Honoring the overlooked; the cast-off; the abandoned; the peripheral. If the title sounds like it could be the name of a B-Horror film, you’re hearing it the way I do. Not going to bother you with pretentious words like hierarchy, transgressive, etc., but those concerns are there, they just won’t fit in my pickup truck. That’s really all there is to it. Why say more? -Hills Snyder, Curator
Hills Snyder, artist, musician, writer & curator, was Director/Curator of Sala Diaz from 1997 to 2015. Current activities as curator include the Wolverton Home Gallery in San Antonio, an art gallery within a house concert venue & The Bedsitter Art Fair in Vienna, February 2016. Photo by Ramin Samandari.
ARTISTS
Georganne Deen
Alejandro Diaz
Meghan Fest
Sarah Fox
Erin Hinz
Leigh Anne Lester
Ken Little
Gordon McConnell
Michele Monseau & Odie Cole Kelly O’Connor
Chris Sauter
Richard Saxton
James Smolleck
Barbara Sturm
Jeremiah Teutsch
Jeff Wheeler
MUSICIANS
Michael Carrillo
Michael Chapa
Doug Clarke
Odie Cole Kim Mackenzie
Joe Reyes
Matthew Rose
Erik Sanden
Opening & Performance – 03.05.2025 / 7pm Period Modern_4347 McCullough Avenue, San Antonio, TX
Closing at CAMMIE Awards & Closing Party – 03.25.2016 / 6pm Chrispark_111 Camp Street, San Antonio, TX
FOLLOW THE MINI ART MUSEUM ON FACEBOOK & INSTAGRAM. #weeart
What’s the leading creative reuse arts organization in San Antonio? You only need one guess. The efforts of spare parts-to educate and demonstrate to the community the path of artistic expression through creative reuse-is unprecedented in our city. Founder and Director Mary Elizabeth Cantú, the charismatic force driving spare parts, continually challenges and inspires people of all ages to re-think the connection between environmental impact and making art.
Throughout the years, Cantú has been given media recognition, kudos and awards from such publication as San Antonio Magazine and Texas Public Radio. The MINI ART MUSEUM, a project created by Cantú and Gabriela Santiago, won Contemporary Art Month awards two years in a row. Acombination of multi-faceted programs blending cultural arts, materials accessibility and environmental activism, spare parts, now in its fifth year, is reaching a pivotal point of growth and influence.
On February 17, 2025 in conjunction with St. Mary’s University’s Conference on Justice and Social Concerns, Cantú was awarded the Art of Peace award. This prestigious award was presented by the President of St. Mary’s University Tom Mengler. President Mengler describing the award, said “The artist chosen must be worthy both as an artist, in terms of quality, as determined by reputation in the artistic community and one who, through art, works for peace, as determined by reputation.”
St. Mary’s University President Tom Mengler, Mary Elizabeth Cantu, Dr. Winston Ervelles
This year’s conference theme was “stewardship in science” which invoked this quote by Pope Francis, “I urgently appeal, then, for a new dialogue about how we are shaping the future of our planet. We need a conversation which includes everyone, since the environmental challenge we are undergoing and it human roots, concerns and affect us all.” President Mengler prefaced the award presentation by describing the work of spare parts as dedicated to “…community education and creativity, green-style.”
“Imagine being asked to promote the arts without any resources, which was my situation several years ago,” Cantú explaining the beginning of the spare parts. “After some research and meeting a local business owner, I realized there were tons of free materials and supplies out there for creative opportunities. These materials were no longer needed but too valuable to be thrown away. I went to this business who filled my car with all sorts of cool stuff and they asked me to come back with a U-Haul.”
2015 Annual Fine Arts Fair and Teacher Giveaway at Wonderland of the Americas
The annual material giveaway for teachers was born, when Cantú realized she could divert perfectly amazing materials from the landfill and put these supplies in the hands of teachers who could use them in their art, science, math and history curriculum. Because, a class lesson is so much more interesting when it’s not taught with worksheet after worksheet.
After the presentation, students attended a workshop where Cantú detailed various spare parts projects. “Truth is: there is no such thing as throwing something away,” she said, challenging the students to give a second and even third look before tossing stuff in that trash can. Students were asked to decorate a sign reminding them that “Trash is the failure of imagination (Aaron Kramer).” All materials used in spare parts workshops and projects are donated ‘leftovers’ from businesses and individuals.
spare parts various projects include community outreach workshops with arts organizations such as the McNay and Southwest School of Art, Bexar County Juvenile Detention Center and many different schools and educator groups. spare parts hands-on art tables pop up at many San Antonio City events where children and adults enjoy participating in a creative reuse art project or viewing the MINI ART MUSEUM.
