San Antonio River Walk at 210 W. Market Street in the beautifully restored 1930s former San Antonio Public Library building. Named in honor of the late Texas Gov. Dolph Briscoe Jr. and his wife, Janey Slaughter Briscoe, the museum includes the three-story Jack Guenther Pavilion, used for event rentals and programs, and the outdoor McNutt Sculpture Garden.

 

Celebrate Día de los Muertos in San Antonio

La Panadería’s Pan de Muerto. Photo: La Panadería, used with permission.

Día de los Muertos is right around the corner and the San Antonio Museum of Art, La Panadería, and Twang are helping San Antonians embrace the holiday. (San Antonio Museum of Art, La Panadería, 2021)

San Antonio Museum of Art – Día de los Muertos Family Day
The San Antonio Museum of Art is hosting a Touch-Free Family Day celebrating Día de los Muertos on Sunday, November 7, 2021. From 11a.m. to 3p.m., families can explore the Latin American galleries with a bilingual, self-paced scavenger hunt and learn more about Día de los Muertos with a link to a story time video. Kids can also decorate a traditional sugar skull and craft tissue paper cempasúchil (marigolds). The best part is that it is free for SAISD students and families.

Link for art activity video demonstrations, virtual story time, and self-guided gallery walk available in the art kit. Art kits are first come, first served.

La Panadería – Pan de Muerto
Highlighting Mexico’s “Bread Cultura,” La Panadería will offer their classic Día de Los Muertos pan dulce like Pan De Muerto and specialty pan dulce boxes starting October 15, 2021. Guests can order their family-sized Pan de Muerto online or in-store, with pickup available from October 28 – 31, 2021.

Día de los Muertos Cocktail from Twang
WAKE THE DEAD cocktail
Single serving: Twang-A-Rita Unwind Lime
1oz. Bourbon
1oz. Gin
.5 oz. simple syrup
.25 oz. lime juice
Shaken topped with ginger beer
Two dashes Angostura bitters
Recipe courtesy of Aaron Peña, Owner of Amor Eterno and Squeezebox in San Antonio, TX

WAKE THE DEAD cocktail. Photo: Mario Maldonado, used with permission.

Halloween events and specials in San Antonio

The fan-favorite Pumpkin Spiked Milkshake is back this month at EVO Entertainment this month. Photo: EVO Entertainment, used with permission.

This Halloween season, some San Antonio businesses are offering special events, specials, recipes, and more to help San Antonians celebrate the spooky season. (San Antonio Museum of Art, Taco Cabana, EVO Entertainment, Bakery Lorraine, Twang 2021)

San Antonio Museum of Art
Families can enjoy the San Antonio Museum of Art in a new way by trick-or-treating throughout the museum on Sunday, October 31 from 10a.m. – 5p.m. Visitors are encouraged to come dressed in their Halloween costumes as they explore the museum’s galleries. Swords, scepters, weapons, wands, and full-face masks will not be permitted.

Taco Cabana
This Halloween season, Taco Cabana is celebrating with the return of its popular Bean and Cheese taco coupon booklets. For a limited time and while supplies last, guests can purchase the booklets for $2 each at any Taco Cabana location. Each booklet will include five coupons for a free TC classic Bean and Cheese taco, and the $2 donation from each booklet sold will directly benefit local food banks. Offer is valid until October 31 and coupons are redeemable through November 30, 2021.

EVO Entertainment
Austin, Schertz, New Braunfels and San Marcos locations
On Saturday, October 30, families can check out “Pumpkins & Popcorn” at EVO locations featuring a specialty screening of Scoob! at 11a.m. Tickets to the event include a wooden pumpkin, painting and decorating supplies, and a popcorn and candy snack bag. Limited tickets are available for purchase here.

Kyle, Schertz and San Marcos locations
On Wednesday, October 20 EVO’s Kyle, Schertz and Springtown locations will host the annual Drunken Pumpkin Parties. Guests will each get a large pumpkin, carving tools and stencils, a snack bag and hidden prizes while they enjoy a screening of the Halloween classic, Hocus Pocus. This event is 18+ and costumes are encouraged. Tickets are available here.

