And with a long weekend within reach, we've got something to literally color a weekend meant for leisurely indulgence.
The program is a juried art exhibition featuring 42 local artists selected from more than 400 submissions. The work of these artists is spread out across eight pop-up exhibits at public spaces in Garland, such as libraries, recreation centers, and even Lakewood Brewing Company and Branding Iron at Firewheel.
The exhibitions will be on view until Sept. 9, with each one entirely free to visit for yourself. We stopped by the Garland Central Library to check out eight of the artists’ works. Inside, the facility is massive and just as much a wonderland for children learning to read or adults looking for a quiet place to work. There are dozens of seats with free wifi and outlets, plus a big slide connecting the top floor to the bottom, making this truly an immersive art experience.
The eight paintings showcased at the library used a range of acrylic, watercolor, and oil on canvas. The featured artists include Ann Bennett, Sudeep Kumar, Ramon McCowan, Rhonda Stiles, Carrington Turner, Kavitha Chandrasekaran, Kermit Jenkins, and The Artist Dub.
We were most taken by Kermit Jenkins’ "IKE," an acrylic portrait of ‘70s soul icon Isaac Hayes featuring his iconic net made of thick golden chains. Carrington Turner’s "Cam" was a standout, too — a close-up black-and-white drawing of a young boy in diagonal line patterns. It's the biggest piece featured in the Garland Central Library, and to our dismay, it's not for sale.
The full artist list and map to exhibitions is available online at the Garland Arts website.
