The Lubbock Arts Alliance is proud to announce the addition of two new sculptures to its rotating public art collection, PDA (Public Display of Art) in Lubbock.
The “Friendly Cowboys” are 13’ tall, 750 lb. sculptures by artist, B.C. Gilbert. The Pink Cowboy is located at Marsha Sharp & Avenue L and the Blue Cowboy is at Loop 289 & Spur 327 (outside the Loop).
The “Friendly Cowboys” series is influenced by miniature figures made from horseshoe nails that are often credited to regional folk artists. Each “Friendly Cowboy” depicts a different member of a Western Swing Band. They are painted in vibrant colors to draw attention to their placement against the flat topography of Lubbock. The Blue Cowboy is the singer and the Pink Cowboy is the guitar player.
The artist, B.C. Gilbert, has a BFA from Cameron University and MFA from Texas Tech University. He resides in Wichita Falls, Texas and his work has been showcased in solo, juried, and group exhibitions.
PDA in Lubbock is the only project of its kind in the region. It takes existing pieces of public art and displays them for a period of two years. After that time, a new piece of art is selected to replace the current one – ensuring that there is always something new to view at various intersections! The collection currently displays work by Jeffie Brewer and B.C. Gilbert.
The pieces of public art are located at:
Jeffie Brewer, Artist
Orange Fox – Loop 289 @ Spur 327 (inside the Loop)
Purple Unicorn – South Loop 289 Flyover & I-27
Red Bunny – South Loop 289 & Quaker
Tiny’s Pink Flamingo – Marsha Sharp Freeway & 19th Street
Red Bird – 1106 5th Street (CASP)
Green Burd – 1500 Broadway (McDougal Companies)
ARTmadillo – 4000 24th Street (Covenant Children’s)
B.C. Gilbert, Artist
Blue “Friendly Cowboy” – Loop 289 @ Spur 327 (outside the Loop)
Pink “Friendly Cowboy” – Marsha Sharp Freeway & Avenue L
The project is a collaboration of Texas Department of Transportation, Tornado Industrial/Arts, and Lubbock Arts Alliance. The Texas Department of Transportation provides the concrete pads for the artwork and Tornado Industrial/Arts coordinates the logistics including installation and removal of each piece. The Arts Alliance facilitates the selection of public art pieces, contracts with selected artist, pays the artist and shipping fees, seeks additional funding, and promotes the program to residents and visitors. The project is funded by the Sessions Family Foundation and the City of Lubbock/Civic Lubbock Cultural Grants Program.