Throughout the month of October, select EVO locations will also be serving themed cocktails perfect for spooky season. “The Symbiote” is a strawberry margarita with a black salted rim created in honor of the highly-anticipated film Venom: Let There Be Carnage and will be available through October 31. The fan-favorite Pumpkin Spiked Milkshake is also making a return this fall, made with vodka and Baileys Pumpkin Spiced Irish Cream. A non-alcoholic version of the milkshake is also available.

Bakery Lorraine
Beginning Thursday, October 28 and through the end of the month, Bakery Lorraine will be offering a special Halloween menu at both Austin and San Antonio locations. The menu will include a black cat tart for $6 made of chocolate mousse with a vanilla filling, a lemon mummy tart for $6 made of lemon curd topped with meringue and two chocolate chips for the mummy’s eyes, a chocolate caramel tart for $6 made of a caramel filling topped with chocolate ganache, a phantom of opera cake slice for $6 layered with pumpkin spice sponge cake and buttercream topped in a rich dark chocolate glaze, a voodoo doll gingerbread cookie for $5 made of gingerbread cookie dipped in a rich dark chocolate, and a ghost moon pie for $5 made of homemade graham cookies with a honey marshmallow filling dipped in a white chocolate. 

Twang
In the spirit of celebrating Halloween on October 31, family-owned salts and seasonings company, Twang, has a themed cocktail to enjoy at home using their Twang-A-Rita Nectarberry. The cocktail is appropriately named Witch’s Brew and is composed of 2 oz. cinnamon liqueur, 3/4 pomegranate syrup, 3oz. apple cider, and topped with champagne for a single serving. If wanting to celebrate with a bigger group, their punch recipe is composed of 16 oz. cinnamon liqueur, 6oz. pomegranate syrup, 24oz. apple cider, and 1 full 750ml bottle of champagne. Recipe courtesy of  Aaron Peña, Owner of Amor Eterno and Squeezebox in San Antonio, Texas.

Bakery Lorraine’s ghost moon pie and voodoo doll gingerbread cookie. Photo: Bakery Lorraine, used with permission.

Norteño Night at the Briscoe’s next Sips and Sounds of the West

Briscoe’s Sips and Sounds of the West hosts Los Callejeros De San Anto on October 24, 2021. Photo: Briscoe Western Art Museum, used with permission.

From the banks of the River Walk, travel to Northern Mexico as you enjoy a night of music under the stars at the Briscoe’s “Sips and Sounds of the West” Norteño Night on October 24. Celebrating all things vaquero in honor of Hispanic heritage and the Briscoe’s fantastic fall exhibition, Vaqueros de la Cruz del Diablo: Contemporary Photography of the Northern Mexican Cowboy, the Briscoe’s Sips and Sounds series will spotlight Norteño music with band Los Callejeros De San Anto in the museum’s McNutt Sculpture Garden at 6p.m. The ticketed event is a night of music, drinks and tacos under the stars. (Briscoe Western Art Museum, 2021)

Launched by Piñata Protest front man Alvaro Del Norte with bandmates Jose Morales on bajo sexton, bassist Richie Brown and Chris Ramirez on drums, Los Callejeros De San Anto blends well known influences of Conjunto and Norteño into the perfect Tex-Mex street band and is “abuela approved.” Sips and Sounds of the West: Norteño Night tickets are $15 for museum members and $25 for non-members. Each ticket includes two complimentary beer tickets. Food Truck fare is available for purchase from Dona Kika’s Tacos & Gorditas.

Norteño music is native to the Mexican state of Sonora, the birthplace of the modern cowboy featured in Vaqueros de la Cruz del Diablo. Making its United States debut at the Briscoe, the exhibition details a legacy with profound influence on the American West. With almost sixty images that span more than twenty years of the lives of the vaqueros, Vaqueros de la Cruz del Diablo features celebrated photographer Werner Segarra inviting audiences to peer into the world of the Norteño Cowboys, not as a casual tourist, but as an intimate observer. The exhibition is open to the public through January 24, 2022, and is included with museum admission.

