Intimate Apparel and Pearl Earrings, Donald Lipski, 2005
SERVICES PROVIDED: Design coordination, Materials research, Budget management, Engineering coordination and oversight, Fabricator bid process, Fabrication oversight, Shipping, Installation services, Scheduling, Project close-out.
We worked with artist Donald Lipski to create a massive “Texas Star” measuring 28’ across and 7’ wide. This collaborative work of art is made from around 400 cowboy hats attached to a tubular steel frame at the Fort Worth Convention Center. The piece was truly a community effort, as all the hats were donated by the people of Fort Worth and elsewhere in Texas. It includes hats given by Governor Rick Perry, George H. W. Bush, rodeo and country-western stars, movie cowboys, and at least one ex-president. It hangs suspended by a cable and slowly turns by the power of the HVAC system. Special thanks to Garlene Parris who gave us three hats: the hat she wore when the title of the youngest World Champion Cowgirl was bestowed on her at age five; the hat her mother wore when she became National Champion Cowgirl at Madison Square Garden; and the hat she was given when she retired after 25 years working at the King Ranch. In recognition of Garlene Parris and her tireless efforts on this project, Lipski included her name in the title of the work Intimate Apparel and Pearl Earrings in the form of an anagram.
Select text and images courtesy of Donald Lipski.
