Mixed Media on Denison's Main Street

Local artist Doug Myerscough painted the four sides of Denison Pawn with murals, including this west-side series of panels representing some of Denison’s artists and their galleries. For more of Doug

By Randy Mallory

 

Paint a picture of a quaint North Texas town of, say, 23,000 people. Draw a quintessential Main Street lined with historic structures. Brush in a dozen or so art galleries and artists’ studios, some with artsy loft apartments. Oh, just for fun, sketch a winery, several eateries, antiques shops, specialty stores, and an old train depot and railroad museum. That’s the spittin’ image of Denison’s flowering arts district.

 

Denison has long been a jumping-off point for outdoors enthusiasts enjoying nearby Lake Texoma. Increasingly, art buyers (especially from the Dallas/Fort Worth area) come for art and attractions compressed into seven stroll-friendly blocks.

 

Paintings, sculptures, glass-works, photography, ceramics, and mixed-media creations represent traditional and contemporary styles. Galleries showcase works from more than 100 local, regional, and national artists. Hometown and visiting artists also lead workshops that teach painting techniques to budding artists who come from around the region.

 

Downtown struts its artistic stuff this month with the annual Spring Fine Art Tour of studios and galleries. Galleries also periodically host new art shows and meet-the-artist receptions to keep the local scene fresh and unpredictable.

 

On a recent downtown stroll, I discovered that when it comes to art, this small town has big ideas.

 

 

See the full article in the March 2008 issue.

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