Courtesy photo, used with permission

The Briscoe’s Sips and Sounds of the West series highlights the soundtrack of the West through live music while surrounded by the beauty of the garden’s fantastic bronze sculptures and lush greenery. The museum’s McNutt Sculpture Garden is an oasis featuring a beautiful courtyard surrounded by bronze sculptures depicting iconic figures of the American West. The sculpture garden offers the perfect respite during any River Walk visit, with tables, chairs and benches to rest and enjoy the view. With the lights of downtown in the background and stars overhead, the garden becomes magical at night, making it the perfect spot for a date night or a night out with friends.

Preserving and presenting the art, history and culture of the American West through engaging exhibitions, educational programs and public events reflective of the region’s rich traditions and shared heritage, the Briscoe Western Art Museum is located on the San Antonio River Walk at 210 W. Market Street in the beautifully restored 1930s former San Antonio Public Library building. Named in honor of the late Texas Gov. Dolph Briscoe Jr. and his wife, Janey Slaughter Briscoe, the museum includes the three-story Jack Guenther Pavilion, used for event rentals and programs, and the outdoor McNutt Sculpture Garden.

Agarita announces new season with six free concerts

Image from Postcards From The Border series. Photo: Joel Salcido, used with permission.

Agarita is “bringing the music to you” with the announcement of its new 2021-22 concert season offering six free community concerts across San Antonio expanding its reach, further exploring its relationship between music and art. (Agarita, 2021)

An innovative chamber ensemble dedicated to producing bold, collaborative musical events, Agarita offers a new way to experience classical and contemporary music. Rooted in San Antonio and founded by Daniel Anastasio (piano), Marisa Bushman (viola), Ignacio Gallego (cello), and Sarah Silver Manzke (violin), Agarita nourishes the local community through artistic collaborations, community engagement, and free, adventurous programming.

On August 24, Agarita created an American Impressionism experience at San Antonio Museum of Art. The season continues with a hosted fall event at Carver Community Cultural Center, telling a more genuine story of our Texas border with Mexico featuring Joel Salcido Ruiz, photographer and Oscar Cásares, writer. The season will end in June with a unique performance of J.S. Bach’s masterpiece The Goldberg Variations in the Chapel of the Incarnate Word.

Collaborators for the new season also include a unique concert experience inspired by the art and process of renowned local glass-blower Gini Garcia and an innovative, electronic musical work for Agarita that interacts with the sounds and flow of San Antonio’s rivers with artist and composer Nadia Botello.

“Agarita continues to share an immense drive, passion, and willingness to unite the arts and empower artists in San Antonio. By offering these six unique, free concert experiences, we hope to continue to uplift the community with inspiring art and music during this challenging and ever evolving time.” – Marisa Bushman, viola and Agarita co-president.

Postcards from the Border
Date: Friday, October 15, 2021
Time: 7:30p.m. – 8:45p.m.
Location: Carver Community Cultural Center, 226 N Hackberry, San Antonio, TX 78202
Collaborator: Joel Salcido Ruiz, photographer; Oscar Cásares, writer
Description: Inspired to tell a more genuine story of our Texas border with Mexico, photographer Joel Salcido and writer Oscar Cásares traveled the length of the Rio Grande River, resulting in the series “Postcards From The Border,” which appeared in Texas Monthly. Agarita will pair music to these beautiful and poignant images, narrated by Oscar Cásares. This concert is FREE and open to the public.

Agarita Celebrates SAMA’s 40th
Date: Sunday, December 12, 2021
Time: 11a.m. – 12:15p.m.
Location: San Antonio Museum of Art, 200 West Jones Ave, San Antonio, TX 78215
Collaborator: Highlights of SAMA’s permanent collection
Description: Agarita returns to the San Antonio Museum of Art for a concert celebrating the museum’s 40th anniversary. Musical selections will reflect artworks on display in the special exhibit. This concert is FREE and open to the public.

Agarita + Gini Garcia, Glass Artist
Date: Saturday, February 5, 2022
Time: 7p.m. – 8:15p.m.
Location: TBD
Collaborator: Gini Garcia, glass artist
Description: The art of glass-blowing is one of spontaneous, improvisatory process met with intricate design and planning. Join Agarita’s collaboration with renowned local glass-blower Gini Garcia for a concert inspired by her art and process. This concert is FREE and open to the public.

