Street Mural - Nicky Davis from Nicky Davis on Vimeo.
Timelapse of artist Nicky Davis making Houston a little artier.
This year's 35 Denton showcase took its vitamins and grew extra massive. Now its lineup is fortified with bands like Built to Spill, Thee Oh Sees and The Jesus and Mary Chain, but that's all fodder for our neighbors over at DC9 at Night. Here at Mixmaster we're excited about the festival's expansion into the visual arts.
Starting today and continuing until the actual event begins on March 8, 35 Denton is launching a public art initiative. The plan is to make six or seven murals and a sculpture by tapping the talents of artists from Houston and Denton. (Sorry Dallas, maybe next year.)
Not just anyone made the cut. Each proposed piece was reviewed and judged to see if it would complement the neighborhood it would be adopted by. What they wound up with was a combination of styles as unique as the city itself. "This town is a lot about mixing and art," said Christian Millet, 35 Denton's Public Art Coordinator. He continues, "All of these artists have a different style, but they all represent the pop street art scene as well as our city's mix of cultures."
Kicking it off today is artist Nicky Davis. He's become as prominent for his efforts in Houston gallery shows as his commissioned street murals, the latter of which you can scope out right now on Fry Street. His style is a dreamily cartoonish blend of poppy pigments featuring fun, environmental themes. This Denton project is currently being created between Voertman's and Subway, so swing by and get an eyeful.
Beginning tomorrow you can stalk street artist Cut Throat behind Dan's Silverleaf. Also from Houston (and named one of this year's Masterminds in our sister paper, the Houston Press), Cut Throat incorporates a range of styles in his work, namely wheat paste adhesive over photo-negative stencils. His wall work at Dan's will be appropriately music-themed, but the exact subject matter of the painting is a surprise.
We're excited to see what sculptor Nix Johnson is building but will have to wait until the festival's kick-off to see it in action. The work has been described as a tower-like kinetic device stretching 10 feet tall with interconnected squares of wood running from the top down. The pieces will move in time with the stage vibrations and span shades of color from blues to greens and yellows.
Hey Denton! Take pictures of your new murals and email them to us; we'll post them on Mixmaster.
