Art with machinery
Under the tents in downtown Kingsville, students applied black paint to carved wooden boards crafted over time. They prepared the boards to be pressed and transferred onto paper, drawing an audience around to witness the reveal.
The Texas A&M University-Kingsville (TAMUK) Art Department participated in its 11th annual steamrolling tradition for the Kingsville community.
On Nov. 23, students unveiled art pieces they had been diligently prepared for Ranch Hand Weekend.
“It makes a really great display piece. It’s a combination of arts and moving it into the performing arts aspect,” Department Chair of Arts, Communication and Theatre Todd Lucas said. “It’s fun people love it, we get people watching all day long. They love it when they pull the prints, and everyone gets to see that first image. It’s just a great experience.” TAMUK students Kassandra Alamillo, Juan Martinez and Ruby Villareal combined their years of experience to create a final group project that highlighted a significant point of Kingsville.
“I’ve been doing this since 2022. For this event, I made a giant wood block for the train depot,” Alamillo, senior print maker, said. “We were doing that since late October, making the design together and finding the fonts.” Additional contributors to the project included Selina Castillo, Andrew Hamilton, Mariah Torres and Zoe Torres.
Presenting at events like Kingsville’s annual Ranch Hand Weekend challenges art students to step out of their comfort zones and provides a platform to display their classroom skills to a broader audience.
“This is their first time, even as artists, to make artwork out in public and seen by the community. It’s a good opportunity for them to get out of the classroom and showcase their work,” Assistant Professor Omar Gonzalez said.
By participating in this event, they not only share their artistic talents but also learn how to engage with audiences and manage public displays. “We’re printing live, people get to see the impressions along with the artists. We’re celebrating their hard work. During the festival, the public can witness the birth of these amazing art works,” Gonzales said.