The Second Annual Rockport Film Festival
November 6-8, 2008
Rockport, Texas is a charming coastal town
of unique beauty nestled on a peninsula of wind swept oaks. Commercial oyster and shrimp boats still venture from its harbors and bays, along with pleasure and sports fishing rigs. The surrounding wetlands and estuaries are winter home to migratory water fowl. The natural beauty has drawn many artists to settle here. Rockport is a favorite vacation destination with its blue wave beach and a growing retirement community. The quaint downtown Heritage District, venue for the festival, boasts of shops, museums, galleries for local, regional and national artists’ work, coffee shops and fine restaurants.
Excitement is in the air in downtown Rockport.
New galleries are opening almost monthly, cooperation among the galleries, artists and patrons is growing and word is getting out that Rockport is the place to come to purchase quality fine art while enjoying this charming coastal town.
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| Click here for printable version of the map and list. | ||
Although there are reports of artists in the area dating back to the 1900's, in modern times the history of Art in Rockport started with Simon Michael (1905–1988).
Her first name means "star," and her country pronunciation of her last name sounded like "star" as well. One might say that Estelle Stair was the lucky star of the growing art colony in Rockport. Arriving in Rockport close on Simon Michael's heels, she was both his student and his employee.
The Arts have grown in Rockport since these two pioneers came to town.
We now have the highest number of artists per capita than any other city in Texas." (Texas Commission for the Arts)
With a membership of over 850, the Rockport Center for the Arts is the hub of the art colony, along with over seventeen galleries in downtown and the independent artists who show work at both the Center and the galleries. (Rockport Center for the Arts)
