On Saturday, May 10 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at Heritage Park on 600 Spinks Road, it’s your chance to celebrate the lovely spring month of May, the arts, creativity, connection, the Flower Mound community, local art vendors and the magic of food trucks. This year’s festival promises old familiar activities and some new and exciting ones to keep the festival fresh, always immersive and inspiring for artists and attendees. 

There will be live music on the Pavilion (Blue) Stage, including our local professional orchestra, the Lewisville Lake Symphony; the Bombshell Dance Project, a Dallas-based contemporary dance theater; the Dancing Divas, an Indian Dance Company; and Brave Combo, that wild and crazy dance band. More information is available online about each of these musical contributors to the festival. The live music will enhance both the festival arts experiences and a day spent at Flower Mound’s award-winning signature park. 

The Community (Green) Stage will feature other live performances from local companies offering Philippine Dance, Our Productions Theater Company’s Young Artists, Tribal Evolution, a belly dancing and flamenco group and the Dragon Claw Academy of Kung Fu. These diverse live events will be offered throughout the day.

The community art projects this year include adding pieces to the 4×4 puzzle murals, created by artists Beth Dilley, Lisa Chittenden, Steve Falkenberg, Murthy Mantha, Steven Rodriguez and Kelcie Sellers. In another area of the park, festival attendees can bring designs to life on a carefully curated selection of objects and also enjoy the 150 small wooden doors on display that were each designed by members of the Flower Mound community. 

As always, participants can do painting and other art activities and everyone can sit on and enjoy the six new art chairs painted by local artists Beth Dilley, Steve Falkenburg, Chuck Henderson, Rebecca J. Jones, Anita Robbins and Steven Rodriguez.

The Arts Festival at Heritage Park, established in 2021, is a direct result of Flower Mound’s 2018 Cultural Arts Master Plan. The festival showcases Flower Mound’s commitment to expanding artistic opportunities for residents thus creating a vibrant cultural identity.

The 2025 Arts and Humanities Programming Achievement Award – Class III was awarded to Flower Mound Parks and Recreation for their work hosting the Arts Festival at Heritage Park. The award honors departments with outstanding Arts and Humanities programs. Parks and Recreation groups from across the entire state of Texas were considered. It was an honor for Flower Mound Parks and Recreation to win such a prestigious award and see elements of the Cultural Arts Plan come to fruition. 

We are fortunate to have incredible sponsors supporting us, including notable partners such as CoServ and the Texas Commission on the Arts. Thanks to the town and our sponsors and volunteers, residents of all ages can come out and celebrate the joy of creativity with friends, family and the community. Mark your calendars for an exciting day of visual arts, live music and dance, immersive art projects, vendors and food trucks in the lovely setting of Heritage Park

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Grammy-Winning artist Brave Combo will headline the Flower Mound Arts Festival, which will be hosted at Heritage Park on Saturday, May 10 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Trying to define Brave Combo is like nailing Jell-O to a tree. It can’t be done, but you can have a great time in the attempt. They describe themselves as a nuclear or psychedelic polka band. No matter how you describe them, their music brings joy, excitement and the inspiration to dance to everyone who hears it.

Brave Combo is the Denton-based, internationally popular quintet that plays salsa, rock, classical, the blues, cumbia, zydeco, cha-cha, polka and so much more. Flower Mound is thrilled to have booked them for the Main Stage at the May 2025 Arts Festival. 

Carl Finch started the combo in 1979 and is the only remaining original member, who now plays with four other extraordinary musicians, arrangers, composers and performers, all determined to get audiences to hear music that can be enjoyed without any pre-conceived ideas. 

Carl learned about Polka by listening to Lawrence Welk and the $1 polka albums he purchased from Woolworths. He grew up listening to music he knew nothing about, but made a band that turned into something. He named the rock band Brave Combo because it’s brave to play polka music in a non-polka setting, and in 1979 rock bands were called combos.

Carl is an artist by degree with a bachelor’s degree in graphic design and a master’s in drawing and painting, but he makes his mark on the world through Brave Combo. His side passion is rescuing cats.  

