Arts

Raul Rene Gonzalez was born and raised in inner-city Houston, just ten minutes from downtown. Throughout his adulthood, he lived in various parts of the city, and in August 2012, he moved to San Antonio to pursue his Master of Fine Arts from the University of Texas at San Antonio. After obtaining his degree, he intended to move back to Houston, but he and his wife found a house that was perfect for them, and they decided to make San Antonio their home.

Jesse Moreno is a skilled artist and craftsman whose woodworking is focused on honoring the raw material while ushering it into a new life as refined functional art. He is originally from El Paso, Texas, and joined the U.S. Navy during his college career. As with many recruits, his training landed him in San Antonio. It made such an impression that he returned here to raise his family.

Jason Kirkland is the Director of Exhibitions, Collections & Education at The Briscoe Western Art Museum in San Antonio, Texas. He spent a portion of his childhood in Mississippi then moved to San Antonio at the age of 12. In high school, he moved to Lubbock where he attended a magnet arts program and admits this was where he began to hone his passion for the arts. In college, he started out in Texas Tech's Studio Art program but missed being in San Antonio closer to family and friends so he transferred to UTSA and graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree.

Anthony Welborn is a Graphic Designer for the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo. He received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design from St. Cloud State University in St. Cloud, Minnesota in 1996. With 25+ years of experience, he is a self-starter, a former studio owner, and has collaborated with small businesses domestically and internationally in a vast range of industries. 

We spoke with him about how he got started in graphic design, some tools of the trade, his experience with the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo, and how he thinks AI will influence the industry.

Carrot & Honey Interior Design, LLC provides interior design services and custom fabrication solutions for commercial and residential spaces in San Antonio, Texas. They are owned and operated by Kai Thompson, RID, IIDA, and Jonathan Davis.

[Sponsored]  Rockport, Texas was once known as a small Texas coastal fishing town. Today, it is a thriving and rapidly growing community, which still includes fishing, but also has a strong presence in tourism and the arts.

Kaia Dublin is a fashion entrepreneur, DJ, and businesswoman based in San Antonio who is helping to shape the landscape of the fashion industry in Texas.

Violeta De Leon Davila is a contemporary dance teacher, choreographer, and community dance organizer based in San Antonio, Texas. Although she was active long before, we first noticed her when she was a participant in the evening arts festival, Luminaria, in San Antonio in 2021. She has also been the recipient of grants from the City of San Antonio Department of Arts & Culture.

Our most viewed articles in 2023 include an interview with a Casting Director who grew up in S.A. and is now based in L.A., the new Executive Director of the San Antonio Philharmonic, a local mid-century modern antiques dealer, a contributing article from an architecture firm that designed a building which hosts the education of first-responders, and the background behind a new development in River North with fantastic new restaurants + brewery!  Did you miss them? Let us bring you up to speed below.

K. Day Gomez is the San Antonio-based Editor in Chief, CEO, and Creative Director of the global magazine, PEPPER. She has worn many creative hats such as being a model, a photographer, a fashion designer, an actor, a visual artist, a writer, and now a publisher.

We connected with her to discuss her diverse background in visual arts and media and her journey to her current role with PEPPER.