Brightly painted walls fitting of its name invite customers into Casa Pink, the art studio-coffee shop created by San Antonio artists Cruz and Olivia Ortiz.
Inside, the hiss of the espresso machine blends with the crackle of the vinyl record. Artists lean over their sketchbooks, a chess game unfolds by the window and the smell of Big Bend-roasted coffee drifts through the rooms.
Casa Pink — which will hold its grand opening this Saturday at 144 Zapata St. — is part studio, part gallery and part community hub, a space connecting hospitality and art. Or as Olivia is fond of saying, “It’s where art meets coffee.”
“We really see this as an art project,” said Cruz, who’s gained international attention for playful portraits of friends and activists along with poster work influenced by the Chicano protest movement. “It’s the story of me and Olivia. We just knew that this place was for us and we were supposed to do something with it.”
The couple’s story almost led somewhere else, however. Before the pandemic, the pair made headlines by announcing plans to leave San Antonio for Houston, saying they were looking for new opportunities and better healthcare options for their daughter.
However, when COVID-19 hit, the world stopped, and so did their move. The Ortizes, both former teachers at Robert E. Lee High School — Cruz taught art, Olivia English — stayed close to family and began reimagining their future.
“We were meant to be here,” Olivia said. “And I’m so grateful.”
“We both became teachers to change the world or save the world,” she added. “That’s where we met. And just because we’re not in the classroom doesn’t mean that we don’t carry that torch. We want to be there for others. That open door is everything to us.”
As they worked to transform their south-of-downtown space, the Ortizes drew inspiration from artist communities across the world. They thought of the Bauhaus movement in Germany and of Mexico’s Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera, who created compounds that combined their art and life.
The result is a space that Cruz said feels both deeply personal and intentionally shared. Handmade papier-mâché lamps hang above midcentury tables; scraps of canvas, plaster and paint find new life as art objects.
“Even the lamps are made from scraps of canvas and plaster,” Cruz said, laughing. “Just trying to make the magic happen.”
Cruz describes Casa Pink the way he might a painting.
“When I approach a canvas, I have no idea what I’m doing,” he said. “I move the brush and see where it goes. And then one day, it’s finished and you let people enjoy it. That’s what this place is: a big painting.”
Since its early October soft opening, Casa Pink has become a magnet for San Antonio’s creative community. Artists drop by to sketch or paint, neighbors sip coffee and spin records on the communal player and visitors wander from the café into the adjoining studios, seeing the artists’ work in action.
“It’s been really cool,” Cruz said. “We’ll look around and see people drawing, painting, talking — that’s exactly what we hoped for.”
The couple calls Casa Pink a “harbor” — a safe place for artists, intellectuals and creatives to gather.
“I do lots of work outside this with museums,” Cruz said, “and how they’re held hostage by philanthropy. And I came to realization that there’s something important about artists engaging in harbors, and creating a harbor for other artists, intellectuals, creatives.”
Similarly, two doors down, visual artist Ed Saavedra turned his living room into a gallery, helping define what’s becoming known as the River Arts District — a creative corridor nestled between missions Concepción and San José.
In the few weeks since it quietly opened its doors, Casa Pink has hosted art shows, fundraisers and Día de los Muertos altars made from 1920s printing presses — honoring the city’s deep tradition of revolutionary printmakers and storytellers. The shop has also hosted visiting artists’ works in its gallery from the exhibit “From Around the Corner” featuring Jeff F. Wheeler and Courtney Wynn.
The cafe has also taken off online.
“Someone told us that if you type ‘San Antonio coffee’ on TikTok, we were number one,” Olivia said.
For the Ortizes, community is at the heart of this project.
“When I get here, I want to serve people,” Cruz said. “I used to just make a painting and someone would buy it. Now it’s about hospitality and understanding service in a new way.”
Olivia agreed. “It always goes back to the people. We want to provide a safe harbor, to be a beacon of light. I want people to leave here with hope.”
Subscribe to SA Current newsletters.
Follow us: Apple News | Google News | NewsBreak | Reddit | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Or sign up for our RSS Feed
