Public art like sculptures, exhibits, and murals are a fantastic way to beautify a town or city. These works also showcase the area’s culture and the artist’s vision of the world. And viewing these works gives you the chance to appreciate art, immerse yourself in culture, and even learn more about the area.
In the Dallas-Fort Worth area, you can plan a tour to visit public art installations and murals when you visit a particular park or make it a day’s or weekend’s worth of art exploration. No matter what approach you choose, you have dozens of murals, sculptures, and other public artworks to view in and around Colleyville. Here are seven places that have art installations that are sure to amaze.
The Roundabout at Westcoat Drive and McDonwell School Road
Right here in Colleyville is a new public art installation called “Then and Now” that features two horses; one grazing and the other standing tall. The piece is meant to represent the equestrian history of the town and pay homage to these ranches and farms from the 1970s and ’80s. It’s located in the middle of the roundabout at the intersection of Westcoat Drive and McDonwell School Road.
This art installation is safest to view from your vehicle as you make your way around the circle, but you can also take it in from the nearby sidewalk.
Fabrication Yard
Image via Flickr by oxtopus Licensed CC BY 2.0
Fabrication Yard is a collection of old industrial buildings that have become a popular (and sanctioned) graffiti spot in West Dallas. There are hundreds of individual pieces, from painter tags to Instagram-worthy inspirational sayings, abstract art to portraits, and everything in between. It’s a unique place to visit if you just want to view the art, since you’ll see so many different styles created by people from all over Dallas, Texas, and from around the world.
If you want to join in on the fun, there is still some empty space on the buildings’ metal walls for you to paint and make your mark. The location even hosts an event called “Go Paint Day” where artists are welcome to paint over faded art and fill in empty spaces with more colorful work.
Sator Cube
In downtown Arlington, you can visit a massive, cubic sculpture called “Sator Cube.” Created by sculptor Art Fairchild, Sator Cube is a giant bronze cube made up of smaller cubes and empty blocks, and it’s tilted on one of its corners, making it seem as if the structure is immune to gravity. Sator Cube is a cool piece for art aficionados and average art enthusiasts alike, so be sure to check it out the next time you’re in Arlington. You can also pull up the artist’s website to view images of the piece coming together in the artist’s studio.
Deep Ellum in Dallas
Deep Ellum is a neighborhood in Dallas known for its amazing and diverse collection of public murals. You can find all sorts of art styles, from abstract to watercolor-like paintings to modern portraits. Some of our favorites include:
Frida Skull
This vibrant and unique mural features the likeness of artist Frida Kahlo but with a gothic skull drawn in shades of teal. You’ll find this mural, painted by Michel Cruz, at 2810 Main St.
Deep Ellumphants
This mural features a herd of elephants colored with teal, blue, pink, purple, and other unlikely colors. It’s a fun one to see with the kids and any animal lovers in your life. See this work by Adrian Torres at 3601 Main St.
Stevie Ray Ellum
This enormous portrait of late musician Stevie Ray Vaughan, who was born in Dallas, uses shades of blue, yellow, orange, and pink to create a color prism effect. It was done by Steve Hunter at 100 North Crowdus St.
Believe in Yourself
This simple mural features a teal background with an inspirational phrase and a hashtag you can use when you post a picture of it on social media with you and your family in front of the mural. You’ll find this anonymous piece at 2730 Commerce St.
This area has many more murals than we have listed, so it would make a great spot for a day-long tour on your next visit to nearby Dallas.
Oak Cliff
In southwest Dallas in Oak Cliff, you’ll find another cool collection of street art and murals, creating a perfectly walkable art tour that has you exploring the city at the same time. On Seventh Street, you’ll find a stunning portrait of boxer Muhammad Ali, a space and alien mural that’s out of this world, and even a rugged portrait of Bonnie and Clyde. In North Oak Cliff, you can see a gorgeous, lifelike mural of the late singer Selena Quintanilla that’s two stories tall.
Irving Arts Center
In nearby Irving, you can see sculptures, murals, and other fascinating works with a tour of the sculpture garden at the Irving Arts Center. This area is home to five permanent installations, including the Star Flower located near the reflecting pool, the beautiful and functional Benches, and the mosaic Irving Centennial Mural that was created by local students in 2004.
The Irving Arts Center also hosts temporary installations in the garden. You may even see more work by Art Fairchild, the sculptor of Sator Cube in Arlington, and other Texas artists.
Fort Worth
Over the past decade, Fort Worth has made serious strides in making the already amazing city into an even more stunning landscape full of art and culture, leading to the Fort Worth Public Art project. Through this project, the city has commissioned and purchased many unique works that represent different aspects of Fort Worth and Texan history and culture. There are many pieces in progress, which you can see the drafts and progress photos of on the project’s site.
You can also drive or walk around Fort Worth to check out works like “Flight,” a steel and light sculpture that’s in multiple parts all over the city, a mosaic tile piece called “Legacy” located in Rosedale Plaza Park, and the “Art + Knowledge” installation at Chisholm Trail Park.
So there you have it. Seven places where you can view public art installations in and around Colleyville, Texas. Did we miss your family’s favorite mural, sculpture, or other public artwork around town? If so, contact Crème de la Crème of Colleyville. We’ll be sure to add it to our growing list.