Public Art News
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
GENEROUS ART DONATION TO THE CITY OF ROUND ROCK
A gifted 13-foot sculpture has recently been placed in Downtown Round Rock
Round Rock, TX –
The City of Round Rock Arts and Culture’s Public Art Program, established in 2011, presents temporary, visiting, and permanent works of art, and is thrilled to announce the Spring 2024 news of a generous gift to the community – a sizeable sculptural artwork by artist George Sabra. This big-hearted donation will find its forever home in Centennial Plaza in Round Rock, TX, thanks to the generosity of its donors, the Cruickshank Family.
Patrick and Caroline Cruickshank and family share about the meaningful nature of this gift: “We are very pleased to gift this sculpture to the City of Round Rock and hope that both its message of sustainability and eternal energy can enlighten the community.” Approximately 70% of this artwork is sourced from discarded materials found in Round Rock.
This work breathes new life into discarded materials. “The Flame” sculpture is a testament to rebirth and sustainability. Crafted from 2,000 pieces of discarded materials from construction sites and marble and granite suppliers in Round Rock and Austin, each piece measuring 6 ½” x 4 ½, this sculpture addresses the issue of construction waste, inspiring reclamation and creative reuse. “The Flame” encourages us to see the potential in what we discard and to breathe new life into it through recycling.
Addressing the reclaimed and sustainable nature of “The Flame,” George Sabra relates: “The sculpture has a hollow core that facilitates the storage of the Sun’s energy in the granite and marble during the day. Even at nighttime, heat radiates from the structure, making it a unique and sustainable work of art.”
The City of Round Rock Arts and Culture extends its appreciation to the Cruickshank Family for its kindness in gifting this thought-provoking and everlasting work to the community and thanks to the artist for sharing his talent and creativity.
Public Art in Round Rock is on view 365 days per year and is managed by the City of Round Rock Arts and Culture. Learn about the diverse array of sculptures on view and use the GIS mapping tool for a self-guided tour via mobile phone: www.roundrocktexas.gov/city-departments/arts-and-culture/public-art.
ABOUT ARTIST: GEORGE SABRA
As unique as a fingerprint, George Sabra’s sculpted creations are one of a kind, each a true original. Seeing limitless possibilities in materials that others would abandon or discard, Sabra artistically recycles. When others would destroy, Sabra creates.
Sabra’s media is descended from two worlds, both natural and man-made. Because of this, he finds himself drawn to all sorts of discarded material – plastic, metal, computer waste in combination with earthly offerings of driftwood, roots, granite and marble. “I believe it is possible to work with any material,” he says passionately. “I do not see myself as a wood sculptor, or a clay sculptor, or a metal sculptor. I am simply a sculptor.”
In awe of nature, his use of man-made materials is primarily as a complement or extension of the natural resources he chooses. He explains his perspective saying, “I want to show how man’s accomplishments can and should flow in harmony with the natural world.” With current environmental concerns, it is an artistic idea whose time has come. And while it is tempting to label Sabra’s style as ‘contemporary,’ his skills reveal a respect for the principles of traditional fine art. Contact/follow: team@georgesabra.com
| www.georgesabra.com
ABOUT PUBLIC ART IN ROUND ROCK
For over 13 years, the City of Round Rock Arts and Culture has presented artwork in a variety of mediums by diverse artists in outdoors locations in Round Rock, Texas. Public Art in Round Rock includes temporary, visiting, and permanent exhibited art, including sculptures and murals. A veritable outdoor museum, among the past highlights was a year-long outdoor exhibition of the works of renowned Chiricahua Apache sculptor Allan Houser in Downtown Round Rock.
Public art is an inclusive experience for residents of and visitors to Round Rock, TX. As of Spring 2024, there are over 45 works on view throughout Round Rock. Public Art is managed and curated by the City of Round Rock Arts and Culture.
We’ve just placed a new sculpture that you can enjoy both day and night (it has a lighting feature!) in Centennial Plaza! Look for Travis Seeger’s “Angel,” a beautiful sphere along the South Brown Street side of Centennial Plaza.
Of his process and purpose, the artist shares:
“I create metal sculptures out of a curiosity for how shapes can be organized and transformed. Using commonly available structural steel pieces in multiples, I aim to create forms that transcend our expectations of their individual parts. I focus on simplicity, removing excess to reveal the core of each piece, with a focus on exploring how materials can be employed in unexpected ways.”
