The Building Arts Group

The Building Arts Group—Emily Thuss, Barbara Dean Hendricks, Monte Adams, and Tommy Adams—was established to document—through in-depth interviews and photography—some of the talented artisans working in South Texas.

San Antonio and South Texas have unique needs for craftsmen of the building arts. Not only are there historic and even mythic buildings to preserve and protect for future generations—like the Alamo, the Spanish Missions, the San Fernando Cathedral—but the area boasts a wealth of unique public and private buildings spanning almost four centuries.

Unlike many faster-growing cities in which countless architectural gems were destroyed in the name of “progress,” San Antonio’s more measured growth has preserved thousands of period homes and work spaces, created numerous historic districts, and birthed a citizenry committed to preserving its unique culture and heritage.

Old-world crafts and artistry still exist in today’s modern world of building and, thankfully, some still choose this longer, harder, but infinitely more rewarding, path to preserving our heritage.

It is these craftsmen that keep our architectural gems beautiful and useful in a 21st-century world and aid in renewing the heart and soul of the beautiful city that is San Antonio. They are also creating exciting new works of art that will, hopefully, be preserved, in turn, by their children and grandchildren. This book showcases a few of the artisans, their families, and their works, in the South Texas community.