Agarita + Nadia Botello, Composer
Date: Friday, May 6, 2022
Time: 7:30p.m.
Location: TBD
Collaborator: Nadia Botello, composer
Description: Composer Nadia Botello creates an innovative, electronic musical work for Agarita that interacts with the sounds and flow of San Antonio’s rivers. Immerse yourself in this ear-opening, hydrating program. This concert is FREE and open to the public.

Variations on The Goldberg Variations
Date: Saturday, June 18, 2022
Time: 7:30p.m. – 9p.m.
Location: The Chapel of the Incarnate Word, 4503 Broadway, San Antonio, TX 78209
Description: For a unique performance of J.S. Bach’s masterpiece The Goldberg Variations in the Chapel of the Incarnate Word, Agarita will mix Dmitry Sitkovesky’s String Trio arrangement with Bach’s original harpsichord instrumentation. This concert is FREE and open to the public.

Agarita was recently named San Antonio Magazine’s Best of the City 2021: Culture winner for its collaboration with area partners. It collaborates with local artists of various genres to weave cross-artistic narratives for each concert. Agarita’s past collaborations have included the McNay Art Museum’s Pop América exhibit, lighting artist Chuck Drew, Cameron Beauchamp from the Grammy Award-winning vocal group Roomful of Teeth, chef Elizabeth Johnson and Pharm Table restaurant, poet Laura Van Prooyen, sculptor Danville Chadbourne, educational arts institution SAY Sí, and the Luminaria Contemporary Arts Festival for a concert inside San Antonio’s historic Mission San José.

As a nonprofit organization, Agarita believes that the arts should be accessible to everyone in its community. Agarita presents free public concerts, performs at local schools, and offers opportunities for other artists through its collaborations.

Smoke & Embers: The Art of Vaquero BBQ with pit master Adrian Davila at the Briscoe

Smoke & Embers: The Art of Vaquero BBQ is this Thursday, October 7 at the Briscoe. Photo: Briscoe Western Art Museum, used with permission.

There is no doubt that good Texas barbecue is a masterpiece to be admired, but is your barbecue museum-worthy? Join the Briscoe Western Art Museum for “Smoke & Embers: The Art of Vaquero BBQ” as acclaimed pit master, author, and chef Adrian Davila leads an in-depth, hands-on demonstration of the history and techniques behind the cuisine that once kept vaqueros and cowboys fed. (Briscoe Western Art Museum, 2021)

“Smoke & Embers: The Art of Vaquero BBQ” is this Thursday, October 7, from 6:30p.m. – 8:30p.m. Third generation pit master Davila will guide guests through perfecting Texas barbecue on the pit in the Briscoe’s McNutt Sculpture Garden, discussing and exploring barbecue and traditional vaquero cooking methods on the range.

The evening is a perfect side to complement the Briscoe’s fall exhibition, Vaqueros de la Cruz del Diablo: Contemporary Photography of the Northern Mexican Cowboy. Making its United States debut at the Briscoe, Vaqueros de la Cruz del Diablo features celebrated photographer Werner Segarra inviting audiences to peer into the world of the Norteño Cowboys from Sonora, Mexico – not as a casual tourist, but as an intimate observer. With almost sixty images spanning more than twenty years of the lives of the vaqueros, Segarra’s images highlight the expansive landscape, their daily work, and the intimacy of their homes, not merely documenting the vaquero, but celebrating his subjects and their way of life. The exhibition opened to the public September 25, 2021 and will run through Monday January 24, 2022.

The Art of Vaquero BBQ is $55 for museum members and $65 for non-members. In addition to the barbecue presentation and hands-on pit demonstration, the evening includes a three-course tasting to enjoy with wine and beer, and Davila’s special Dry Rub to take home. Space is limited on a first-come, first-served basis and tickets must be purchased in advance.

