06/01/2025
🌈 Dallas Loves You — And So Do I 🌈
I’m beyond thrilled to share this 8’ x 8’ digitally illustrated photo op backdrop, commissioned by the Museum of Art in celebration of Pride Month! The project was brought to life with art direction and collaboration from the incredible team at Branding & Marketing. Huge thanks to Compton-Kelly for connecting me with Heather Fittz —I'm incredibly grateful for the opportunity.
The creative brief called for something that captured the spirit of Dallas and its love for the LGBTQ+ community. What better way to do that than featuring the iconic landmarks of the Dallas Arts District—including the Museum of Art, Sculpture Center, and Museum of Asian Art—paired with a vibrant tribute to Lawn/Cedar Springs (The Strip, The Gayborhood), complete with its unmistakable rainbow crosswalks.
To ground the piece in Texas pride, I included bluebonnets and yellow roses, our state flower—symbols of resilience, beauty, and home.
But this project was especially meaningful because the team was seeking a local LGBTQ+ artist. I haven’t thought of myself as an "artist" in a while—these days, I serve as the Marketing & Operations Manager at Hope Charities, supporting LGBTQ+ youth experiencing housing insecurity. Yet creating this reminded me of my roots.
💭 My journey as an artist began long before Adobe Illustrator. In junior high, I took a graphic arts class that planted the seed. But it was Mr. Johnson, my high school art teacher, who truly changed my life. He brought a representative from the Institute of Dallas to our AP Art class, and that visit set the course for everything that followed. That single moment sparked the decision to move to Texas, major in graphic design, and ultimately become what I affectionately call an “OK-Texan.”
In high school, I was the art nerd—always experimenting with pencil, charcoal, colored pencil, pastels, and mixed media (yes, even corrugated cardboard!). Back then, I never imagined I’d create a large-scale public art piece that celebrates q***r love and community in a city I now call home.
✨ And here's the full-circle moment: years ago, I applied to work at the Dallas Museum of Art. Now, my art will be featured there for Pride Month. Life has a way of guiding us exactly where we need to be.
You can find this backdrop on display at the Dallas Museum of Art during the Dallas Arts District Pride Block Party on June 20. If you visit, snap a photo and tag me—I’d love to see how this piece is received by the community it was made for.
💛💙💜💚🧡❤️ Dallas Loves You. And I do too. Happy Pride, y’all.