King Ranch – Legacy in Art exhibit at National Ranching Heritage Center

View the King Ranch through the brush of an artist in a stunning display of paintings at Texas Tech University’s National Ranching Heritage Center, 3121 Fourth Street.

The artist, Noe Perez, and King Ranch historian, Bob Kinnan present a beautiful, informative account of the ranch and its artistic heritage through 20 paintings, said Robert Tidwell, Ph.D., NRHC Interim Helen DeVitt Jones Endowed Director of Collections, Exhibits and Research.

The paintings are made available for the exhibit courtesy of King Ranch, Inc.

A book, “King RanchLegacy in Art,” is available for purchase at Cogdell’s General Store at the center.

Noe Perez is a contemporary Texas painter living in Corpus Christi.

He has painted his native south Texas his entire life, and his work has been on exhibition in several museums and institutes.

“Noe’s landscapes are authentic and serve as a reminder of the beautifully rugged place that is the King Ranch,” said James “Jamey” H. Clement, Jr., a 5th generation member of the King Ranch family.

“I can think of no better artist to provide an inside view of our family home and convey in a small way why we are so proud of it and its legacy. His paintings are a motivating force for me to live up to the standards set by Captain and Mrs. King, working to preserve this glorious heritage.”

Over the course of 170 years, King Ranch led some of the first cattle drives, developed the Santa Gertrudis and Santa Cruz breeds of cattle, bred the finest Quarter Horses, and produced champion Thoroughbreds – all under its iconic Running W brand.

Today, King Ranch continues to foster a culture of uncompromising quality, stewardship, and authenticity - a true testament to Captain King’s integrity and commitment to the land.

In addition to the exhibition, visitors can see a portion of the historic Caesar’s Pens from the King Ranch, once the largest cattle shipping enclosures in the world, that were given to the center to be a part of the railroad complex in the Foy Proctor Historic Park.

The ranching center is a 27-acre museum and historical park that offers educational programs and exhibits about ranching history and contemporary ranching issues.

The center is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from 1 to 5 p.m. on Sunday.

The park is wheelchair and stroller accessible.

The exhibit will be open through May 24.

Kineños (La a Corrida) (Santa Gertrudis), 2020

Oil on Canvas by Noe Perez - The original Kineños traveled from their northern Mexico home of Cruillas in 1854 with a promise from Captain King of a home and livelihood on the Santa Gertrudis. The King’s people have served King Ranch for seven generations. Perez saw many photos depicting this sort of mounted vaquero lineup and followed that tradition in this painting, hoping to honor the legacy of the south Texas vaquero.