Horn remembered for his generosity, caring

Will Everett remembers the time some homeless people parked their shopping carts too close to the front door of the Brownsville Museum of Fine Art.

Barry Horn, executive director, told them, "You’re welcome to use the museum free, but could you kindly move your sculptures?"

"He was so kind," Everett said of Horn, 59, who died Saturday. "He always found a kind way of getting his point across."

Horn was found dead Saturday at his home just hours before the museum held its annual Anniversary Benefit Gala at the museum at 660 E. Ringgold St.

Scores of people in elegant formal attire made appearances at the fundraiser; they dined on Italian, French, Mexican and Asian cuisine, while outside several graffiti artists demonstrated their talent, courtesy of Horn’s generosity.

While museum employees were too shaken to comment on the Horn’s death Saturday night, others remembered the kind soul who had invited several young graffiti, or urban, artists to paint the night of the gala.

"We brought this group of graffiti artists through the Big Brother Youth Development Extreme Sports and Arts," said David Gonzalez, president of the organization.

"We were invited by Barry Horn," he said. "We have eight to nine artists that are here and doing actual graffiti art so it helps them out to go to this level of doing their art."

Brooke Kneecap, a member of the Big Brother organization, negotiated the arrangements with Horn to have the young artists demonstrate their talent.

"Barry is an amazing person to me," said Neenap, 20. "He was open to every type of art, everything that we were doing at the moment was something that he wanted. He wanted to see the contrast of conservative art vs. urban art. He wanted to see people look at new forms of art."

The following day, Gonzalez said the evening was a very exciting opportunity for the young artists.

"Them being a little radical it meant to them an opportunity to show what they can do so they can show people that are really connected to the art that they also have talent," Gonzalez said. "They just need a place to express it."

To Everett, who has known Horn for 11 years, he was more than a benefactor, more even than a friend. He was a mentor.

"I learned so much about the dynamics of human relationships from him," he said. "He understood people, he understood how they ticked, and watching him in action was like taking a college course in human psychology. He was just brilliant."

Everett said he grew up seeing Horn on the Good Morning Houston television show during the 1970s.

"When I first met him I recognized him right away although it was a vague memory," he said. "He was a TV personality, and he was always to me a Truman Capote type. He knew everyone, he could make everyone laugh, and he just had a sweet gentle soul."

Horn held a number of posts throughout his life, including that of South Texas Symphony Association executive director and associate vice president for development at the University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College. However, Everett said Horn was most proud of helping people.

"He really believed in breaking down class boundaries," Everett said. "He hated class distinctions. He really fought to allow people to have a chance who might not have been given a chance. When I started working at the museum with him, right away I noticed he was taking advantage of any kind of public programs to give community hours to parolees, people who needed community service done. He would go looking for them, because he thought it was a good opportunity to help them."

This kind-hearted nature may have contributed to his demise.

Everett refuted claims by police that Ernesto Ivan Martinez, considered a person of interest in the case, was Horn’s partner.

He said Horn had taken a strictly paternal interest in Martinez and had allowed him to stay at his home for several months; the young man had brought numerous girlfriends to the home and asked Horn to stay away while he was with them.

About three weeks ago, Everett said, Martinez took Horn’s debit card and withdrew a substantial amount of money from the account. Everett said Horn then severed his friendship with Martinez.

"The police are making this out to be a crime of passion," Everett said. "It couldn’t be. They were never involved."