September 21, 2025
By Cuero Online News | Hispanic Heritage Month Feature
It is Hispanic Heritage Month across the United States. The month-long observance that began on Monday, September 15, and ends October 15 honors the contributions and achievements made by generations of Hispanic Americans who have positively influenced and enriched our nation and society. Here in Cuero we would like to shine a spotlight on local artist and muralist Rafael Acosta Jr., whose artistic legacy and dedication to public art have made a lasting impact across DeWitt County and South Texas.
Acosta’s murals and paintings are more than aesthetic—they’re declarations. They speak to the land, the people, and the layered history of a region shaped by the people of this community. Acosta art depicts rugged Texas terrain, wildlife, cowboys, turkeys, longhorns, horses, roosters, cacti, and scenes of rural life.
Raised in Cuero and a graduate of Cuero High School’s Class of 1976, Acosta was known early on for painting portraits of his classmates. After earning a Bachelor of Arts in Theology, he continued developing his craft as a self-taught muralist. While he’s traveled extensively—visiting 46 countries—his artistic focus remains grounded in the everyday imagery of small-town Texas. His murals often feature cactus, turkeys, water towers, longhorns, and other familiar symbols of rural life, reflecting a deep connection to his South Texas roots.
Acosta returned to Cuero around 2018, and his first public mural—a rustic depiction of a young girl and her dog—was commissioned by Kleider-Shranks Antiques and Gifts and painted on the building’s façade. Soon after, he began collaborating with the Cuero Main Street program on a series of public mural projects, marking the start of a prolific chapter in his artistic career.
His work has since been featured across numerous South Texas towns, blending regional pride with universal themes. That same year, he was commissioned to update an existing mural behind City Hall—a project that sparked the creation of Art Alley, now an iconic stretch of public art that draws visitors from across the region. By 2019, Acosta had completed a two-story mural honoring the 1912 Cuero Turkey Trot, cementing his role as the town’s lead muralist and cultural storyteller.
Today, his work can be found in Cuero, Kenedy, Seguin, Edna, Nixon, and most recently, Yoakum, where his grand-scale mural at The Grand Theater and Game Room was completed in the summer of 2025. The piece is now the city’s first official public art installation.
When reflecting on the people who shaped his artistic path, Rafael Acosta Jr. points to several early mentors: Cuero High School art teachers Kenneth Liesmann and Dorothy Adcock, as well as his Uncle Eugene Acosta, whose own creative legacy left a lasting impression. Eugene’s sculptural work once earned a place of honor in the Rotunda of the Nebraska State Capitol, where his bust of President John F. Kennedy was publicly displayed. For Rafael, that kind of recognition wasn’t just inspiring—it affirmed that artistic talent ran deep in the family.
But his deepest influence came from his mother one that shaped his decision to pursue art full-time. It was generational wisdom that had been passed down from his grandfather to his mother and now she to him, “Son, my father once told me, that any work done with integrity elevated it to nobility.”
That became a defining moment in Rafael’s life. He said it erased all doubt about his path and gave him the clarity to commit fully to his craft. It wasn’t just about using his talent—it was about respecting it and pushing it as far as it could go.
As Hispanic Heritage Month continues, Acosta’s story stands as a tribute to the power of Latino creativity. His murals don’t just decorate—they document. From Cuero’s alleyways to Yoakum’s theater wall, Rafael Acosta Jr. has painted South Texas in full color. His work is a living archive—a testament to the artistry, endurance, and cultural richness of the region’s historic communities.