A world-recognized barbecue pit master and author, Davila is a third-generation pit master, chef and restaurateur at his family’s acclaimed Davila’s BBQ in Seguin. Davila has been featured as a guest chef on Food Network’s “The Kitchen” and “Barbecue Beatdown,” and at restaurants La Fama Barbecue and The Ugly American, in Bogota, Colombia. His book, “Cowboy Barbecue: Fire & Smoke from the Original Texas Vaqueros,” celebrates traditions of Latin America and Texas, taking inspiration from the vaquero lifestyle and his own family history, goes beyond standard grilling and offering techniques for smoking, cooking directly on the embers, underground, on a spit, and more. The book will be available for purchase and Davila will be signing copies during the event.

Davila’s BBQ’s special dry rub is available in more than two hundred H-E-B stores across Texas after Davila was named a finalist in the grocery chain’s Quest for Texas Best competition. Invented by Davila’s grandfather, the dry rub is used on all of Davila’s BBQ’s meats, including lamb, pork, brisket, and chicken. In addition to taking home Davila’s BBQ’s rub, there will be a raffle during the event and the prizes will include a Davila’s Decadent Dinner for four at the restaurant that includes a behind-the-scenes pit tour, two bottles of Davila’s BBQ sauces and a $25 gift certificate for a return visit. The dinner is a complete meal for four hungry people, featuring a wide array of menu items and a few off-menu items for everyone to enjoy.

The Briscoe Western Art Museum: Preserving and presenting the art, history and culture of the American West through engaging exhibitions, educational programs and public events reflective of the region’s rich traditions and shared heritage, the Briscoe Western Art Museum is located on the San Antonio River Walk at 210 W. Market Street in the beautifully restored 1930s former San Antonio Public Library building. Named in honor of the late Texas Gov. Dolph Briscoe Jr. and his wife, Janey Slaughter Briscoe, the museum includes the three-story Jack Guenther Pavilion, used for event rentals and programs, and the outdoor McNutt Sculpture Garden.

Adrian Davila. Photo: Briscoe Western Art Museum, used with permission.
Photo: Briscoe Western Art Museum, used with permission.

San Antonio Museum of Art celebrates the fall season

San Antonio Museum of Art celebrates the fall season with in-person and virtual events. Photo: San Antonio Museum of Art, used with permission.

In celebration of the season, the San Antonio Museum of Art (SAMA) is excited to announce their lineup of fall events, including online lectures, live performances, and trick-or-treating through the galleries. Starting on Saturday, September 28 from 6p.m. – 7p.m. one of the nation’s most acclaimed photographers, LaToya Ruby, will lead an online lecture “Using Photography for Social Change,” highlighting how art is a powerful tool for social transformation. Tickets are available online and are $5 for members and $10 for non-members. Check online to learn more about SAMA’s fall events. (San Antonio Museum of Art, 2021)

San Antonians can learn more about their city’s deep brewing history on Friday, October 8, from 6p.m. – 7p.m. during the online lecture “Brewing History is American History” with Theresa McCulla, PhD, Curator of the American Brewing History Initiative at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History. This talk will explore the role of beer in histories of technological innovation, immigration, and culture in San Antonio. Tickets are on sale here for $5 for members and $10 for non-members.

On Tuesday, October 12, San Antonio-based artist Jose Villalobos will perform in SAMA’s West Courtyard from 6p.m. – 6:30p.m. as part of the 2021 Texas Biennial. Having exhibited and performed nationwide, Villalobos’ San Antonio display reconciles the identity challenges in his life. Admission to the in-person artist performance is free.

Families can also enjoy trick-or-treating throughout the museum on Sunday, October 31 from 10a.m. – 5p.m. Visitors are encouraged to come dressed in their Halloween costumes as they explore the museum’s galleries. Swords, scepters, weapons, wands, and full-face masks will not be permitted.

The San Antonio Museum of Art serves as a forum to explore and connect with art that spans the world’s geographies, artistic periods, genres, and cultures. Its collection contains nearly 30,000 works representing 5,000 years of history. Housed in the historic former Lone Star Brewery on the Museum Reach of San Antonio’s River Walk, the San Antonio Museum of Art is committed to promoting the rich cultural heritage and life of the city. The Museum hosts hundreds of events and public programs each year, including concerts, performances, tours, lectures, symposia, and interactive experiences. As an active civic leader, the Museum is dedicated to enriching the cultural life of the city and the region, and to supporting its creative community.