José Arpa

On account of that influence, he developed a preference for 'plein air' paintings of typical Spanish subjects, which at the time was known in Spain as 'costumbrismo'.

[5] In late 1895 or early 1896, by which time he had become an established artist, Arpa sailed from Spain to Vera Cruz, Mexico and from there travelled to Texas.

During his years in San Antonio, Texas he organized summer painting camps[6] and influenced many painters, most notably Xavier Gonzalez, Octavio Medellín, and Porfirio Salinas.

[4][7] He was a founding member of the "Brass Mug Club", a group of artists that also included Julian Onderdonk, Rolla Taylor, and Ernst Raba.

In 1923, Arpa opened a studio and art school in San Antonio, TX teaching landscape and portrait painting.