By Friday evening, the deck at Casa Daphne had become a meeting ground for printmakers, art enthusiasts, and curious visitors at tables of original artwork stretching across the space.
Bold graphics, regional imagery, playful illustrations, and experimental prints invited guests to pause and look closer, while the smell of complimentary tacos mingled with the warm evening air. Nearby, The Screaming Flower spun vinyl records, setting a tastefully upbeat soundtrack as guests browsed, chatted, and took in the work on display. The result was a welcoming evening full of prints, music, and good company.
Organized by Jesse Shaw and Daphne Art Foundation, Print Riot 2026 marked Laredo’s first affordable print fair, bringing together an impressive range of artists from across the region and beyond.
Local participants included TAMIU Printmaking, Tu Casa Grafica, Dr. Eric Avery, John Peña, Oscar Gomez, Ashley Tristán of Moonhowler Press, and Jesse Shaw, printmaker and TAMU art instructor. They were joined by visiting artists and collectives from across Texas and Illinois, including Gaby Hurtado Ramos, Kelly Moran, Celeste De Luna, Maclovio Cantú IV, Jackdaw Folk Art, Fatherless Print Posse, the Amazing Hancock Brothers, Dan Grissom of Biscuit Press, and Liz Born and Gabe Hoare of Hoofprint.
Together, their presence reflected the reach of printmaking as a practice and the willingness of artists to travel, share their work, and connect with a new audience.
As I made my way between the tables, I found myself particularly drawn to Jackdaw Folk Art’s linocuts. His collection of funky pop culture references and Texas-inspired imagery made choosing just one nearly impossible. I ultimately left with two prints: a Year of the Snake design and a wonderfully quirky SpongeBob illustration. While chatting with the artist, I remember expressing how amazing it was to have him and his work here in Laredo. He shared his appreciation for the visit and his interest in returning, making the exchange feel especially meaningful. It was exciting to see an artist travel to our city, connect with its creative community, and leave with an experience worth revisiting.
That spirit of participation extended to Dr. Eric Avery’s printmaking demonstration, where guests collaboratively contributed to a relief print depicting the U.S.-Mexico border wall. As each section was added, individual contributions became part of a much larger image, culminating in a reveal approximately 60 feet long. The demonstration offered a striking example of how printmaking can invite collective participation while giving shape to a shared subject.
Throughout the weekend, Print Riot brought local students, emerging artists, and established printmakers into conversation, revealing that a shared love of art can bridge experience, generations, and distance. For the students who encountered new possibilities in printmaking, the artists who shared their work, and the visitors who discovered something worth taking home, the fair offered more than an opportunity to collect art. It offered a glimpse of what a creative community can become when people are given the space to learn from one another.
Print Riot’s first year in Laredo was a reminder that the future of our arts community is built through these encounters, one print, one conversation, and one new connection at a time.
(Kassandra Romero is an artist and art educator from Laredo. She received her BA in Art with teaching certification from Texas A&M International University in 2022. Alongside her studio practice, Romero contributes to her community through teaching, curation, and arts administration, and has exhibited work throughout Texas. Her work centers on Mexican-American identity, womanhood, and advocacy, creating vibrant compositions that invite reflection, dialogue, and collective memory.)
