Art Fridays: Riverwalk Artist at The Witty Museum
In the beginning of a new series, Art Editor Josh Fishwall covers new and interesting events around the Riverwalk.
The Riverwalk is famous for its homegrown talent, from acting superstar Tommy Lee Jones to female Terminator Summer Glau. But arts education in San Antonio stretches beyond acting, and many celebrities are famous for music, writing and painting, and other arts. The success of artists from the Riverwalk shows that you certainly don’t need any arts education in schools, which tends to produce talentless liberal layouts rather than wholesome, Riverwalk-focused patriots.
Meet Brandon Vasquez: The Riverwalk’s own Picasso
Brandon has always been known around the Riverwalk for his painting and artistic exploits. After 3 years of spraying graffiti of ketchup bottles outside city hall and other off-Riverwalk buildings, he put down the spray can and picked up the fresco brush. “Controversial, brilliant, and unexpected,” was how Riverwalk Monthly described the up-the-coming artist, who’s putting the Riverwalk on the map with his new show at the Witty Museum.
Riverwalk Life Through Fresco
San Antonians know first-hand the richness of culture available on the Riverwalk, and Brandon expresses this with his fresco brush. His particular skill, called Fresco among artists, was explained to me during a recent meeting we had at the Mad Dog’s lunchtime Happy Hour. We were able to enjoy the finest British ‘fish and chips’ while enjoying $3 Stella Artois, and our conversation was as wide as it was varied. I lost my notes but here are some of the most famous pictures featured at the Witty Museum, just off the Riverwalk:
“Boots Too Big For You” (2005)
“Noche Del Fiesta Nieva” (or something, 2007)
“Piss-faced in urinal” (2008)
“The sleeper and the Margarita” (2009)
Brandon Vasquez will be showing all four of his paintings at the Witty Museum, opening tonight at 9.30pm until Sunday in one long 48-hour special featuring $2 longnecks and music by local band The Conveners. Attendees who last all the way through will receive gift vouchers sponsored by Red Bull.
