Ralph and Kitty Ayers have been in the South Texas Gallery business since 1991 bringing to the public top quality art and upscale creations for every pocketbook to the Laguna Madre area, Port Isabel and South Padre Island.
They opened THE PURPLE PARROT GALLERY AND GIFT SHOP in 1998 to showcase truly unique, folk art from Mexico. They make frequent trips deep into Mexico searching for top quality, one of a kind, Mexican art and crafts superior to any found on Ebay or in tourist markets. The Gallery also features a delightful line of collectibles, whimsical novelties, hand crafted jewelry, greeting cards, sculpture, wildlife photography, wearable art and "fun stuff" for all ages. In addition to consignment art by name artists from Texas and Mexico, over a dozen booths feature original works by local artists.
January through march we offer several art classes in watercolor, acrylics, drawing, pastels and more to make the winter months more enriching. Our website is designed to be both visually captivating and informative. Much of what can be seen by visiting the PURPLE PARROT may also be purchased on-line. With the new technologies we can visit you where ever you are and you can visit us more often.
Kitty Ayers was raised in Brownsville, spending many weekends on South Padre Island and helping her parents build one of the first houses on the island in 1954. When she was 16 the family moved to Cuernavaca, Mexico and she entered college soon after in Mexico City. It was there she met Ralph, a graduate Fine Arts major from the northeast. After raising three children together in New Jersey where Ralph helped develop the TV production center for Rutgers University, they returned to south Texas in 1991, where Kitty immediately became involved in Art Gallery operations on the island while Ralph taught art at the University of Texas, Brownsville. Both have become valuable members of the community, active in the Chambers of Commerce in Port Isabel and South Padre Island and founders of the Port Isabel Merchants Committee and the El Paseo Arts Foundation. Both have participated in the Leadership Laguna Madre program. Kitty is one of the Port Isabel Ambassadors and Ralph founded and coordinates the annual Winter Outdoor Wildlife Expo every February.
Ralph and Kitty have a long association with the area, they know its history, its people and what you’d most like to know when visiting. Do visit the PURPLE PARROT, next to the historic lighthouse in Port Isabel, and get to know them whenever you’re in town.