Mission Espada – Once you meet Rex Hausman, you realize that his canvases reflect his outlook on life. They are bright, complex, and at the same time, simply optimistic.
Hausman’s latest work is an enormous view of Mission Espada that was commissioned for free by San Antonio Mission Heritage Partners to be auctioned off at the organization’s annual fundraising gala. They’re hoping it will fetch the kind of money Hausman’s other paintings now sell for.
Hausman’s first swipe at the project was just this past Saturday.
“Today is the initial thing, you know, like kind of the heat, the sky, the feeling of it,” said Hausman as he squirted and dribbled large tubes of neon colors onto the canvas that was prepped by his nephews the night before.
The artist said they created a bright yellow base that the image will jump from, followed by Mcdonald’s and a movie.
“I really like the way it turned out,” Hausman said with a laugh.
And that’s the way this hugely talented painter approaches all things. There’s humor and laughter in his paintings, which almost always feature the brightest of colors and boldest of paint strokes.
“So I’ll paint on it today like this and just kind of feel the thing ‘til about 11:30 this morning, then throw it back in the truck, let it dry, and tomorrow I may come out again,” he said.
Hausman has begun making these large paintings in a series called Hunting Blinds, which feature squares in the center that pop out so a viewer can see beyond the canvass to what’s on the other side. The slot opened resembles the gun slot in a typical Texas deer hunting blind. Appreciating nature and devotion to God are common themes in his works.
Hausman said, “I came out here on Tuesday and just sat and prayed and, you know, thought about things and gave some things to God in a good way, you know, just giving thanks for all this.”
The Mission Heritage Partners are thrilled to get an opportunity to auction the Mission Espada painting on April 13 on the grounds of Mission San Jose.
Hausman has shown lauded works worldwide, including New York, Miami, London and Vatican properties. It’s hoped this one will become another valuable piece.
“So this is a very cinematic size. It’s kind of tipping the hat to the idea of daily painting and Cezanne. And then it being one of the missions, it’s very much about being rooted to where you are in the world,” said Hausman. “Coming back here to the church, coming back to the mission that’s so old, almost 300 years old, it doesn’t change. We change. It doesn’t change. You know, and I think that’s refreshing as a message.”
Hausman’s work is being completed now at Hausman Millworks, his family’s shared art space.
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