Rockport Center for the Arts Celebrates Longstanding Tradition and Honors Elena Rodz as the 2026 Rockport Art Festival Master Artist
Rockport, Texas — Rockport Center for the Arts (RCA) invites visitors to experience a vibrant summer season celebrating artistic excellence, coastal culture, and the enduring legacy of the Rockport Art Festival. This year’s exhibitions and events showcase evocative landscapes, artistic tradition, and the enduring spirit of the Texas coast.
The 2026 Rockport Art Festival proudly honors Elena Rodz as this year’s Master Artist. In addition to being an accomplished contemporary realist painter, Rodz previously served as RCA’s Barrow Foundation Curator of Exhibitions, making this year’s recognition especially meaningful to the organization and community. Known for her scenic outdoor settings and richly atmospheric work, Rodz explores landscape, memory, and the emotional resonance of place through her distinctive artistic style. As part of the Master Artist tradition, RCA will present Byways, a solo exhibition featuring Rodz’s work, on view June 13 through August 2, 2026, in the H-E-B Gallery. Sponsored by Legacy Wealth Partners, the exhibition coincides with Art Fest and celebrates Rodz’s artistic voice and contribution to the arts community.
RCA will also present Rockport Legends, a special group exhibition honoring the celebrated Rockport Art Festival Master Artists. On view June 12 through August 30, 2026, the exhibition brings together works from Master Artists whose contributions have helped shape the festival’s long-standing artistic legacy over the years. Spanning multiple styles and mediums, Rockport Legends highlights the enduring influence of extraordinary artistic talent that has become synonymous with the Rockport Art Festival Tradition. A joint reception for Rockport Legends and Byways will be held on June 13 from 5-7PM.
These summer exhibitions lead into the 58th Annual Rockport Art Festival, taking place July 4–5, 2026, at Rockport Festival Grounds, 1500 E. Laurel Rockport, TX. One of the oldest and most respected art festivals in Texas, the event welcomes artists and visitors from across the country for a weekend celebrating fine art, coastal culture, and community. More information about the festival can be found at artfest
“The summer at RCA carries a special energy, as the galleries become a meeting place between tradition and new momentum,” said RCA Barrow Foundation Curator of Exhibitions, Catey Arnold. “Rockport Legends brings together past Master Artists who continue to create and shape the spirit of RCA, while Byways in the H-E-B Gallery presents Elena Rodz’ striking new body of work expanding her celebrated nocturnal paintings into scenes of dusk, day, and dawn. An immersive installation in the Wyatt Gallery from Jennifer Arnold remains on view, tying these two celebratory tradition exhibitions together in a way that feels truly alive."
Visitors are encouraged to explore all exhibitions throughout the summer season. Admission to RCA galleries is always free.
The Rockport Art Festival Master Artist tradition began in 1993 as a way to recognize artists whose work and contributions have had a lasting impact on the festival and the arts community. Each year, the honored Master Artist is celebrated through a featured exhibition coinciding with Art Fest, continuing a tradition that has become an important part of the festival’s identity and history.
Rockport Art Festival Master Artists, 1993–Present
1993 Harold Phenix †; 1994 Steve Russell (Founding member of the Rockport Art Association, Inc.); 1995 Al Barnes †; 1996 Herb Booth †; 1997 Jesus Moroles †; 1998 Evelyn Atkinson †; 1999 Ricardo Rivera †; 2000 Kay Barnebey †; 2001 Jim Offeman; 2002 Flint Reed; 2003 Anita Diebel; 2004 Thom Evans †; 2005 Carol Koutnik; 2006 Hal McCaskill †; 2007 Nanci Barnes; 2008 Teresa Justice; 2009 Lisa Baer Frederick; 2010 Shirley Hughes Blackman; 2011 Betty Shamel; 2012 Bruce Bitter; 2013 Bonnie Lou Prouty †; 2014 Pamela Fulcher; 2015 Chance Yarbrough; 2016 Joey Blazek; 2017 Barb Robinson; 2018 Debbie Stevens; 2019 Angalee DeForest; 2020 V… Vaughan; 2021 Robin Hazard; 2022 Jeffrey Neel McDaniel; 2023 Kent Ullberg; 2024 Patsy Lindamood; 2025 Susie Black; 2026 Elena Rodz
Legend: † Deceased
About Rockport Center for the Arts
The 1.2-acre Rockport Center for the Arts campus is located in the Rockport Cultural Arts District and features multiple galleries, classrooms, a sculpture garden, and The ROCC conference center. RCA is dedicated to supporting the arts through exhibitions, education, outreach, and community engagement. Admission to the galleries is always free. For more information, visit rockportartcenter.com or call (361) 729-5519.