Public Art and Emotion

I’d want the art to evoke some feeling of beauty, perhaps curiosity and imagination, and significance perhaps coming from size, and pleasure at each viewing. I don’t need any expression of history or any theme that attempts to reflect Allen.

For me Allen represents family, community, education and safety. These are the values that define allen to me.

As an anniversary piece, it should reflect the history of Allen as well as its present and future. As many have already mentioned, Allen still feels very much like a small hometown with a strong sense of community. Community should be inclusive and welcoming. The piece should reflect this and should also show the diversity in Allen.

The emotion I would like to feel is "Proud" - When I hear of how Allen was shaped by the many people who loved the town and helped it become what it is today, I can feel how proud they were to put their time and energy into Allen.

Want the art to represent history of the city and what the city stands for, safe space for residents , parks , library etc , Something that shows exploration, creative and peace that comes with living here

I want the viewer to engage and connect with the art, to understand the story it's telling because it's also thier story. It makes them feel familiar, nostalgic, grateful, blessed, safe and hopeful for their future due to the firm foundation and love they experienced here in Allen

Pride in the community from the roots formed by the pioneers to today.

The art should have images of the past, current and future. Not abstract in any way.

I want art to evoke images of the past and honor our historical past. Less abstract and future forward and more literal. A work capturing the early spirit and is recognizable. Without the railroad there would be no Allen. Without the water station/stone dam there would be no Allen. Without settlers who established farms-crops and had livestock there would not have been a need for a train depot; growth. There was a foundation of families living among the creeks and branches since the 1840's. Imagine blackland prairie with grasses as high as stirups-rustingling breezes, and shooting stars still visible. Wildflowers, bees, bears, butterflies...buffalo, wild longhorn and mustangs running free. There is still fascination with this earlier time and it's spirit seen today at the Heritage Village, Connermera, Molsen Farm and other small pockets like McDermott Ranch. Locomotives hissing and rumbling brought forth the need to ship crops-wheat, maize, corn. And, champion hogs and cattle. With wool, cotton, butter, produce-peaches. Allen moved away from the horse/carriage, to Model T Fords. There was a need for roads and highways. Transportation literally reshaped Allen. And, the Interurban brought easy access to jobs and schools outside Allen. Six man football and small social clubs held the town together from the 1870's to 1950's. One see's evidence of the 1960's through today all around town through new shiny things, modern art, high density, and old buildings coming down. High tech is everywhere. Let's dare to remember our past...

I would like to see art that truly represents our roots as well as where we are now. It needs to be clear to all of those who see this art; it should not be abstract where people have to guess although some are always may have some limited abstract element. Our roots include the rail system that put Allen on a map, and which later became an agricultural community. The rail remained dominate up until the Interurban Rail system closed in the 1940's. In the early 1960's, with the completion US HWY 75, Allen began to slowly grow. By the 1980's, the city began to earnestly grow at an accelerated pace. By the 1990's into the early 2000's, the bedroom community began to develop a considerable commercial base. Up until that time, Allen looked to our neighbors for examples of what to do. Eventually, Allen became the example for other cities to follow, to include those who we once viewed in the same way. Since then, we have generally systematically, intentionally, developed Allen into what it is today, and we continue this effort now. I envision a unique artistic collage that represents this progression of history in some way which focuses on milestones/events that reflect this history. What form that collage becomes would be for artists to propose after which we could then select the best concept presented.