Alex Rubio’s
passion for art led directly to his opportunity to pursue an arts career.
In 1987 the director of a mural project for a San Antonio arts group noticed
some images that Rubio had spray painted on walls in his housing project.
Impressed by the paintings, the director located Rubio and arranged for him
to participate in a work-study program, thus allowing him to study art at
San Antonio College and simultaneously work on murals in the area. This began
Rubio’s long association with community-based organizations. Feeling
that the mural project had helped him, Rubio resolved to do whatever he could
to help other artists develop their talents. Accordingly, he became the artist
in residence for the Inmate Creative Arts Program at Bexar County Jail, taught
in an after-school high school arts program, and was an art instructor at
the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center. Rubio studied at San Antonio Art Institute
and, on a fine arts scholarship, at the University of Texas, San Antonio.
Later he studied printmaking with Sam Coronado (see entry on this artist),
a course of study that produced two limited-edition serigraphs. Having worked
with community-based organizations since the age of sixteen, Rubio stresses
the importance of using his art to make a contribution back to the community.
At this writing he is accomplishing that aim by working as a mural coordinator
with the San Anto Cultural Arts Organization, using his familiar forum as
a means of teaching young artists.