City of El Paso Public Art

This year we’ve been lucky. There’ve been a host of new public art installations put up across the city.  If you’re not familiar with downtown El Paso’s layout, there is a set of railroad tracks that run underground parallel to the I-10 freeway.  Over several points there are bridges, that for the most part, you would forget about as you pass over.
In the City’s on going effort to revitalize downtown, they have replaced the chain-link with new public art works.  Once forgotten dead space is now not just functional fencing but engaging art. Along Campbell street is a cool 3D piece by Art Garcia:

Kansas has another installation that evokes the Franklin mountains by Tom Johnson, Tom Orr and Frances Bagley:

There are a couple more that l’ll try and get better shots of and post up in the future. More info about the ongoing improvements and activities can be found at the City of El Paso’s Public Art Facebook page or website.

Chalk the Block 2013

On Sunday I headed out to Chalk the Block 2013 to get the boys out of the house for a few hours.  Because of the construction in San Jacinto Plaza, the event was moved from the park to the area outside the Convention Center and down the way on Franklin street by the Museum of History.

There were also a bunch of pop-up galleries open for the event and from where we parked we were able to view a few along our walk.

Despite the disjointed nature, due to the construction, it was well attended and there was plenty of great works on display:

As we wound our way around, we were able to view some of the new artistic fencing that replaces the old chain link over the railroad bridges. The El Paso Public Art Program commissioned different artists to create replacement fencing, adding some much needed character to the bridges where the railroad snakes under downtown.

As in the past, the event is also host to lots of alternative art performances and kinetic sculptures by artists from around the USA.  You can really spend the whole day and night with musical performances and local food trucks keeping your body and mind fed.  After a couple of hours it was time for us to fly home:

Chalk the Block 2013 on Flickr

2013 Arts International Exhibit

I’m honored to have three of my paintings selected for the El Paso Arts International 2013  Exhibit. You can read more about it below:

2013AIInvitationMC

The opening will be Saturday, October 5th, 6:00pm to 9:00pm at the Crossland Gallery located at 500 West Paisano.  The show will run through November 2nd, if you want to check it out.

The 3 pieces selected are:

You can't bulldoze your way to the Highlife, oil on canvas, 48" X 36", 2010

You can’t bulldoze your way to the Highlife, oil on canvas, 48″ X 36″, 2010

Three Chicken Buick - 24" X 24", oil on Canvas, 2013

Three Chicken Buick – 24″ X 24″, oil on Canvas, 2013

Overland & Paisano - 16" X 22", oil on canvas, 2013

Overland & Paisano – 16″ X 22″, oil on canvas, 2013