Frederick Himes

Frederick Himes

Literary Arts : Playwright ; Media Arts : Graphic Artist ; Multi-Disciplinary : Performer and Writer ; Performing Arts : Band , Storyteller ; Visual Arts : Illustrator , Painter

I am a San Antonio-based musician, painter, cartoonist, performer, and storyteller who explores local history, legends, and folklore through illustration and musical performance. My parents were artists from Nuevo Leon, Mexico. I studied design and painting locally at UTSA and graduated from UT Austin with a BFA in Graphic Design. I have been on stage in bands as a composer, guitarist, lead singer, and storyteller, playing music in San Antonio for almost 40 years. More recently, I have focused my creative energy on exploring the rich history and culture of my hometown. Through illustration, storytelling, and musical performance, I strive to take my audiences deeper into local history, legends, and folklore. In 2023, I earned a certification as a professional tour guide from the Professional Tour Guide Association of San Antonio, which further deepened my understanding of the city’s rich history and culture. I received a grant from the Inkubator New Artist Development Program to develop the concept and stage my original production Devil at the Crossroads at Jump-Start Performance Company in 2023. In 2024, I received funding from the Luminaria Contemporary Arts Festival to stage my original production, Devil at the Crossroads – Storytelling in Blues. This fictional re-telling of blues legend Robert Johnson’s encounter with the supernatural blends fact, fiction, music, and history into an entertaining evening. Through my artistic endeavor, I intend to bring San A ... view more »

Artist Statement of Work

Tell us about your work (style, approach, philosophy, subject and/or theme):

I am a world-builder operating at the height of my technical and intuitive powers. My work is a synthesis of forty years on the 'knife-edge' of San Antonio’s underground music scene and a disciplined foundation in graphic design. I don't just create art; I weave a coherent mythology out of a life spent in the seedy dives, the recording studios, and the historical archives of my city.

My process is a cinematic collision of media. I write scripts where characters demand their own songs, then manifest their world through 'dreamlike' analog imagery—ink, crayon, and paint—transformed via digital collage into immersive stage projections. This isn't just performance; it’s an act of 'restless' necessity. Driven by the philosophy that failure is not an option, I lead a collaborative force of musicians and technicians to bridge the gap between San Antonio’s gritty reality and its supernatural folklore. My purpose is to give the 'disparate wanderings' of our collective history a stage, a rhythm, and a soul.