A Swedish accordion player heard about the group from Texas playing accordion and polka music, then a Swedish folk music magazine invited Brave Combo on a Scandinavian tour. 

As Carl said, there they were, a Texas band, playing 50 miles from the Arctic Circle. Their popularity extended to many other countries, including Japan, France, Canada, the Netherlands, Austria and Denmark. They are popular at art and music festivals, colleges, folk festivals and clubs, playing with symphonies, state fairs, polka festivals and telethons. They have appeared at the Lincoln Center, the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, The Getty Center, have been guests on the “A Prairie Home Companion” and even appeared in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

“We walked between Woody Woodpecker and Dionne Warwick,” said Carl.

They have two Grammy awards, seven nominations and they, and their music, have appeared on dozens of television shows and in movies.

Brave Combo has contributed original music for ESPN, for the original PBS animated series “As the Wrench Turns,” performed with Tiny Tim and have produced more than 45 recordings.

Their first Christmas album was released in Japan and they were heavily coached in how to speak and sing in Japanese. Their music can be heard on YouTube or from their website bravecombo.com.

You haven’t lived until you’ve heard Brave Combo play the William Tell Overture, Hava Nagila, the Chicken Dance or the Hokey Pokey.  

Carl explained that there are elements in polka music that are constructed to create joy and energy. Polka music employs tension and release more than other types of music which makes the music fascinating, despite the “square” reputation polka music has had for generations.

Brave Combo is looking forward to entertaining at the May Arts Festival and taking any and all types of material and turning it into tightly played, infectious dance music.

Elizabeth Brannon serves on the Flower Mound Cultural Arts Commission.

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On March 21 & 22, the private room at Salerno’s Italian Restaurant will be transformed into an amazing art-filled space as local artists Anita Robbins, Marty Robbins, Lisa Chittenden, Susan Ferraro, and Suely Lohr showcase their unique and inspiring work. Guests will enjoy specially prepared appetizers and craft cocktails and then sit down to a hearty three-course meal paired with carefully selected Landon wines.

The idea for “Artists & Chefs” came from producer Scott Browning, who received his Master of Fine Arts in Film Production from University of Southern California, spent a dozen years in feature film production then started his own company. To date, Scott has completed three one-hour episodes featuring artists and chefs in Fort Worth, McKinney and Amarillo, and eight half-hour episodes filmed in private homes throughout the state. The Highland Village event is Scott’s newest venture and will provide attendees an opportunity to meet these artists, see their works in an intimate setting and enjoy a carefully planned culinary experience as the cameras roll.

Suely Lohr is one of the featured artists. Suely is a well-known local artist who works in fused glass. She explains that her art is an obsession because she couldn’t live without her art or the creation of it. Her inspiration comes from anywhere and anything and she has a real fondness for color, possibly due to being born and raised in Brazil. Suely has devoted a lifetime to mastering her craft and some of her best pieces will be on display at the Artists & Chefs event.

Lisa Chittenden is another featured artist who helps drive the local art scene through her own works and through her leadership as current president of the Visual Art League of Lewisville. Susan Ferraro is an art educator and featured contemporary artist who shares her diverse life experiences through her works. Anita Robbins is the owner of ART House and has received multiple awards for her work both locally and nationally. Marty Robbins is an engineer and professional fused glass artist, whose work celebrates the relationship between science and art. Despite the differences in their art, each of these prolific artists will tell you they are the happiest when they are creating. Thankfully, the works from these local artists will help transform the private room at Salerno’s into a “fine dining art cocoon.”

Tickets for this unique pairing of fine art, fine food and fine wines include all tips and gratuities and can be purchased at artistsandchefs.com/salerno. Mark your calendars for Friday or Saturday, March 21 or 22, 6 p.m. – 9 p.m. at Salerno’s Italian Restaurant, 2250 FM 407, Suite #130, Highland Village, 75077.

Like Sonny & Cher, Simon & Garfunkel and peanut butter & jelly, Artists & Chefs is poised to become one of the great duos of our time.

