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Towering figures: City approves $21K outlay for highway art featuring McConaughey, Los Palominos




A 12-foot tall art piece by John Cerney depicting the late actor, James Dean, stands at the entrance to Marion, Indiana

Uvalde is getting three 12 to 18 feet high wooden art pieces depicting Matthew McConaughey, Los Palominos, and Dale Evans, after city council members approved the Uvalde Area Development Foundation’s request for about $21,400.

The funds are to come from hotel occupancy tax revenue.

Uvalde Area Chamber of Commerce past president Karla Radicke addressed council on April 11 to say the artwork is a passion project of Uvalde Area Development Foundation vice president Kelly Faglie, who began working on the idea about two years ago.

The art pieces will dot Highway 90, with McConaughey placed at the intersection of Hacienda Road; Los Palominos, in the 300 block of East Main Street at the Uvalde Area Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Center across from H-E-B; and Dale Evans, west of town at the Uvalde County Fairplex.

James Arreola, lead vocalist for Grammy Award winning Tejano band Los Palominos, said he was surprised but pleased to hear of the art project moving forward. 

“It’s amazing. I’m really happy and surprised. I’m happy to know that the city of Uvalde considers us to be part of the background of the community of Uvalde. We were born and raised in Uvalde and we’ve been active there, with our festival contributing to the community,” Arreola said. “It’s an honor to be acknowledged.”

“I think it’s wonderful,” said Dale Evans’ longtime manager Dick Baxter, who went on to say how gracious Uvalde has always been to Evans and, now, her memory. “The painting on the drugstore is beautiful.”

Artist John Cerney, who will also install the artwork, has created cutouts along highways in Marfa, the midwest, and California. The New York Times, National Geographic, and Reader’s Digest have written about his artwork.

“This artist has a huge following. You may have seen some of his work in West Texas, but he is all over the United States, and they are very iconic,” Radicke said.

She said Cerney is booked several months in advance, and the group hopes he can begin the work in August. He will be in San Antonio in May, and hopes to come to Uvalde and view the suggested sites.

A 15-by-12 foot art piece Carney created in 2018 to feature rodeo clown Andy Burrell with his barrel at the Salinas Sports Complex in California.

Council member Everardo “Lalo” Zamora said the city will need to consider parking for the first spot, as the Hacienda Road intersection with U.S. Highway 90 is busy, and public safety is paramount. He said a parking solution in addition to the current small area may be needed, to avoid visitors having to cross Hacienda Road when seeking a photo with the art piece.

Mayor Don McLaughlin Jr. said there may be others who can be represented in artwork as the project proceeds.

Radicke said initial picks were chosen after considerable thought.

“We thought these three were the most well-rounded and best group to start with, and certainly I think that this project could expand over the years,” Radicke said.

The city is not funding the mural of Evans. Radicke said the Uvalde Area Development Foundation has spoken with Texas Hill Country River Region staff, who administer county HOT tax revenue, and they hope to receive the $6,200 from them.

“Essentially, our goal is to beautify Uvalde County with a warm and unexpected welcome for visitors through giant highway art. Three murals standing 12-18 foot tall each will greet guests at different locations throughout the county,” Radicke said. “They’ll highlight some of Uvalde’s history, serve as a unique platform for content marketing, and advertising as guests post their pictures with tags on social media.”

She said hashtags can be created, and other relevant information can be placed on the artwork. Because the art enhances the area, promotes tourism, and can be used as signage to direct people to area attractions, it meets conditions needed to utilize HOT tax.

Radicke said the goal is to complete the project by the end of the year, in plenty of time to been seen by the large influx of people expected in 2024 for the April solar eclipse and summer World Gliding Championships.

She said though she knew the project cost seems large, it lessens over time as compared with the average area rental of a billboard. Radicke said area billboards go for $800 per month, so the cost of the McConaughey piece is equivalent to 8.5 months of billboard rental and the Los Palominos piece, 17 months. She said the giant highway art pieces are expected to last 8-10 years.

City resident Diana Olvedo-Karau asked if the money came from the Uvalde Area Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Center, who administers a portion of the hotel occupancy tax. 

Chamber director John Yeackle said funds will come from the hotel occupancy tax revenue the city holds. 

Yeackle said he was given a budgeted portion, about $325,000, for fiscal year 2023, which ends in September. The city holds the remainder of the revenue, and anyone asking for non-budgeted expenditures over $10,000 must present their project to Yeackle, then seek approval from city council.

City manager Vince DiPiazza said typical revenue has been around $400,000 to $500,000, but last year they collected close to $700,000.

Olvedo-Karau asked if Uvalde Area Development Foundation had researched how much impact Cerney’s art had on communities where it was located, and if there was any direct correlation to improved tourism numbers.

Radicke said the extensive following for the art may be seen on social media such as Facebook, which depicts the tourism promotion created via photos and hashtags.

JKEEBLE@ULNNOW.COM, 830-278-3335