When I visited San Antonio in February, I grabbed tea with Elyse Gonzalez, Director of Ruby City, at Halcyon, a coffee shop within the Blue Star Arts Complex. As we caught up, she suggested that we pop over to San Angel Folk Art Gallery, also located within Blue Star, because I needed to meet Richard Henry (Hank) Lee and see his space.
I didn’t know what to expect, but when I walked into the gallery overflowing with textiles, housewares, and small sculptures, I was intrigued. San Antonio’s Historic Market Square, just two miles away, is filled with similar items made by Mexican artisans, but San Angel was clearly more curated and had a wider range of objects available. Hank Lee greeted us warmly as he simultaneously entertained a client who was trying on coats. Lee’s energy was infectious as he showed me around the shop. We spent maybe ten minutes in the space, as I was rushing between appointments, but our brief encounter made me curious to learn more.
Photo of Richard Henry (Hank) Lee at San Angel Folk Art Gallery. Photo by Raul Rodriguez.