Located just inside the Rivercenter Mall, off Commerce Street, San Antonio Visual Artists (SAVA) was created with the purpose of enriching the cultural life of San Antonio by spotlighting San Antonio artists and their works. SAVA’s website provides comprehensive coverage of the San Antonio Art Scene, introducing individual artists and their works, giving notice of art events and news and providing links to other community art organizations.

If you’re a visual artist, and live/work/show in the Bexar County area, you are invited to join SAVA. There are no fee or meeting requirements. Just lots of enthusiasm and synergy. At the beginning of 2008 SAVA had about 120 members. Today SAVA counts nearly 400 artists as members.

The 2009 FOTOSEPTIEMBRE USA exhibit at SAVA was organized and curated by SAVA founding member Richard M. Ybañez, and was juried by Trish Simonite, fine-art photographer and Trinity University professor.

Richard M. Ybañez, SAVA exhibiton organizer and curator.
In Richard’s own words: Born & bred mostly in San Antonio, I have always been interested in art since I was a kid, got my BA in Art/Art History from California State University San Bernardino in 1985. I have participated in numerous group shows since then. I have helped in curating shows in the past but this is my first solo curating show. I work mostly as a painter in abstract and surrealism in acrylics. I also do photography, and work in other mediums such color pencils, pastels, and graphite. As well as my love for art,I have a passion for music and I am also a musician. I work at Trinity University as a library assistant and as a DJ at KRTU on Sunday evenings. And we enjoyed being part of FOTOSEPTIEMBRE USA.

Early view of the SAVA Gallery from the entrance.

Some of the works on display.

Partial view of the works on display.

Siggi Ragnar, featured artist, exhibition poster designer, and multiple Honorable Mentions in the juried show.

Rose Livar, featured artist and First Place in the juried show.

Red Baklava, featured artist in the SAVA show.

Lynn McBride, featured artist and multiple Honorable Mentions.

Lynn McBride’s Pipe Dreams, one of her Honorable Mention awards.

Scott Vallance, featured artist, Honorable Mention in the juried show, and San Antonio College photography instructor.

Richard M. YBañez conducting the awards ceremony, with the ubiquitous Fred Whitecotton at his side.

Kelly Walls, featured artist, receiving her Honorable Mention award.

Part of the crowd that showed up for the exhibit opening at the San Antonio Visual Artists gallery.

More exhibit viewers.

View of the lively crowd in the back room of the gallery.

Exhibit viewers spilling out of the gallery’s front door.