The public art project is a collaboration between the city of Dripping Springs, Destination Dripping Springs, Dripping Springs Chamber oof Commerce and Dripping Springs Art League.
'A Gathering Place,' by London Farris
Inspired by Texas history, London Farris went back to the beginnings of Dripping Springs and the Tonkawa Native Americans. Painted in the center of the star is a Tonkawa tribe member standing in front of the Texas Hill Country.
“The Milk House Branch, near Edwards Aquifer, was their gathering place,” she said. “I wanted to pay homage to the Tonkawa [tribe] and their contributions to our city’s foundation.”
Renèe D’Arienzo was inspired by the perseverance of nature’s creatures, specifically the roadrunner, cactus, monarch butterflies and shimmering stars.
“I wanted to showcase the small but magnificent things that make Dripping Springs so special,” she said. “The bright stars that we are able to see because of our dark sky community, the monarchs that go to great lengths to be here, the cactus that survive severe drought, and the roadrunner that can take down a rattlesnake if it's hungry enough!"
D’Arienzo said the project took sporadic moments over the course of a few months to finish.
Inspired by the “Heart of the Hill Country” phrase in Dripping Springs, Michael Greenwald’s star shows a “mandala-like border” surrounding a heart at the center of the sculpture.
The other side of the star shows a Texas night sky with a crescent moon, cacti and a canvas filled with stars, a callback to Dripping Springs’ identity as an International Night Sky Community.
Greenwald said his “graphic, bold and bright” art style works for all viewers, whether one is driving by or strolling the stars for a closer look.
He said the design took many hours over a few weeks, from early mornings to late evenings.
Melissa Richardson combined her love for the flowers at Dripping Springs Ranch Park with her connection to music for her artistic inspiration. She also cites her mother, Cathay Richardson who also designed a star, as another source of inspiration.
On the front side, the mesh of flowers entangled between the guitar represents imperfection and “How messy things create the most beautiful compositions,” she said.
The backside of the star shows a collage of a singer, musical instruments and a pickup truck standing behind a spinning record. Richardson said she hopes the painting shows the power of music and “the joy music has brought into my life.”
Richardson said she wanted to drift away from traditional Texas palettes, such as natural, earth-toned colors.
“I wanted to dig deeper and find the soul of Dripping Springs,” she said. “The one that goes two-stepping on weeknights, works alongside the flowers day in and day out, the Dripping Springs who dreams looking up at that star-filled Texas sky—a palette that’s bright with hope."
Richardson said she spent about two weeks on and off to bring her vision to life.
Erin Hounsel looked to the sky and looked to the future to design her “Preserving the Stars” artwork. Hounsel said because the Dark Sky Community initiative helps reduce the city’s carbon footprint, it can lead to a better future for children like her own.
“We have invested in our children's future and taught them the meaning of preservation and the importance of our environment,” she said. “I hope that my star celebrates the care and investment we have in our children's environment.”
She said she drew inspiration from time in nature with family and her connection to her religion to create her star scene.
“My family loves to hike, skip rocks, find fossils, paddleboard—all things outdoors,” she said. “My children are a big inspiration to this piece as I frequently watch them running along a trail enjoying God's gift in our beautiful scenery.”
She spent six weeks from October to mid-November to complete her design, she said.
An expansive midnight sky and thinking of nature’s vastness served as the inspirations for Cathy Richardson’s “Twinkle Bright” star design. She said nighttime brings, “a sense of calm, clarity, and wonder—a time to reflect, recharge and reconnect with the world around me.”
Her piece represents the vastness of nature and its tales, she said.
“In this work, I wanted to capture the magic of our Texas Hill Country—the twinkling stars, the wildlife and the quiet stories unfolding in nature,” she said.
Using her background as a graphic designer, Richardson began by mapping out “nature’s point of view,” which involved researching regional animals and plants to include species that call Texas home. She also considered a childlike perspective, driven by a sense of whimsy, she said, using vibrant colors and gold for stars, implementing “a sense of magic through imagination.”
The star also includes a quote from Theodore Roosevelt: “Keep your eyes on the stars and your feet on the ground." Richardson said the quote represents the message of the painting: “An invitation to dream big while staying rooted in what really matters."
Richardson said the artwork took about 37 days, an open mind and dedication to pivot when things didn’t go to plan.
