A Fine Art Collection Profile >
Melba and Tom York are proud residents of Rockport, a once-sleepy fishing town that has blossomed into a lively arts enclave on the coast of South Texas, 30 miles northeast of Corpus Christi.
Melba says she dabbled in ceramics in her mid-twenties and later took classes with the realist artist Wayne Floeck, who specialized in depicting animals, primarily from Africa. Under his tutelage she painted a desert ram in fine detail, which was a particular pleasure because she and Tom had visited Africa themselves. But then, she laughs, “My short-lived art journey was brought to a halt by the birth of our daughter, and so began my deep appreciation for artists and the joy their creations bring. I realized that I would have to live my Bohemian art life through others.”
Shortly after they married, the Yorks visited Tom’s parents in Rockport during its annual Independence Day festival, where artists from across the country exhibit their latest works. “At that moment,” Melba recalls, “we fell in love with coastal art and became interested in meeting the artists and acquiring their art.” They have been doing that ever since, and now own more than 100 paintings. Among the artists represented in the York Collection are Joey Blazek, Angalee DeForest, Anita Diebel, Shirley Farley, Larry Felder, Susan Forest, Lisa Baer Frederick, Robin Hazard, Caro Jackson, Elsa Lopez Mathews, Jeffrey Neel McDaniel, Lisa Millard, Bonnie Lou Prouty, Rebecca Bridges Rice, Clementina Rivera, Barb Robinson, Steve Russell, Alison McLean Schuchs, Betty Shamel, Debbie Stevens, and V. Vaughn.
The Yorks’ first purchase of an original artwork was a quirky scene of angry pelicans painted by Shirley Farley (1930–2017), who had grown up in Hollywood (her cousin was Marlon Brando) before moving to Rockport. Melba later sold that piece because it didn’t suit her home decor, but she came to regret that decision later. She takes up the story: “So I walked into my favorite antique/resale shop in Rockport, where the owner was busy preparing a large estate sale. I spotted a large painting a good 50 feet away and shouted, ‘Braxton, is that a Farley?’ He replied, ‘Yes, but you’ll have to wait until the sale starts. And it’s pricey!’ Melba responded, ‘I don’t care. I want to buy it now!’ So Braxton wrote up the receipt, and now we have that large Farley [illustrated above] hanging over our fireplace. Since then, we have learned that if you see a painting you love, don’t hesitate to pull the trigger because someone else will love it, too.”
The Yorks are particularly pleased to have spotted on Chairish (a website worth checking) a small pen-and-ink drawing created by the founder of the Rockport Art Colony, Simon Michael (1905–2002). He was the original occupant of the Spanish-style hacienda compound named Tortilla Flats that the Yorks purchased, renovated, and occupied upon retiring. Melba confides, “I think the ghost of Simon Michael inhabited my spirit after we moved into the house because that is when I really became interested in collecting art.”
Most of the couple’s acquisitions have come directly from local artists participating in Rockport’s annual festival or exhibiting at local galleries. They are active supporters of the Rockport Center for the Arts, which was devastated in 2015 by Hurricane Harvey but in 2023 reopened in an impressive new building shepherded into existence by executive director Luis Puron. It’s clear the Yorks are devoted to their community; Melba explains, “I look at our artworks every day and love the memories they evoke, and I love the people who painted them.”
Indeed, the Yorks know most of these artists personally and have become close friends with many of them. When Harvey severely damaged the residence of artist Anita Diebel, Tom and Melba had her move into Tortilla Flats until her home was habitable again. Since then, Diebel has opened a thriving gallery that features a range of artists and synchronizes its events with Rockport’s monthly art walks.
Melba says the couple’s passion for art makes it easy to meet new friends. Among their closest are artist Elsa Mathews and her husband, Lloyd; Bob and Jean James, who introduced the Yorks to the art made by another gifted local, Brother Cletus (1933–2016); and Richard and Denise Smith, who also have, in Melba’s words, “a beautiful art collection.”
Given the heat and humidity for which South Texas is known, the Yorks keep their artworks out of direct sunlight, with many under ultraviolet-resistant glass, and monitor their air conditioning to ensure a stable temperature. Most of the works are displayed by theme, and Melba admits she gets “teased that I’m going to have to start hanging pictures from my ceilings.” She says, “I believe in the philosophy that more is not enough, and my goal is never to need to paint my walls again because they are covered with art!”
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