This article is part of a series of pieces celebrating Glasstire’s 25th anniversary. To see other stories from this series, go here. To see pieces from the month of February, around the theme Early Sightings: Before They Were Big, go here.

As we celebrate Glasstire’s 25th anniversary, we are commemorating the artists and art professionals who have shaped their regional art scenes, as well as Texas art more broadly. To do this, throughout 2026 we’re commissioning photographers from across the state to document more than 80 important Texas artists, arts workers, collectors, gallerists, and many others. We will be sharing these images throughout the year, coinciding with some of our thematic months.

Our first round of photographs debuts as part of our Early Sightings: Before They Were Big theme, featuring some of the people Glasstire has seen grow and thrive throughout their careers.

A photograph of artist Trenton Doyle Hancock in his studio in front of a large painting in progress.Trenton Doyle Hancock, 2026. Photo: Emily Peacock

Trenton Doyle Hancock is an artist living and working in Houston, Texas. He has shown extensively throughout the state, and has had major solo exhibitions nationally and internationally.

A photograph of artist Benito Huerta, sitting in a chair in his studio with works in progress and materials in the background.Benito Huerta, 2026. Photo: Diane Durant

Benito Huerta is an artist and curator living and working in North Texas. He worked for 27 years as a professor at the University of Texas at Arlington, and also served as the institution’s gallery Director and Curator. He was Co-founder and Executive Director of the Texas art journal Art Lies, which was published from 1994 to 2011.

A photograph of artist Vincent Valdez standing in his studio with a palette and paintbrush. Two large-scale paintings are behind the artist.Vincent Valdez, 2026. Photo: Bria Woods

Vincent Valdez is a San Antonio-born, Texas-based artist. He has received multiple awards and fellowships, and his work has been shown extensively in both group and solo exhibitions across Texas and the U.S. In 2019, he was a speaker for Glasstire’s Off Road conversation series.

A photograph of artist Julie Speed working on a painting in her studio.Julie Speed, 2026. Photo: Sarah Vasquez

Julie Speed is an artist living and working in Marfa, Texas. She has exhibited across the state, nationally, and internationally.

A photograph of artist Deborah Roberts in her studio with cut paper images of a figure on the desk in front of her and a cut paper hand on top of her hand.Deborah Roberts with collaged hand, 2026. Photo: Rebecca Marino

Deborah Roberts is a mixed media artist in Austin, Texas. Her first Texas museum solo show, I’m, was presented by The Contemporary Austin in 2021, and her work was featured in the major traveling exhibition Multiplicity: Blackness in Contemporary American Collage, which came to the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston in 2024. She was the recipient of the 2023 Texas Medal of Arts Award for Visual Art.