Community
BY ELISABETH JIMENEZ
Art display
Mercer Street now shines with star sculptures designed by six local artists to pay homage to the city’s designation as the first International Dark Sky Community in Texas.
"A Gathering Place" - London Farris Inspired by Texas history, London Farris went back to the beginnings of Dripping Springs and the Tonkawa Native Americans. Painted in the center of the star is a Tonkawa tribe member standing in front of the Texas Hill Country.
"Everlasting" - Renèe D’Arienzo Renèe D’Arienzo was inspired by the perseverance of nature’s creatures, specifically the roadrunner, cactus, monarch butterflies and shimmering stars. “I wanted to showcase the small but magnificent things that make Dripping Springs so special,” she said.
"Heart of the Hill Country" - Michael Greenwald Inspired by the “Heart of the Hill Country,” Michael Greenwald’s star shows a “mandala-like border” surrounding a heart at the center of the sculpture. The other side shows a Texas night sky, a callback to Dripping Springs’ identity as an International Night Sky Community.
"Magic Melody" - Melissa Richardson Melissa Richardson combined her love for the flowers at Dripping Springs Ranch Park with her connection to music for her inspiration. On the front side, the mesh of flowers entangled between the guitar represents imperfection. The backside of the star shows a collage of a singer, instruments and a pick-up truck behind a spinning record.
"Preserving the Stars" - Erin Hounsel Erin Hounsel looked to the sky and looked to the future to design her “Preserving the Stars” artwork. Hounsel said because the Dark Sky Community initiative helps reduce the city’s carbon footprint, it can lead to a better future for children like her own.
"Twinkle Bright My Texas Light" - Cathy Richardson An expansive midnight sky and nature’s vastness served as the inspirations for Cathy Richardson’s “Twinkle Bright” star design. She said nighttime brings, “a sense of calm, clarity, and wonder—a time to reflect, recharge, and reconnect with the world around me.”
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