Commission to increase art presence

KYLE — This past weekend, the city of Kyle Arts and Cultural Commission hosted All Aboard! Railroad Depot Painting Event as a part of the Art in Kyle project.

The event gave individuals, artist or not, a kit consisting of a canvas, brushes and paints to create an art piece depicting a portion of the depot. The finished artwork will then be hung in city hall for residents to vote on. The top three winners will be featured on postcards for the city in the upcoming year.

The history captured on these postcards is exactly the goal of the Arts and Cultural Commission.

“I think art can show history, the culture and the essence of the city,” said Vanessa Westbrook, chair of the Arts and Culture Commission.

A resident who has lived in Kyle for 13 years, Westbrook has her own "love and connection to art."

“I’m an artist. I have a studio in my house, and I paint just for the love of it, just because I like to,” said Westbrook.

Photo by Natalie Frels
Local artist Stephanie Murray participates in the All Aboard! Railroad Depot Painting Event hosted by the city of Kyle Arts and Cultural Commission on Saturday at the Train Depot in Kyle.[/caption]

With previous board experience and the time to dedicate to the commission, she has a personal goal to simply create accessibility for art in the city. This includes taking distance, time and financial factors into account. Many do not realize the privilege held from living in a city that has art spaces within it, as well as having the financial ability to access the spaces.

“That was our big focus with whatever we’re trying to do. We want to make it accessible,” said Westbrook. “When you go to city hall right now, which is a public space, and you walk in to pay your water bill, you’re like, ‘Oh, look at all this art on the wall,’ and now you slow down and give 15 to 20 minutes to just enjoying art. That’s a perfect space [to place art] and it’s free. We brought in the work from a gifted local artist and we’re sharing [it] with the people.”

Currently displayed is the work of Anna Martinez Boling with a Hispanic cultural focus for Cinco de Mayo. This stemmed from residents attending the commission’s public board meeting to request an event to honor their heritage. The commission wants to continue to celebrate culture and highlight the talent that is within the community.

Painting is not the only art form that will be in the spotlight. Later in the year, a local quilting group will have their pieces displayed in city hall as well.

“That’s fiber art. That’s what that’s called, either working with textiles or working with any kind of fiber to create art. That’s the promotion of fiber [art in the city], which most people don’t think about. Embroidery, crochet and all that stuff is art, so [we are] bringing that to the people and allowing the residents to get another experience,” Westbrook said. “[We want to bring in] visual arts, theater, music, murals, a sculpture — something that the residents can connect to and visit.”

The goal to spread art within the city includes public service buildings as well. The commission already has work that will continuously be displayed in city hall throughout the year, but it hopes to expand that to other facilities and work with the Parks and Recreation Department to create artistic pieces to be displayed at parks and public spaces around Kyle.

The commission hopes to create more pieces throughout the city with the help of residents that not only preserve the history, but help to celebrate and make Kyle an art destination in Hays County.

“You don’t have to go to Austin to get [art], you can get it here. We just have to think creatively about how we’re going to do that. And I think that we’re headed in the right direction,” said Westbrook.

The Arts and Cultural Commission urges residents to share their art and ideas at its public board meetings, held every third Thursday of the month at 7 p.m. in the library, to continue to make art accessible in the city.