11.08.2010

Texas Public Radio Remembers Chuck Ramirez

Chuck Ramirez
Photo from San Antonio Express News

You may have heard our story about the sudden death of Chuck Ramirez on "Morning Edition" this morning.
We're sharing the information from our remembrance again here on the blog in case you missed the story. We know many in the city are shaken by the sad loss of their friend and colleague.

We thank Bill FitzGibbons for sharing his thoughts with us on Sunday during such a difficult time.

Over the weekend local artist Chuck Ramirez died after a bicycle accident. Born in 1962, he lived and worked in San Antonio as an artist and as a leader of the arts community.

Bill FitzGibbons was a close friend of Ramirez and is the executive director of the Blue Star Contemporary Art Center. He said Ramirez was a giving person who frequently helped Blue Star by designing banners and brochures.

“He was involved with Blue Star from the very beginning. He’s been on and off the board for about 25 years. He, in fact, was acting director at one point, and it was largely through his efforts at that time that Blue Star continued on and didn’t go out of business,” said FitzGibbons.

Chuck Ramirez's work has been shown extensively throughout Texas and the United States. Solo and group exhibitions include Bronx Museum of Contemporary Art,; Arlington Museum of Contemporary Art, Austin Museum of Art, North Texas State University Gallery and more.

Bill FitzGibbons said Chuck Ramirez was an artist who was inventive, playful and was ready to hit the big time. “It’s a real loss and he had such a knack as an artist. He was one of the most creative artists I’ve ever known. He had an extraordinary ability to take the ordinary and through his photography make it into an extraordinary work of art,” he said “I feel that he was just really in the midst of his career and he had a lot of opportunities ahead to become a nationally known artist."

San Antonio’s artist community is deeply shaken by the loss of Chuck Ramirez. Blue Star will be honoring him at the upcoming fund raiser, Blue Star Arts and Eats on Nov 17th. They will dedicate the event to their friend and colleague and will create an altar as a memorial to him.

Chuck Ramirez was a great friend to Texas Public Radio. In 2007 he designed a pledge drive T-shirt for KSTX. It’s the one with a coffee cup and the phrase “Texas Public Radio keeps you knowing all day long.”

He was also a partner with Texas Public Radio at last year’s Luminaria where his art was displayed.

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