Bye-Bye Cacti: Cactus Valley Art Closes

On June 18, Cactus Valley Art (CVA) posted “All good things come to an end,” announcing its closure at the end of July. 

For three years, Cactus Valley Art offered the Rio Grande Valley (RGV) a space to create, express one’s artistic whims, make a mess, and simply play. In today’s grind culture, CVA offered our inner child a home to come out. 

Artist Souther Recio (they/she) first opened the studio on August 25, 2023, in Harlingen, after moving back to the Rio Grande Valley from Austin and Houston, where they had spent 10 years. In those two major cities, Recio experienced a variety of resources available to artists, especially independently-owned art stores that carried unique art supplies. 

“[CVA] just truly started as an idea of wanting to make different types of art supplies accessible and available to the artists in the Rio Grande Valley, specifically clay,” they said. “At the time, you couldn’t purchase clay anywhere south of San Antonio.” 

Before 305 W Van Buren Ave became home to CVA, Recio was often there, creating ceramic pieces as an artist-in-residence for Carla Hughes Art. Once the space’s lease became available, Recio “begged the landlord” to let them rent it. Once they got the okay, Recio got to keep some of Hughes’ items, like their kiln. 

“It made the transition from what was already an art space into a different art space,” she said. 

There is no question that CVA was a unique spot, with its restroom, labeled “Wiz Palace,” covered in doodles, blacklight lighting, stickers, and calls for Palestinian Justice. On one side of the main wall, a collage station beckoned with vintage postcards and playing cards. A vase held miscellaneous matches for collectors; a retro TV, covered in googly eyes and pompoms, could be spotted near customers’ drying clay art. 

In another corner, folx could sit on a comfy couch to read art books. On the front counter, “Growing Pains” sat, a green being that sheds tears with flowers growing out of him, one of Recio’s art pieces.  

As a child, “I would split my time between [my parents’] houses, but at my mom’s house, she had all of my art supplies over there, and it was the kind of space where we could be expressive and have fun in that way,” Recio said. “So a lot of getting Cactus Valley set up–the aesthetic of it–was based on my childhood home.” 

The creative studio offered new and used art supplies, locally-made art, exhibition shows, and workshops. For a few dollars, folxs could handpick different eclectic knickknacks, like bottle caps, buttons, tiny erasers you’d remember from elementary, and make themselves a to-go trinket pouch. 

Workshops included life drawing and “play with clay.” Recio, who is queer, also hosted monthly Queer Craft Nights, where LGBTQ+ community members could craft together. 

Nestled at the end of the block that also houses Bandera Coffee and Bequita’s Blooms, CVA took pride in being “a safe space for the weirdos, the outcasts, and anyone who has ever felt like they didn’t belong,” as its website declared. One of Recio’s most memorable moments in the store was when a woman came in and referred to that quote.

“She said it felt like I put a bat signal in the sky for her,” Recio remembered. “She walked into this space and almost immediately started crying because she felt so comfortable and so welcomed in a space that she had never been in before. I gave her a hug, and she cried with me.” 

The pair bonded over feeling like outcasts at some points in their lives and how special it is to find places in the Valley to be yourself. Recio recalls the memory as living up to her mission with CVA. 

Another memory that stands out for Recio is when Joseph Decilos’ exhibit “Espacio Seguro” was displayed. His photography show captured queer Hispanic men in places where they felt safe. With so much machismo and toxic masculinity in society, Recio saw once again how meaningful and reaffirming art can be. 

“To see yourself represented loudly, visibility, is so powerful…and quite literally life-saving,” she said. “In all of our shows, I have stories like that. For every gallery show that’s come through our space, someone has connected with the art that’s on the wall, in some way or another.” 

While the love for craft and community will forever remain, “All good things come to an end.” 

“At the end of the day, to put it so simply–the numbers were not adding up,” Recio said. 

People are struggling to take care of their families, placing food on the table and buying gas, Recio said, and unfortunately, that means art and art supplies often have to be cut from budgets.

“I think I was in denial for a little bit because it stopped making sense a while ago, numbers-wise, but I just kept pushing and holding out hope, and it got to a point where financially I was like ‘I can’t do this anymore,’ and that’s the sad truth of it. It’s just money,” they said.  

Additionally, in January 2025, Recio was diagnosed with a brain condition. While they are managing it, the condition affects Recio almost daily, including their capacity to manage a store.

“I’m sure people noticed there would be days that I wouldn’t open because I was in the middle of a flare-up, and I didn’t have coverage or support or someone to run the store for me, and so, there were days that we just missed out on sales because I simply couldn’t get out of bed,” she said.

Although it was not an easy decision, Cactus Valley Art is shutting its doors. Recio will take some time to recharge, but looks forward to hosting future art workshops, like Queer Craft Night and Life Drawing, throughout the RGV.

To stay in touch, stay following CVA. Folxs can also buy last inventory items throughout this week.  

This Friday, July 25, CVA will say farewell to the community with karaoke, live music, and an art auction with unique pieces made by both Recio and their partner, Austin, who could often be found behind the front counter. 

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“Everything is ephemeral,” Recio said about its closure. 

“I don’t think Cactus Valley was ever meant to be here forever, and I think that’s the kind of beautiful thing about these spaces that pop up like this. They are special little treasures.”