Articles

Small towns in Texas are known for their storied history as well as their charm. From August 22 to October 4, 2009, visitors to San Antonio's Witte Museum can discover the history and beauty of these unique places through the photographs of Dr. Ricardo Romo, Humanities Texas board member and president of The University of Texas at San Antonio. Small Town Texas, which is part of San Antonio's annual Fotoseptiembre festival, presents the poetic landscapes of towns such as Floresville, Devine, Pearsall, Kingsbury, Cuero, Yoakum, and Nixon, capturing their uniquely Texan qualities.

The exhibition's curator, Arturo Almeida, describes Romo's work: "As a dedicated observer of the small communities that dot the Texas horizon, Romo embarked on a photographic journey to more than seventy-five small towns with the goal of documenting the cultural and social features of a fading way of life."

Dr. Romo became the fifth president of UTSA in May 1999. A native of San Antonio's West Side, Dr. Romo graduated from Fox Tech High School and attended The University of Texas at Austin, where he received a bachelor of science in education. He holds a master's degree in history from Loyola Marymount University and a Ph.D. in history from UCLA.

Fotoseptiembre is an international festival that celebrates photography and photography-based art forms. Since its inception in 1996, the festival has sparked interest in South Texas's photographic arts. Established artists, amateurs, and local figures display their work at the San Antonio-based festival, which has grown to include exhibits in Austin, Houston, Boston, New York, and Mexico City.

Small Town Texas is included with general admission to the Witte Museum. For more information call 210.357.1900 or visit www.wittemuseum.org.