CARROLLTON – When Mayor Matthew Marchant put out a request for artists via the Twittersphere, local painter Theresa Mangum had just put the finishing touches on her second major piece of public art.
Deciding she was ready for more, Mangum responded to the mayor’s request for an artist to paint a mural in Downtown Carrollton. Cut to one month later, and the east side façade of the Calvert and Co. Architects office building on the Downtown Square has Mangum’s artwork splashed across in bright flowers, a great big sun, and a new treasure for locals and visitors to admire.
Marchant said his vision for the mural was driven by his passion for Downtown Carrollton. “It is already a great destination, but I am always looking for ways to improve. This mural is part of a concerted effort toward placemaking in the area and bridging the gap between the historic part of Downtown and the newer buildings to the east.”
For the 15’x82’ Downtown Carrollton mural, the weather played a bit of a villain for Mangum and her painting partner Jes Spires. “It was extremely hot while I was painting that sun, and it was really windy, too.” In addition, the decorative duo needed 10 days total to complete the mural due to rain causing a four-day interruption.
“We had a lot of people come by though,” Mangum, a University of Texas at Dallas Art and Performance graduate, said. “Even when I was still finishing up that far side of the wall, people were on the other side with their families taking pictures in front of it.”
When asked about the theme of the painting, Mangum explained that she uses a lot of flowers in her artwork in general, but this time, wanted to incorporate Texas wildflowers one might see growing in the middle of a wide open area.
“The reaction to the mural has been great,” Marchant said. “We hope to continue this theme in the area and add some amenities to Pioneer Park to make it more user-friendly and attractive. I appreciate Dick Calvert’s willingness to participate in this project.”
“[When the mayor asked if they could paint], I said it depends on what the mural is, of course,” said Calvert, the building’s owner. “But they sent me a picture, I liked it, and I said sure.”
Calvert said he thought the mural could help Downtown with more than just an aesthetic appeal, “especially when people can give directions like ‘it’s near the building with the flowers on it.’”
Calvert said he enjoyed playing witness to the artistic process in progress. “It was really nice to watch the flowers grow.”
To get an upfront look at the mural, take a stroll to Downtown Carrollton near Pioneer Park—it’s the building with all the flowers on it.