Upcoming spare parts events include participation in the following events:
Saturday, March 5, 2016, 27th Annual Earthwise Living Day at Leon Valley Community and Conference Center
Saturday, March 5, 7 PM - 9 PM, Opening Reception & Performance: MINI ART MUSEUM:”That Thing on the Side of the Road, Period Modern Gallery
Friday, March 25, 2016, 6 pm, Closing Reception: That Thing on the Side of the Road, ChrisPark
Saturday, March 26, 2016, Mini Maker Faire at the San Antonio Public Library
Saturday, April 2, 2016, San Antonio Book Festival at the San Antonio Library
Friday, April 15, 2016, Bohnam Academy Spring Art Festival
Imagine lying on your belly in a big fabric swing, kind of like swinging like Batman as a kid. With a non-traditional painting utensil—think silk flowers, squishy ball, hand broom, even a flip flop rubber sandal—dipped in paint. Your educator/facilitator gently pushes you over across an area of canvases collected from thrift stores to freely apply marks. Slinging, flinging, dribbling and dabbing—you’re creating a masterpiece like no other.
Moving Painting is a cross-disciplinary performance and visual art experience designed by spare parts which debuted at the contemporary arts showcase event Luminaria 2015. “The concept for Moving Painting percolated in my thoughts for some time before finally sharing it earlier this year with Gabriela Santiago and Roberta Hassele,” said Mary Cantú, Founder and Director of spare parts. “I was hesitant to talk about it because it was a wacky idea and wasn’t sure it would be accepted.”
But spare parts advisory board members Santiago and Carla Berryman (who helped write the proposal) have no problem with not only accepting, but embracing, the non-traditional art experience. Currently serving as Director/Co-Chair Contemporary Art Month San Antonio, Hassele joined the team to bring her considerable experience and talents to the project. The result is the creation of a unique, free-form artistic experience which speaks to children and adults alike.
It challenges participants, as well as audience to rethink artistic expression.
Captured comments from Moving Painting participants.
Luminaria looked at the proposal and noticed our performance needed to hang from a secure structure. Initial plans included the installation of scaffolding. Fortunately, CrossFit Mind Body Soul, a business on this year’s Luminaria footprint, was open to hosting Moving Painting. “Our experience was very positive with Andrew Lilly and the entire CrossFit staff, “states Cantú. Lilly described Moving Painting as “unique because you’re constantly moving around the paintings seeing everything from a different angle/perspective instead just staring at it straight up and down as it sits still in front of you.”
Kinetic, creative, interactive, colorful, wacky and fun
It’s nostalgic; it reminds people of swinging on the playground. It’s open ended: you can paint as much or as little as you want; you can experiment with colors and mark making.
“I would love to see Moving Painting installed in the middle of huge closed arena like the Alamodome; at The DoSeum, out in a grand public place like Market Square; at a venue such as Brick at Blue Star,” said Hassele. “Or, at parks, birthday parties, in museums, back at Crossfit MBS, team-building events for businesses/organizations, in your backyard, Fiesta, Siclovia, and Chalk It Up (replace paint for chalk),” added Cantú. “There are endless possibilities.”
Roberta Hassele (l) & Mary Cantu (r)
Good news! The Moving Painting experience is for hire. If you are interested in the bringing this unique fun to your next event. Contact sparepartstudio@gmail.com.
Luminaria: Established in 2008, Luminaria is a contemporary arts festival unique to San Antonio. The two-night event is a celebration of the arts presenting new works by performance, literary and visual artists.
After the presentation, students attended a workshop where Cantú detailed various spare parts projects. “Truth is: there is no such thing as throwing something away,” she said, challenging the students to give a second and even third look before tossing stuff in that trash can. Students were asked to decorate a sign reminding them that “Trash is the failure of imagination (Aaron Kramer).” All materials used in spare parts workshops and projects are donated ‘leftovers’ from businesses and individuals.
But spare parts advisory board members Santiago and Carla Berryman (who helped write the proposal) have no problem with not only accepting, but embracing, the non-traditional art experience. Currently serving as Director/Co-Chair Contemporary Art Month San Antonio, Hassele joined the team to bring her considerable experience and talents to the project. The result is the creation of a unique, free-form artistic experience which speaks to children and adults alike.