07/13/2019
I’ve written about First Friday here in San Antonio, but now it’s time to visit Second Saturday! As the name implies, it happens on the Second Saturday of each month and is located in the Lone Star Arts district, between Flores and Lone Star streets, across the street from a local elementary school and right next to the train tracks. It’s composed of art galleries, music, food and drinking and features local artists.
I visited some of the smaller galleries first and then walked through the set up tables to talk to some of the artists. The first table I stopped at was “The Orange Noir”, a print artist who explained the evolution of his logo, which got my attention because it was so simple but noticeable. We talked about the rules of three in the art world, and agreed how it worked, as you can see in the new logo:
I love art about space and planets, so in talking with this artist, he told me how he used collage and photos to make his out-of-this-world artwork.
Silkscreen art, photography, and even homemade candles were all for sale
One of the photos was of a man very early in the morning in front of what I recognized as Glazed Donuts, a great donut shop in Dallas in the Deep Ellum area. Which I need to pay a visit back to so I can write about it!
Along with a DJ to play music to groove to while looking:
More small galleries, including these that had a great work area setups:
And then it was on through the back entrance of the gallery Freight, where the first thing I encountered was a guy getting painted on. The small tuft of hair on his lower back somehow was the body part that got my attention first:
Which I guess warranted this sign inside:
Inside was an exhibition called “Big Fun,” which talked about social anxiety and self esteem in art by artist Louie Chavez. In the middle was a stand that people could write their anxieties on paper and drop them in the box, getting rid of them (at least temporarily)!
Inside Freight is Kimura Ramen, which I’ve had before at their downtown location but not at this location. I wanted to try it here but it was really crowded and I wanted to make it to the other galleries.
Across the street and off to the concrete galleries, with this cool mural on the brick wall:
More collage artwork, which I loved:
More alcohol to be had: check out this cool llama lamp (say that 3 times)!
This piece was obviously to start a dialogue about the holding facilities that have opened on the Texas borders. I admired the use of a projection and the symbolism of children in the way the words were spelled out with crayons. I wish I knew who the artist was, because this was a very powerful piece to view.
Another DJ outside playing great ’80’s music but I heard loud Jimi Hendrix music inside the building and it drew me to this room where this wonderful installation of lights and art was shown; I ended up staying about 10 minutes in this room because “Voodoo Child” was playing, one of the best songs ever:
Next was these wonderful large paintings by Pauline Brown, with another nice work setup. One of the guys gave me a weird look because I took a pic of the way the paint was stored, but I couldn’t help it! Plus I also store my paintbrushes in coffee cans too!
I loved the gold flakes on her paintings blowing with the fans that were in the studio, which I watched mesmerized (Eddie Murphy’s “Party All the Time” playing on her stereo helped with the experience). 🙂
Off to the back galleries further down Lone Star street:
This artist, Debra Zender, said to feel free to touch the artwork: I love textured artwork, and always wish to touch artwork so to actually be given permission to do so made me very happy.
You can’t miss the gallery actually named “Concrete,” where I saw these great works by Brochan and a guy who was barefoot drinking wine and selling his prints behind a table inside.
More print shops (including one that smelled of maple syrup for some reason):
On the way out, a nice couple asked me to take their picture while they stood in the middle of the train tracks, with the sun setting behind them. The picture came out beautiful. Traveling alone definitely makes you the picture taker; I’m glad I looked trustworthy enough to take it for them.
So ends Second Saturday for this month with this beautiful sunset:
Support local art in SA!
Sola Latina Explorer 