Learn more about the artist Travis Seeger: https://travisseegerart.com
Enjoy Your Self-Guided Tour
Thank to our the City of Round Rock IT department, we have the technology for you to learn about art and artists while you stroll around Downtown Round Rock! Simply use the QR code at an artwork to be taken to our public art map (or click the icon at the top of this page). Enjoy a self-guided tour in the palm of your hand using your phone!
Spotlight on Chisholm Trail Crossing
The Chisholm Trail Crossing is located at 500 Chisholm Trail Road in Round Rock. Two Texas artists’ works are featured at this location, Jim Thomas and Antonio Muñoz.
Jim Thomas is a nationally published artist with numerous professional art association memberships, including TSOS, AArC, and DFAC. Among the many awards won, Thomas is a three-time “Gold Medalist” of the Texas Cowboy Artist Association. College training in earth sciences, chemistry, and metallurgy, combined with more than 41 years professional team experience with architects, engineers, government and private public art administrators are a foundation for his years of professional sculpting, art foundry, and metal fabrications experience. The following pieces were designed and crafted by Jim Thomas and are located at the Chisholm Trail Crossing:
“The Bell Steer”: First in the series and commissioned through a grant from Dell in 2003. During cattle drives, the lead steer often wore a bell around its neck to assist the cattlemen in finding the beginning of the herd.
“The Pioneer Woman”: Dedicated to the memory of Harriett “Hattie” Cluck, one of the first known women to travel up the trail. Commissioned by
Mr. and Mrs. Bill Peckham, The Pioneer Woman bears a resemblance to Mrs. Bill “Sissy” Peckham, who sat for hours with the sculptor.
“The Pioneer Boy”: Commissioned in honor of Emmett Cluck, a five year old boy who went up the Chisholm Trail with his family. Ruth Koughan made the donation for this statue and her grandson, Riley Koughan, served as the model for the sculpture.
“The Resting Steer”: Dedicated in honor of Oscar Edward Quick and Eugene Olof Quick. The Steer has the “OQ” brand, which was registered by Quick in 1891. Marjorie and Don Quick made their gift in honor of their father and grandfather, who were both citizens of Round Rock.
“Goin’ to Water”: As a symbolic link to their parents’ agricultural background in Texas and to their ancestors’ frontier life of the “old country,” Edward Reyes Torres, Mary Zordan Torres and Gloria Torres Zamarripa commissioned this longhorn sculpture with its Torres Reyes registered brand.
Another sculpture set featured at Chisholm Trail Crossing was created by sculptor Antonio Muñoz. His depictions of “Trail Boss” and “Foreman” commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Chisholm Trail drives, with the figures based on two local people, Will Peckham and Eugene Beck.
The “Gathering Brands” depicts the Trail boss (Eugene Beck) and the drive had started just south of San Antonio and as he moves north many ranchers are joining the growing heard. Passing through the town of Round Rock, Mr. Beck, while on horseback and keeping an eye on the moving heard, is meeting with a local rancher, Will Peckham, to collect his ranch brand and incorporate his cattle to the drive. Mr. Peckham gently approaches Mr. Beck’s horse and greets him by petting the animal’s head, and immediately, turns, his attention to the man on the horse to engage in conversation. In the meantime, Mr. Beck holds his own branding iron and the Trail Brand to prepare a branding session, and while aware of the surrounding movement, can’t help to notice and observe the particular round stone landmark that gave the town its name.
Follow the artist: http://munozsculpting.com
Our public art program is a vision of our Arts Master Plan in Round Rock.
The goals are to: Provide visual interest on the Round Rock downtown area; Increase the number and variety of outdoor public art installations by local and regional artists; Stimulate creative thought and reflective conversation among residents and visitors.
Each annual sculpture exhibit has a wonderful array of artwork that addresses these goals and helps create a more vibrant area in the center of our city. This exhibit is made possible in part by the City of Round Rock, Texas Society of Sculptors, Round Rock Arts, and the City of Round Rock Parks and City of Round Rock General Facilities departments for expert installation of the work. An array of art sculptures are on loan from regional artists and installed on the Downtown, Prete and Centennial Plazas and at Chisholm Trail Park. These diverse pieces are on loan from the artists for at least one year, while other pieces, gifted by artists, call Round Rock their permanent home.
In addition to public art sculptures, our public art program also includes banner murals and signal box mini murals, as well as our City Council Chamber gallery exhibits.
