The Live Oak home of husband-and-wife artists Zane Thomas and Connie Chapa is like a pop culture menagerie of colorful, retro wonders. Halloween masks of the Ben Cooper variety line the hallway walls. Snap, Crackle, Pop and other mid-century mascot figures pack a glass cabinet. Movie posters reminiscent of an Alamo Drafthouse lobby share the walls with pop art prints and tiki art
It’s a fun, fever dream of reimagined nostalgia, low-brow as high art. And it’s Thomas’ mission to bring such visions to other people’s homes
“There’s people that have blank walls and I find that insane,” the graphic artist said while seated at a small table in his living room with a giant paper cutter and multicolored flyers. “Put up weird stuff. Don’t go to IKEA and just buy some mass-produced nothing. Go find stuff. Find weird things from people that live in your city.”
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No wonder Thomas runs the most elevated underground print fair in San Antonio
That would be Paper Trail, a celebration of print subculture from A to zine. The free one-day event runs 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday at The Rock Box, 1223 E. Houston St
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Fitting for its hard rock surroundings, Paper Trail features a mosh pit of indie artists from across styles and across the state. More than 50 Texas talents, including Thomas and Chapa, will market their artworks, which range from colorful risograph digital screen prints to black-and-white zines that look like they were burped out of an old Xerox copier. The show also features comics, stickers and other paper-bound creations by solo artists and small presses
Thomas co-founded Paper Trail with artist Lauren Salguero in 2015, then took over two years later when Salguero moved to Austin. He describes Paper Trail as “a poster kind of fine art print fair,” a market for affordable artworks that don’t get the usual gallery treatment in San Antonio
“I would be hard-pressed that you could find anything over $100 there,” Thomas said. “I mean, there’s actually pretty much (something from) a dollar to $100. So if you show up with $100 you can spread that around pretty easily.”
That Benjamin could go toward a motley crew of San Antonio and Texas artists
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Take Christopher Machorro and Raul Rodriguez,the Dallas duo Bestu Friendo who designed this year’s Paper Trail poster
The original 18-by-24-inch illustration features a two-headed monster pulling a screenprint squeegee, a nod to Paper Trail’s DIY art roots and spirit. The work is a true collaboration, Machorro said, a 50/50 split right down the middle with Machorro doing the side of the beast with the goofy skull rocking liberty spikes and Rodriguez crafting the side with the skull bearing two sets of eyes
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“The concept of the whole illustration is us infusing what we usually do and infuse what we love drawing,” Machorro said. “So there’s anime and cartoons and pop culture. We try to sprinkle a little bit of that into everything we draw.”
Paper Trail is packed with all sorts of eclectic and edgy pop culture brought to print. Anime- and manga-inspired works by queer, nonbinary artist Val/Soda (@iwantyoursoda) and San Antonio artist Anthony Tafolla (@uzumakibigwig). Linocut and woodcut-styled works by Fort Worth-based talent Jack Daw (@jackdawfolkart) and Austin artist Jason Wallerstein (@brunkyart). Vintage Halloween-inspired art by self-taught illustrator Christa Dippel (@defectivepudding). Light-hearted multimedia art by Analysa Castellano (@analysacastellano) and West Side San Antonio illustrator Chris Galaviz (@geminivato).
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The show is also a small zine bonanza, featuring homemade mags by Houston artist Lauren Ibañez (@libanezink). Tattoo artists likewise flex their skills, albeit on paper instead of skin, with tattooists that include San Antonio’s Vanessa Macias (@dameofpain) and Gabe Vasquez (@gabe_vasquez13)
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Chapa noted Paper Trail is just as uplifting for its artists as for its patrons
“I always joke it’s like summer camp,” she said. “We catch up, we see what they’re working on, their newest works, my newest works. It’s really like this fun collective. It’s really neat and uplifting.”
San Antonio artist Shelby Criswell (@shelbycriswell), who identifies as they/them, has sold their colorful, cartoon storytelling and typography work at almost every Paper Trail in its 12-year history. They see the event as a growing collection of curated artists whose DIY, punk, grassroots kind of start often leads to more professional work
“You’re going to show up and you’re going to see people who have definitely grown in their art and become professionals over time,” Criswell said
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One example is San Antonio native Ray “Tattooed Boy” Scarborough (@tattooedboy123).
Scarborough has built quite the reputation as San Antonio’s go-to “puro” pop artist. His works often celebrate San Antonio culture, folklore and landmarks with a touch of pop art legend Roy Lichtenstein and the slightest skeletal dash of punk rock artist Pushead
Since he started his popular city series prints in 2021, Scarborough has gone on to do several high-profile works for the Spurs. Those include a 2023 opening-night T-shirt of a paleta-selling Spurs Coyote to celebrate the arrival of Spurs star Victor Wembanyama, and a massive “tifo” banner of a sugar skull unveiled this postseason at Frost Bank Center for the Spurs’ run to the NBA Finals. He has also collaborated with the McNay Art Museum and Texas Public Radio
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Criswell noted events such as Paper Trail likewise showcase real art and artists in an increasingly AI-riddled space. One of Criswell’s new works for the show includes “Only Human Art” buttons made by San Antonio-based 210 Button Co. (@210buttonco)
“When it comes down to it, it’s the most human thing,” Criswell said. “You know, animals don’t make art. We are the only species that makes art. So I think it’s just as important that we keep that tradition and not allow a computer to do it.”
Paper Trail could well inspire the next generation of artists. Thomas noted the free event is for all ages, with most works barely reaching a PG-13 in terms of material
“So you’re not going to see anything that’s going to warp your child too significantly,” he said with a smile
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Thomas recommends bringing an extendable poster tube with a shoulder strap to tote your purchases. Not all vendors have bags or sleeves for their work, so you’ll want to safeguard your goods and keep your hands free for more finds. He also suggests showing up early for artists offering limited print runs of certain pieces
“This is just a place where you can come and buy some affordable print and talk to somebody and be happy and go home,” Thomas said
Your walls are waiting
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