Art In Uncommon Places Brings Beauty to Red Arroyo Trail

San Angelo, TX – Saturday, September 10, marks the grand opening of the Open Air Museum at the Red Arroyo Trail. The event will be filled with art, competitions, games and more beginning at 10 a.m.

The grand opening marks the culmination of three long years of work to bring this project together. Art In Uncommon Places, a nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing art and culture to the City of San Angelo, is ready for San Angelo to view that work.

‘We have to bring art to the people,” said Julie Raymond, with Arts In Uncommon Places. “Art heals, and art lifts your spirit; it changes everything.”

The Open Air Museum, which is very unique in it its type, will feature sculptures and art work of all themes and mediums. Over 50 pieces of artwork will be found along the trail. This will, in turn, allow the citizens of San Angelo to travel between Knickerbocker and Sherwood in a unique way.

Art In Uncommon Places designed and created the majority of the art, and local artists created several pieces in different mediums. Each piece is unique in its design, and provides visitors the opportunity to explore a different type of museum. The pieces are valued at over half a million dollars. All this was made possible by grants and private donations given to the organization. Additionally, all funds collected will then return back to the community as new artwork and ideas come up.

“We would not make it without the philanthropies of the City of San Angelo,” Raymond said.

Opening day also provides creative individuals the opportunity to showcase their own talents along the trail. Starting on Friday, September 9, citizens will have the opportunity to create their own 5 foot sculpture in 24 hours. Individuals can enter the Art Installation Design Challenge. This provides individuals, or a group of up to 10 people, to create their own art, which will be evaluated by local experts on Saturday. The grand prize for the winning project will be $1,000.00. There is an entry fee of $10 per group member.

Also, the Plein Air competition will take place. This will allow painters to find a location along the trail that inspires their creativity. They will be able to paint the scene as they are experiencing it. The winners will have their portrait printed and made available for the public to enjoy along the trail. This event will also be judge by three local artists. Not to mention, participants can enjoy a 5k Art Run, for which there is no cost. If smaller children are in attendance, they too will have the opportunity to learn about different types of art and create their own masterpieces.

Going on as well will be the Sweet and Spirits Stroll. The event costs $30 per person, but it will feature several amenities. This include a ¼ mile stroll and five booths that will feature sweets by Chef Earl Mulley. In turn, visitors can enjoy specialty drinks, including a special brewed beer presented by Zero One Ale house. 

Overall, the City hopes to incite more people to explore San Angelo in a beautiful way that promotes physical activity. The art is there and it’s free, so officials encourage visitors to go out and enjoy the beautiful artwork while maintaining an active lifestyle.