[SEGUIN, TEXAS, September 21] In collaboration with Texas Lutheran University (TLU) Blumberg Library, TLU Mexican American Student Association, TLU Center for Servant Leadership and the TLU Visual Arts department, Teatro De Artes De Juan Seguin invites you to the Grand Opening of Celebrating the Life and Artwork of Reynaldo “Rey” Luján Gaytán (1947- 2020) on September 21, 2021 at 5 PM. The Hispanic Heritage exhibit will be placed in the Texas Lutheran University Library and will remain there until November 2, 2021. This exhibit will also be the grand opening for the TLU Blumberg Library Art Gallery.

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Rey served as a consultant for various individuals, organizations, and communities dedicated to the arts. He taught in local and regional museums, school districts, housing community centers, art agencies/centers, and Universities. Rey’s gift to teach extended across a wide variety of students which included mainstream students, as well as, individuals with disabilities, underserved populations, individuals from rural and urban environments, and the elderly. Throughout his 35+ career span as a dedicated educator, Rey was a faculty member at Austin Community College, St. Edwards University in Austin, Luna Community College-Springer campus and New Mexico Highlands University.  He was registered as an Artist-in Education in Texas and New Mexico. He completed over 26 artists in residency under the auspice of Texas Commission on the Arts and the New Mexico Culture Arts Division. Rey conducted numerous art courses and his master pieces were displayed at Texas Lutheran University, West Side Community Center, Teatro De Artes De Juan Seguin, Carl Schurz Elementary and numerous citizen centers. He was Teatro De Artes De Juan Seguin’s first artist in residencies which provided services to student in the local & surrounding school districts. He was commissioned by the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, former State Senator Gonzalo Barrientos, and Guadalupe County Community Symposium. LULAC Council 682 appointed Rey to spearhead the Columbia Project which provided out-reach for the Seguin Housing Authority’s Community Center.

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Rey served in the United States Marine Corps during the Vietnam conflict. In his Semper Fi spirit, he volunteered as a driver for the Disabled American Veterans organization. His siblings include: Maria Anita Vega, Isabel (Kookie Barboza), Dahlia (Dolle Arambula), Andres Gaytan Jr., Gustavo (Gussie) Gaytan, and Anthony Gaytan. His parents were Andres and Maria Anita Gaytan.

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The Grand Opening program will include opening remarks by family member Dolle Arambula, TLU representative(s) and Teatro and will be followed by a video and viewing of Rey’s art.  Performances by Teatro De Artes will begin at 6:00PM and include performers from Ballet Folklórico De La Rosa and a few accordion pieces performed by Alejandro L. Guerra.

During the ceremony, refreshments will be provided by TLU’s Mexican American Student Association. Teatro is a non-profit arts organization that has been in existence for 39 years and whose mission is to promote the Mexican American culture and its people through the study, teaching, humanities, practice and performance of the arts. Teatro’s Cultural Arts Center is located at 921 W. New Braunfels St. Seguin, Tx 78155. Phone: (830-401-0232); Website: teatrodeartes.org; Social Media (FB, IG, Twitter): @teatrodeartes.

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About TLU Texas Lutheran University is a private, undergraduate college of the liberal arts and sciences located in Seguin, Texas, just 35 miles from San Antonio and 50 miles from Austin. Affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and federally designated as a Hispanic Serving Institution, TLU offers 27 majors, 37 minors, four graduate programs, and 11 pre-professional programs to approximately 1,400 students in a traditional, residential college setting that promotes entrepreneurial thinking and service learning. For more information visit www.tlu.edu.

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This program is funded in part by Texas Commission on the Arts, National Endowment for the Arts, National Endowment for the Humanities, Guadalupe County United Way, Humanities Texas, San Antonio Area Foundation, City of Seguin and many local businesses and individuals.