Wiess Park, located at 300 North Post Oak Lane, is a beautiful 16-acre green space acquired by the Houston Parks and Recreation Department in 1941. Since 2009, it has served as the headquarters of the Houston Parks Board, whose mission is to expand, improve, and protect parks and greenspace throughout the greater Houston region.

 

Most of Wiess Park’s trails are naturally forested and preserved in their wild state, offering visitors an authentic outdoor experience. This hidden gem offers a peaceful retreat, allowing nearby residents to enjoy nature while exercising on its short paths and wooded trails.

 

Inspired by a long-standing vision from Houston Parks Board Officer and member Don Aron, the Art Trail of Wiess Park was conceived to enhance the park’s natural beauty with outdoor art installations and to enrich the linear corridor along North Post Oak Lane between Woodway and Memorial Drive.

 

In 2023, Houston Parks Board partnered with the Redbud Arts Center to bring this vision to life. In a collaborative community effort, all commercial and residential neighbors along North Post Oak Lane joined in support of the proposed Art Trail. Thanks to the generosity of Stablewood HOA, Bluestem Equity, The Houstonian Estates, and The Redstone Group, funding was secured to launch and sustain the initial nine-month exhibition of art in Wiess Park.

 

Seven unique art pieces were selected by the sponsoring committee and have been installed on a temporary basis. These works are available for private purchase through Redbud Arts Center.

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Curator’s Statement
 

Welcome to the Art Trail of Wiess Park Exhibition

An Exploration of Creativity and Expression

 

We are delighted to welcome you to this special outdoor exhibition, a celebration of creativity, innovation, and the power of visual storytelling. This exhibition brings together a diverse group of artists, each with a unique perspective and artistic voice. Through a wide range of sculptural mediums, their works invite you to see the world through new eyes and to experience the emotions, memories, and ideas that art can evoke.

 

Wiess Park is one of Houston’s hidden gems. Its serene environment, accessible by both roadway and park trails, offers the ideal setting for art that can be discovered during a walk or enjoyed from a passing glance, allowing art to become part of the landscape of daily life.

 

As you explore the exhibition, we encourage you to take your time with each work. Notice the colors, textures, materials, scale, and gesture. Each sculpture has its own story to tell, reflecting our shared humanity and inviting us to think more deeply about the world around us.

 

Michelle Matthews’ The Houston Monarch Story pays homage to the magnificent monarch butterfly — a symbol of beauty, migration, and renewal. Tim Glover uses reclaimed materials to create sculptural trees such as Liberty Tree that adapt to and echo their natural surroundings. Paul Kittelson brings us Cowboy Shiva, a joyful celebration of Texas heritage and humor. Jebhani Vargas’ Blue Heron feels right at home in this setting, bridging wildlife and imagination. Morgan Robinson’s Rip Curl offers a moment of reflection — a quiet, contemplative presence in the landscape. Carter Ernst’s patchwork dog sculpture, American Icon Redressed: Sitting Dog, seems to have wandered into the park and found its forever home. Jaymes Earl also contributes a sculptural tree form, The Geometree — its structure and presence beautifully harmonizing with the natural environment.

 

We are grateful for the opportunity to present this inaugural exhibition and extend our sincere thanks to Don Aron, Mindy Guthrie, and the Houston Parks Board for their vision and leadership in making this project possible.

 

Thank you for joining us in this celebration of artistic talent. We hope you find joy, inspiration, and perhaps a new perspective as you experience the artworks in the landscape of Wiess Park.

 

Warm regards,

Gus Kopriva

President, Redbud Arts Center

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SPECIAL THANKS

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Bluestem Equity

 

Houstonian Estates Homeowners Association

 

The Redstone Group

 

Stablewood Homeowners Association

 

Houston Parks Board:

Don Aron, Finance Committee Member and former Board of Director

Beth White, President and CEO

Mindy Guthrie, Senior Director of Development

 

Houston Parks and Recreation Department:

Kenneth Allen, Director

Tina Ortiz, Division Manager

 

City of Houston

 

Redbud Arts Center:

Gus Kopriva, Curator and President

Tanja Peterson, Executive Director

Joel Jebhani Vargas, Project Manager

 

Photographs of Sculptures:

Tanja Peterson
Tim Glover

Paul Kittelson

 

Catalog Design and Photo Editing:

Lynet McDonald