Irving: New 2020-Inspired Artwork Now On Display In Main Street Plaza In Downtown Irving

Press release from the City of Irving:

January 15, 2021

New 2020-Inspired Artwork Now on Display in Main Street Plaza in Downtown Irving

Three new works of art, inspired by the unprecedented year that was 2020, are now on display in Main Street Plaza in Irving’s Heritage Crossing. The plaza, an open-air space which features a curved walkway, café tables and lighting, is located at 127 S. Main Street.

The three pieces on display were entered in Irving Arts Center’s 20th Annual Art Connection Members’ Show which featured the design challenge “Signs of the Times.” Participating artists created artwork reflecting on the current or recent state of a world turned upside down by a pandemic, protests against systemic racism and societal/economic uncertainty. The works can be viewed now through early summer of 2021 in the plaza.

About the Artwork

"What Day is it?" (Quarantine Self-Portrait) was created using charcoal on paper by artist Brett Dyer. An art professor at Dallas College North Lake Campus, Dyer’s works were recently featured in an exhibition organized by Irving Arts Center, "Deliverance: Rescued and Set Free" New 2020-Inspired Artwork Now on Display in Main Street Plaza in Downtown Irving (2019). Dyer’s relatable self-portrait is an award-winner in the professional award category of the competition.

"Shattered" is a work created by artist Clara Limberg, a student currently attending the University of North Texas. She expects to graduate spring of 2022 with a BFA in Studio Art: Drawing and Painting. The colorful oil painting on canvas is an award-winner in the nonprofessional award category of the competition.

"Rancorous" was created by Christina Daly Olivares using the SketchBook App. The aspiring artist is a high school student in Coppell. Christina submitted two pieces to the Art Connection Member's Show and received second place in the youth category.

“The Department of Arts and Culture is thrilled to be able to highlight these inspiring artworks by local Irving artists,” says Todd Hawkins, executive director of the City of Irving’s Department of Arts and Culture. “Through their talent and vision, these artists beautifully capture the emotional journey that was 2020.”

This press release was produced by the City of Irving. The views expressed here are the author’s own.