The City of Richardson, has commissioned four artists to create public artworks related to facility renovation projects as part of the 2021 Bond Program. For each facility, a Selection Panel comprised of members of the Richardson community as well as site stakeholders advised the City on artist selection and approval of the Concept Proposal.

---

Animal Shelter

As part of the 2021 Bond Program, the Richardson Animal Shelter, located at 1330 Columbia Drive, will receive a new main entrance and entry façade and expanded staff offices. The goals for art at the Animal Shelter are to:

• Improve the appearance of the Animal Shelter and highlight it as a place that is welcoming to the community.
• Showcase companion animals and the adoption services provided at the Animal Shelter.
• Serve as a point of pride for shelter staff and volunteers.

Animal Shelter Art Opportunity: Entry Sculpture
The renovation to the Animal Shelter will provide much needed new space and improve the visibility of the shelter from the street and arrival experience for visitors. GiGi Miller has been selected to create a sculptural artwork at the entry to add to this visibility and help create a welcoming experience that expresses the shelter’s mission to rescue, protect, and relocate pets to new homes.  The art should be completed in the first quarter of 2025.

About the Artwork
Town Musicians of Richardson will be a whimsical mosaic sculpture that greets visitors to the newly renovated Richardson Animal Shelter. The colorful sculpture will be covered in hand-made ceramic tiles, many of which will be made by members of the local community, along with shelter staff and volunteers. Inspired by the 12th century fairytale made famous by the Brothers Grimm called "Town Musicians of Bremen,” this reimagined sculptural representation includes animals that are available for adoption at the shelter, imaginatively singing for food and a new home.

The artist writes, “When I was a child, fairytales were the food of my imagination, and they continue to reverberate in my mind’s eye. I have always felt a deep connection with animals and felt great connection and joy for the unwanted, old animals in the fairytale story. Even though they were no longer wanted by their owners, they took charge of their situation and were clever enough to find a joyful second chapter in life. The happy fairytale ending of the animals finding a new home to live out their days aligns perfectly with the mission of the animal shelter and inspired me to create ‘Town Musicians of Richardson’. I believe the sculpture will inspire community-wide creativity, connection and civic pride. My sincere hope is that the shelter will be welcoming and successful with the animal musicians greeting everyone who visits.”

About the Artist
GiGi Miller is an artist, mother, and nature lover who has lived in Austin, Texas for 25 years. Her primary medium is sculpture with an emphasis on public art. She is fascinated by the concept of creative placemaking and the role of the arts in community development and is dedicated to grassroots involvement in the creative process. For every sculpture she creates, she plans local mosaic tile making events for residents of all ages and abilities. Her large-scale sculptures are decorated with brightly colored handmade tesserae and provide a sense of whimsy and hope, especially in areas where public art is scarce. She firmly believes civic involvement brings the community together and fosters a feeling of inclusion and personal investment in public spaces. Her artistic ambition is to allow everyone to experience joy and creativity every day. She received her BFA from The University of Texas at Austin in 2003 and works out of her studio located near Bee Cave, TX.

Artist Website: www.gigimiller.com

---

Fire Station No. 5

As part of the 2021 Bond Program, Richardson Fire Station 5, located at 2001 East Renner Road, will receive a new fitness room and expanded living quarters. The goals for art at Fire Station No. 5 are to:

• Honor the role the Richardson Fire Department plays in keeping the community safe.
• Employ symbols, images and/or narratives related to the Fire Department.
• Provide a functional amenity that is integrated into the re-design of the site.
• Enhance the visual environment for the public at large, visitors to the Fire Station, and the Fire Department personnel who work at and visit the station.
• Complement the residential nature of the architecture of the Fire Station.

Fire Station No 5. Art Opportunity: Decorative Screen/Fence
The renovation to Fire Station No. 5 will include a new screen or fence for an outdoor space used by firefighters as part of their living area. Tony Schraufnagel has been selected to create a functional screen at this location.  The art should be completed in the first quarter of 2025.

About the Artwork
Tony Schraufnagel’s decorative screen for Fire Station No. 5 titled Honor, Uphold, Inspire will chronicle the history of firefighting in Richardson and nationwide through artistic depictions of first responders, laser cut into stainless steel and back lit with LED lights. The artwork will be especially prominent at night and will help to symbolize the 24-hour vigilance of the firefighting staff.

The work is intended to inspire future generations of firefighters by adding a series of contemporary architectural elements consistent with the next-generation fire station design. This includes prominent numerals and red accents and both the signage structure and screen wall.