To learn more about Artists & Chefs, visit ArtistsAndChefs.com or look on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube @artistsandChefs.

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In 2025, there is a much-welcomed announcement that an arts facility will become a reality for Flower Mound! Discussion about and hope for an arts facility has existed for more than 20 years, so we’re privileged to be living in this very exciting time for the arts. The town leaders, staff and supporters of the arts are to be applauded for their vision and dedication to the goal of a better quality of life through arts and culture.

While we’re looking forward to an arts facility tomorrow, art endeavors and events have been available on an ongoing basis throughout the town for years, and 2025 is no exception to this legacy.

2025 will see the 5^th annual Arts Festival on May 10 at Heritage Park. Residents know the festival will include art vendors, food trucks, performances, community art projects and family-friendly arts activities.

Twice in 2025 (spring and fall) the town will host the very popular Chalk the Walk events that give all kinds of artists the opportunity to create fantastic public art.

The Art Walls of Flower Mound number four now – Town Hall, Senior Center, Community Activity Center and the Library. Art remains on display for varying amounts of time, from two months at the Town Hall and Library to four months at the CAC to several display timeframes at the Senior Center. Each art wall is an opportunity to view original art work from local artists. Current walls feature the works of Yvonne Gambino, Tina Alvarez, Kelcie Sellers, Jamie Jaco-Cooper, Rea Pleasant and Anna Mikhaela Reyes. All of these are one-of-a-kind art shows and not to be missed.

In 2025, Flower Mound will host Artist Meet & Greet programs at Town Hall (7) and the Senior Center (4-5) to provide opportunities for the community members and artists to connect. The photo above is from the recent Meet & Greet at the Senior Center, “Welcome to the Doll House,” featuring the macabre and unique art of Jamie Jaco-Cooper. This display will be up through February and is worth a visit.

The ever-popular Traffic Signal Box Art Project will have three signal boxes wrapped with art in 2025, contributing to Flower Mound’s support of public art and the beautification of the town. With the three boxes to be wrapped in 2025, it will bring a total of 21 works of art that bring a smile to drivers. The deadline for submissions for 2025 is Feb. 28.

Later in 2025 the town will once again host a Do Your pART, Make Some Art event and additional community arts projects, encouraging participants to contribute to new art creations in Flower Mound.

All of these new 2025 opportunities to appreciate and enjoy art are in addition to the existing bronze animals in Heritage Park, the baseball mural at Gerault Park, the Bunny Bench at the library and the local music and theatric groups who perform throughout the year.

There is an ever-evolving and growing vibrant arts community here in Flower Mound featuring diverse, interesting, creative and unique works, readily available to residents. The future of the arts in Flower Mound is bright and very exciting.

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To make VAL an integral part of the art community has taken a lot of work, support, manpower, creativity and a commitment to excellence. Lisa Chittenden, the current president, points out this didn’t happen overnight.

Over the years, the VAL met in various locations and displayed their art all around Lewisville. Their current location, the Lewisville Grand Theater & Center for the Creative Arts is a partner with the VAL. The Grand is a lovely facility that gives people a place to gather and allows VAL to reach into the community by giving VAL a place to host their exhibits, receptions, meetings, demonstrations, guest speakers, juried shows, workshops and art activities.

Working closely with the VAL team is the city of Lewisville and the staff at the Grand. Lisa Chittenden has the highest regard for the city and for the staff at the Grand. Those relationships have greatly impacted VAL and the programs VAL offers to the public and the arts community.

Each year VAL applies for a grant from Lewisville. As part of the grant funding process, VAL needs to demonstrate their activities bring people into Lewisville, into the Grand and into hotels and restaurants to spend money in Lewisville. VAL tracks Zip Code information from people who support and attend VAL activities. There is no question VAL brings people into Lewisville, year-round.

The 25+ member working team of the VAL includes directors, chairpersons, volunteers, officers and a Board of Directors. The artists are vested in VAL and in making it be successful. If an artist has an idea for something, that artist has to volunteer to make the plan work. Artist members routinely participate in and lead the activities. VAL is also a well-run non-profit, that other art organizations want to be like!

