Daphne Art Foundation

Daphne Art Foundation A 501 c3 nonprofit arts organization that promotes the creation, presentation, study and appreciation of visual, media, and performing arts in Laredo, Texas.

Join us for the Raíces 2026 Student Exhibit, showcasing artwork created through Daphne Art Foundation’s multi-arts child...
07/24/2026

Join us for the Raíces 2026 Student Exhibit, showcasing artwork created through Daphne Art Foundation’s multi-arts children’s studio program, in partnership with the Boys & Girls Club of Laredo.

Friday, August 7, 2026
6:00 PM – 8:00 PM

1420 Washington St.
Laredo, Texas

We welcome you to this special evening of art, community, and imagination.

Free and open to the community.

Carla Santillana - AiR26 Resident “Hi all, it’s Carla!I’ve been using painting and deconstructing denim to think through...
07/17/2026

Carla Santillana - AiR26 Resident

“Hi all, it’s Carla!

I’ve been using painting and deconstructing denim to think through the stories, memories, and emotions passed down through the women in my family.

I’ve been revisiting old photographs and memories of my mother and grandmother, using them as references for my paintings. Between ripping the seams of jeans, boiling denim in red dye, and painting, I find myself reflecting on their lived experiences, allowing those memories and emotions to inform the work as it takes shape.

I began this residency treating my process as linear, but just like stories, I’m discovering that it’s okay to revisit, reshape, and strengthen ideas as they evolve.”

Carla’s residency reminds us that the creative process is rarely linear. Follow along as she continues to explore family history, memory, and material through work that grows and transforms with each new discovery.

Clarissa Martinez - AiR26 Resident“Due to a late start, I am still in the prep stage for my 2D pieces. I will be working...
07/15/2026

Clarissa Martinez - AiR26 Resident

“Due to a late start, I am still in the prep stage for my 2D pieces. I will be working on 3 paintings that explore (what I am calling) the Mexican side of the American Gothic. I just wrapped up a 3rd photoshoot with a friend for painting references. I am also creating a paper sculpture that will incorporate Texas-based statistics and articles from the Brownsville Herald and other local news sources. This includes more recent articles that I had to layout on Adobe Photoshop & InDesign myself since the Herald is no longer in print. I’m in the middle of making a 3rd, but more life-sized, prototype. All of my work specifically looks at gender roles within Latinx communities, and these pieces are inquiring how generational trauma (racism, assimilation) have influenced the treatment of women in our communities today.”

Follow along as Clarissa continues to share her process and the evolution of her work throughout the residency.

Jacob Cardenas - AiR26 Resident“Currently I am working on my second large scale painting dealing with portraiture of tho...
07/08/2026

Jacob Cardenas - AiR26 Resident

“Currently I am working on my second large scale painting dealing with portraiture of those who create the city of Laredo. These pieces aim to highlight the unique spirit and dignity of Laredo’s community. Although, before starting this work, I had taken a detour and focused more on portraying the different sceneries found around the city and its border. While a different direction than the more figurative work this series leans on, I am finding the language of landscapes inform my other pieces in unexpected and exciting ways.“ - Jacob

Raíces by Daphne Art Foundation was proud to collaborate with Laredo Fair’s Discovery Summer Camp for a second painting ...
07/07/2026

Raíces by Daphne Art Foundation was proud to collaborate with Laredo Fair’s Discovery Summer Camp for a second painting workshop this summer!

Thank you to Laredo Fair for continuing to partner with us and for creating meaningful opportunities to inspire creativity in local youth. We believe every child deserves access to the arts because creative experiences help build confidence, encourage self-expression, and invest in the future of our community.

A special thank you to our teaching artist, Tania Rojas, for leading another fun and memorable morning of art-making!

“I’m currently working on the second painting in my Where It Collects series. Recently, I took my painting outdoors to i...
07/03/2026

“I’m currently working on the second painting in my Where It Collects series. Recently, I took my painting outdoors to immerse myself in the sights, sounds, and atmosphere of Laredo while I worked. That experience led me to shift the series toward a warmer, more nostalgic palette, inspired by the dreamlike feeling I’ve always associated with growing up here and the quiet familiarity I hope each painting carries.” -Konan

Join us tonight at Frontera Beer Garden in Laredo,TX for Open Studio Night to meet Konan, hear more about the series, and experience how their reflections on Laredo are taking shape through color, memory, and mood.

Artist update from Luis Coss.“Cuando comenzo este proyecto, tenía diferentes ideas para diferentes piezas. Mis piezas su...
07/03/2026

Artist update from Luis Coss.

“Cuando comenzo este proyecto, tenía diferentes ideas para diferentes piezas. Mis piezas suelen ser acrílicas sobre lienzo, pero me he propuesto crear piezas con nuevos medios. Mi mayor reto ha sido trabajar con nuevos medios por primera vez e intentar escoger en que pieza trabajar, ya que gracias a este proyecto y las colaboraciones me ha ayudado mucho a tener nuevas ideas de diferentes piezas.” - Luis

Join us tonight for Open Studio Night and meet Luis as he shares work shaped by experimentation, new ideas, and the challenge of pushing his practice beyond what is familiar. It is a chance to hear more about how this residency has opened up new directions in his process and to see the evolution of his work up close.

“While my work revolves primarily around painting, photography also plays an important role in my creative process, as m...
07/03/2026

“While my work revolves primarily around painting, photography also plays an important role in my creative process, as my work begins the moment I take my reference pictures. However, I think that the immersive process of going outside seeking for people and places to photograph is one that I can learn more from than just the painting itself.

By experimenting with the photographs I take and playing with the resources I have at hand, I want to pay homage to that process and to the people who, whether knowing or unknowingly, play the most important part of this work.” - Paulina

Join us tonight for Open Studio Night to meet Paulina, learn more about her process, and see what she’s been developing during the residency.

AiR26 Artist update from Oscar D. Gomez.“Currently working on and designing a bunch of new action figures for my L.U.C.H...
07/03/2026

AiR26 Artist update from Oscar D. Gomez.

“Currently working on and designing a bunch of new action figures for my L.U.C.H.A. Series. I’ll be posting the recently completed La Parka figure this Friday and have it on display at the Frontera studio.

Currently I’m modding my Roddy Piper mini fig and also since I finished drawing my Mecha Mask Mark II card I’m going to start to paint it. I like to work on multiple projects at once so I don’t get bored.

Swing by this Friday to say hi!”

Come out to Open Studio tomorrow, July 3, to hang out and see the work in progress, and get a closer look at what he’s been building during the residency.

We had the opportunity to speak with students in the TAMIU PREP summer program.Thank you to TAMIU PREP for the invitatio...
07/01/2026

We had the opportunity to speak with students in the TAMIU PREP summer program.

Thank you to TAMIU PREP for the invitation and for creating space to remind students that art and STEM are not separate paths. Creativity, design, observation, problem-solving, and experimentation are at the heart of both. Art helps students think differently, communicate ideas more clearly, and imagine new possibilities, all of which are essential in science, engineering, and technology.

We were grateful for the chance to share more about Daphne Art Foundation, the value of creative practice, and the community opportunities available to young artists here in Laredo.

Address

3301 San Bernardo #24A
Laredo, TX
78040

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