About the Artist
Tony Schraufnagel is the owner and founder of The Art of Twisted Nail, a Richardson- based design and fabrication studio that specializes in outdoor plasma cut metal art inspired by regional flora, fauna, and history. The Art of Twisted Nail is also entering their sixth year as an award-winning vendor at the State Fair of Texas. The name Twisted Nail is a loose translation of the Schraufnagel name.  Their work can be seen at the Memorial Prayer Garden at the St. Paul the Apostle Church in Richardson, the AGF Ranch Denton, and soon, at Red Line and Silver Line DART Stations and the Prayer Garden at St. Marks the Evangelist in Plano.

Artist Website: artoftwistednail.com

---

Richardson Public Library

The 2021 Bond Program includes a full renovation of the Richardson Public Library, located at 900 Civic Center Drive. The renovations include increased program space, upgraded heating and air conditioning, and plumbing systems, new stairways and new centralized bathrooms. The goals for art at the Richardson Public Library are to:

• Contribute to the richness and welcoming nature of the library.
• Celebrate access to literacy, curiosity, creativity, and learning for all ages.
• Complement the updated mid-century design of the facility and use as a library and community gathering place.
• Enhance the experience of the library both inside and out.
• Engage and inspire Library visitors while reflecting the spirit of Richardson.
• Embrace the city’s ongoing diversification and vibrancy — culturally, economically and creatively.

Public Library Art Opportunity 1: First-Second Floor Atrium
The planned children’s area on the first floor of the Public Library includes a two-story space adjacent to a grand staircase to the second-floor juvenile area. SOFTlab has been selected to create a work of art for this space. The art should be installed in Summer 2025.

About the Artwork
Lighter than Air will be a multi-part sculpture suspended in the two-story atrium connecting the children’s area and the juvenile area of the Richardson Library. The sculpture will take the form of an array of floating bubble clusters in a full spectrum of color. It is inspired by the way libraries cultivate new ideas through the content they house and the serendipitous encounters they promote, as well as the way chance fosters the conception of ideas. While most people think of a library as a place where people consume media, it is also a place of encounter, debate, and dialogue. Bubbles are often used graphically to evoke the formation of an idea, are playful, and can be effectively used to teach and explore a wide variety of concepts to young children.

The planes that make Arup each bubble will be hatched with oblique openings that mimic the microscopic pattern interference found on a soap bubble’s surface. As people move below and around the mezzanine of the double height space, this hatching will animate the field of bubbles, offering unexpected combinations of colors and views of other people across the space. From a child’s perspective, the sculptures can be interpreted as a field of butterflies, bubbles, clouds, or any other fantastic thing their imagination can dream up.  Engaging with the idea of pareidolia – the tendency of people to impose meaning onto nebulous forms and see images in things- the bubbles are meant to spark imagination at the library.

About the Artist
SOFTlab is a design studio that combines research, technology, and ideas to craft work that spans multiple mediums and scales. SOFTlab was founded and is led by Mike Szivos, a graduate of Louisiana State University and Columbia University. SOFTlab has developed engaging and interactive temporary and permanent public art installations throughout the world. They strive for their projects to elicit a sense of wonder and a rethinking of our relationship to each other and the world around us.

Artist Website: www.soft-lab.com

Public Library Art Opportunity 2: Pathway
Reconfiguration of the Public Library and City Hall Campus, as well as the relocation of the Public Library entrance will change the way that people move from parking to the library. Brad Oldham Studio has been selected to create sculptural work for the area southwest of the library along the entrance driveway to guide visitors and enhance the arrival experience. The art should be installed in Summer 2025.

About the Artwork
Located along the new entrance drive at the renovated Richardson Library, Enchanted Silicon Prairie will feature oversized Texas wildflowers in vibrant colors and dynamic shapes, including Bluebonnet, Indian Paintbrush, Fire Wheel (or Indian Blanket) and Drummond Phlox (Pride of Texas).  The stainless steel sculpture will welcome visitors, enhance the arrival experience, and invite the viewer to think about the stories that make this community unique. In addition to the colorful wildflowers, which will each stand 7 to 8 feet tall, the sculpture will include a stack of books with an open book and pen inviting the viewer to write their own story as Brad Oldham Sculpture’s well-known BIRD witnesses the journal entry.

About the Artists
Brad Oldham and Christy Coltrin create monumental placemaking sculptures for communities, companies, and collectors nationwide. Recognized by national arts organizations, media, and fellow artists, they were recently ranked among the top 10 public artists in the U.S. by The Power of Public Art. Based in downtown Dallas, Brad Oldham Sculpture is a studio of artists and craftsmen that has been making site-specific artwork since 1999. They have deep appreciation for their clients and communities they serve as they continue to create impactful sculptures across the country. Their unique installations often become beloved community landmarks.

Artist Website: www.bradoldham.com