A bald eagle soaring over Texas wildflowers now greets visitors to downtown Allen, thanks to McKinney-based artist Andrea Holmes and her first public mural in the city.
It's Allen's first.
Holmes completed "Wings of Allen" in early July on the exterior wall of Chloe Mae Studios at 202 S. Austin Drive.
The piece is downtown Allen's first mural, a milestone the city's Public Art Committee had anticipated in a February presentation to the Allen City Council as part of ongoing downtown revitalization efforts.
The mural is the eighth in Holmes's "Wings Across the World" project, a 100-bird series that ties each painting to the people, plants, and stories of a specific place.
For Allen, Holmes chose the city's mascot, the bald eagle, above a field of bluebonnets and coneflowers, rendered in a "light, dusty color palette" she said was inspired by the gallery itself.
"I love the idea that just some paint can totally transform an area, and it can become a landmark for a place," Holmes said.
The project has a personal thread. Chloe Mae Studios co-owner Jennifer Seibert was one of Holmes's professors at Collin College, where Holmes first conceived the 100-bird series as a set of 10 Texas birds before expanding it worldwide. Holmes said the full-circle connection to Seibert's gallery "feels really special."
The Allen Arts Alliance partnered with Chloe Mae Studios to make the project happen, according to Holmes. Visit Allen, Texas, the city's official tourism account, has promoted the mural as a photo destination for visitors and residents alike.
Holmes, who has more than 20 completed murals and installations in McKinney, said she hopes "Wings of Allen" will "pave the way" for other artists to bring public art to the downtown area.
Residents can see the finished mural anytime at Chloe Mae Studios. A free public reveal reception is scheduled for Saturday, August 8, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the studio. Attendees can meet Holmes and purchase her artwork during the event.
Upcoming community events
- Saturday, August 8, 6–8 p.m. — "Wings of Allen" mural reveal reception, Chloe Mae Studios, 202 S. Austin Drive. Free; artwork available for purchase.