Goals for the future of VAL include expanding their reach, creating new programming, support of other arts groups and events, like ColorPalooza, and enhancing their ongoing programs, like monthly art talks, the Artist of the Month program, Fresh Ideas (their juried art show), free workshops, teacher discounts and increasing membership in VAL. The public, age 18 and above, can become members of VAL either as individuals or as part of a family, and people can become patrons of the VAL.

VAL gives back to the community in many ways, including Art Awards to LISD students (cash payments), a reception for student artists, a yearly program to give to a local charity where artists donate art works, a silent auction and all the proceeds are given to a charity (in 2025 VAL will partner with CCA for a food drive) and in the free and ever-expanding access to quality art work.

VAL has a robust partnership program with other arts groups, including the Lake Cities Ballet, the Greater Lewisville Community Theater, the Lakeside Arts Foundation, the Actors Conservatory Theater, the Lewisville Civic Chorale, and the Lewisville Symphony, to name a few. Art makes life better for us as individuals, as a community and for the artists who enjoy the free, high quality world VAL offers us.

To learn more, visit visualartleague.org/home

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Kathleen’s fascination with and love of art led her to hatch the first open studio tour with friend and fellow artist, Melodee Ramirez. Sweety Bowman joined the triumvirate in 2001 and the three Texas Women’s University Master of Arts graduates drove the art effort throughout southern Denton County for years.

From its inception, the Guild Tour gave visitors the opportunity to experience more closely how artists create their works.  Kathleen always liked to integrate some sort of “hands on” activity at her studio for the tour so that visitors could directly experience the joy of creating art.

Kathleen had both degrees in Art Education, and believed strongly that art could play a major role in developing a child’s self-image, confidence, and overall learning skills.

While living in Coppell in the 1980’s, she introduced elementary art education to the Coppell school system, first as a volunteer doing it just for the love of doing it, then later as a teacher who commuted throughout the system. She also worked with the State of Texas to establish standards and goals for teaching art to children.

Throughout her teaching career, she continued to produce art herself, and won various awards in juried shows throughout the Metroplex. Kathleen actively participated in creating murals in the Deep Ellum area, often recruiting family members to assist with large-scale images.

In the 80’s, she and other like-minded artists opened an art gallery in Old Town Coppell, where she began teaching privately to children and adults. This was the springboard for the business known as Studio Art House, which at its peak had locations in Coppell, Flower Mound, Southlake, and McKinney. Both of her daughters, Jennifer and Kayli, were inspired by their mom and joined her in creating this business, which they ran for 12 years before selling to the current owners, Anita and Marty Robbins.

Kathleen and her husband, Tim, purchased a property and an old tin horse barn that they converted to Kathleen’s “Red Barn Studio,” where she created large-scale paintings shown and sold throughout the area. Kathleen’s works are currently on display at Studio Art House, the Lewisville Grand, and permanently at The Bartonville Store.

Her passing this year leaves a large gap in the artist community, but her legacy ensures that the art will go on, thanks to old and new artists who were privileged to be a part of Kathleen’s influence. Artist, teacher, mentor, business woman, creator, community leader, muralist, friend, mother, wife…Kathleen House lived as a consummate artist throughout her life

In addition to viewing Kathleen’s works this season, the Flower Mound library will have a show by Deb Kreimborg called “The Gift of Winter.” Murthy Mantha’s art will be displayed at the Flower Mound Town Hall, and a children’s book, “The Sad Tree” by local author Brooke Hoffman and illustrator Rebecca J. Jones, will be available for purchase at local bookstores and online retailers. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to local non-profit Ally’s Wish, further extending the impact of this powerful, local story. This book was inspired by the Flower Mound tradition of making leafless trees come alive with festive decorations the day after Thanksgiving. “The Sad Tree” tells the story of two children who see a special tree while going through hard times at home. The tree becomes a symbol of joy, and the book aims to provide comfort and inspiration to children everywhere.

This December, let’s celebrate the holidays, artists and the art they have gifted us with throughout time.

(Special thanks to Tim House for contributing to this column.) 

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