National Ranching Heritage Center Opens ‘King Ranch – Legacy in Art’ Exhibit

“Kineños (La a Corrida) (Santa Gertrudis),” 2020, oil on canvas by Noe Perez. The original Kineños traveled from their northern Mexico home of Cruillas in 1854 with a promise from Captain King of a home and livelihood on the Santa Gertrudis. The King’s people have served the King Ranch for seven generations. Perez saw many photos depicting this sort of mounted vaquero lineup and followed that tradition in this painting, hoping to honor the legacy of the South Texas vaquero.

The opening is set for 3:30 p.m. Feb. 24.

View the King Ranch through the brush of an artist in a stunning display of paintings opening Feb. 24 at Texas Tech University’s National Ranching Heritage Center (NRHC).

An exhibit opening for “King Ranch – Legacy in Art” will take place at 3:30 p.m. Feb. 24 at the NRHC, 3121 Fourth St. The paintings are made available for the exhibit courtesy of King Ranch Inc.

“Visitors will hear stories from the artist, Noe Perez, and King Ranch Historian Bob Kinnan in this beautiful, informative account of the ranch and its artistic heritage through 20 paintings,” explained Robert Tidwell, the NRHC’s Interim Helen DeVitt Jones Endowed Director of Collections, Exhibits and Research.

After the program, guests will have the opportunity to stay for a meet-and-greet and book signing of “King Ranch – Legacy in Art.” Books will be available for purchase at Cogdell’s General Store in the NRHC.

The event is free to the public and light refreshments will be available. To reserve a seat, visit ranchingheritage.org.

Perez is a contemporary Texas painter living in Corpus Christi. He has painted his native South Texas his entire life, and his work has been on exhibition in several museums and institutes.

“Noe’s landscapes are authentic and serve as a reminder of the beautifully rugged place that is King Ranch,” said Jamie H. Clements Jr., a fifth-generation member of the King Ranch family. “I can think of no better artist to provide an inside view of our family home and convey in a small way why we are so proud of it and its legacy. His paintings are a motivating force for me to live up to the standards set by Captain and Mrs. King, working to preserve this glorious heritage.”

Over the course of 170 years, King Ranch led some of the first cattle drives, developed the Santa Gertrudis and Santa Cruz breeds of cattle, bred the finest quarter horses, and produced champion thoroughbreds – all under its iconic Running W brand.

Today, King Ranch continues to foster a culture of uncompromising quality, stewardship, and authenticity – a true testament to Captain King’s integrity and commitment to the land.

The exhibit will be open through May 24.

In addition to the exhibition, visitors can see a portion of the historic Caesar’s Pens from the King Ranch. Once the largest cattle shipping enclosures in the world, they were given to the NRHC to join the railroad complex of Foy Proctor Historic Park.

About the NRHC

The NRHC is a 27-acre museum and historical park that offers educational programs and exhibits about ranching history and contemporary ranching issues. The center is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from 1-5 p.m. Sunday. The historical park is wheelchair- and stroller-accessible. Follow Texas Tech on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Spotify.

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