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Art in a Day
Always something new to discover
This past weekend, my family spent an entire day enjoying the art around McKinney. We’ve visited a dozen times but are always jumping from one activity to the next and hadn't specifically focused on art before. We found that we loved the bold artwork throughout the city and that we were able to enjoy it at our own relaxed pace.
Our youngest recently learned the life cycle of a butterfly so I knew the butterfly sculptures would be right up her alley. She carefully observed each “buttahfwy” before declaring the gorgeous blue one by the parking garage her favorite. I reminded my twins about their very first Halloween when they dressed up as the hungry caterpillar and beautiful butterfly. That feels like a lifetime ago!
Great Murals for Selfies
While we were downtown, we took silly selfies in front of the murals and then enjoyed the sweet reprieve of air conditioning at MPAC while gazing at the public art collection on the walls.
Unique, home-grown art
For lunch, we requested a corner booth at 11/17 and enjoyed the artwork on their walls from McKinney high schoolers. As someone who has difficulty drawing stick figures, I was blown away by the creativity and precision of area teens!
We knew we wanted to visit the UNIQUE letters and the kids needed to burn off some energy after lunch, so we drove to the newly renovated Cottonwood Park and each took a turn being the “I” in Unique. We asked each of the kids what made them unique and it was fun hearing their imaginative answers.
Creating our own souvenirs
It drives my husband crazy, but I have to purchase a souvenir anytime we take a trip. Rather than my usual mug, we decided to create our own souvenirs at Walls of Clay where we painted our own pottery.
We each selected a different piece and got to work. One child finished her artwork in less than 12 seconds, while another painstakingly painted what would become his new (and “most favorite”) piggy bank.
I was thrilled to hear the store would fire each piece at a later date, so that we’ll have to make a return trip to pick them up!
Enjoying Nature's Art
The sun was just starting to set when I asked if we could make one more stop at the Crape Myrtle Trails of McKinney. My childhood home was surrounded by crape myrtles and I knew I wanted to end my day in this quiet sanctuary. Nature has a way of being the most beautiful masterpiece of all. As the kids shared a snack on the lawn, I silently walked the pathways and breathed in the fresh air.