Art in the Park

What's new at Richardson's Cottonwood Art Festival this autumn

Cooler temps herald the return of one of Richardson's most highly anticipated events: Cottonwood Art Festival. Held at Cottonwood Park October 7-8, this free celebration of all things arty has plenty of new and exciting additions in store. Here's your sneak peek at what not to miss that weekend.

Featured artist Gregory Arth
The Colleyville-based artist is the very definition of diverse, dabbling in contemporary Cubist sculpture, Old World-style murals, and Impressionistic paintings. Arth got his start designing sets and painting theatrical backdrops, and that sense of drama has never left his work — at one time, he even specialized in painting underwater scenes on swimming pool bottoms. His well-known tree series features heavily in this year's festival marketing, with the "dream trees" representing the repository of our dreams in case we lose them.

Craft beer garden
What goes better with fine art than fine beer? The offerings at this year's Lakeside Courtyard comprise an epic lineup of craft beer from mostly local breweries, all of which pair exceptionally well with the assortment of food that's available from the festival's vendors. In this oasis for craft beer-lovers you'll find: Revolver Blood and Honey, Rahr Ugly Pug, Lakewood Lager, Blue Moon, Shock Top Belgian White, Deep Ellum Blonde, Deep Ellum Neato Bandito, Bishop Crackberry Cider, Community Witbier, Franconia Dunkel, Bud Light, and brews from Richardson's own 4 Bullets Brewery.

Not a beer fan? Margaritas, prosecco, and wine are also available. And don't forget that Mimosa Mornings begin at 10 am, giving early birds the opportunity to enjoy a delightful morning beverage.

Live music performances
The lineup for this year's concerts on the Courtyard Stage includes musician Devin Leigh, a favorite who frequently plays at The Rustic, and The Free Loaders, who regulars at The Free Man in Deep Ellum will certainly recognize. Also catch sets from La Pompe, Raquel Lindemann, RJ Ballard, FogHouse Band, Bob Culbertson, Heather Little, Davis & Rose, The 3 Amigos, and Chaz Marie. Performances start early and play well into the evening on both the Courtyard Stage and the Food Court Stage (the festival itself runs 10 am-7 pm on Saturday and 10 am-6 pm on Sunday).

When you're not sipping suds or tapping your toes at a concert, don't forget the main reason why Cottonwood has been a Richardson staple for more than 40 years: its more than 200 museum-quality works from some of the country's top artists and craftsmen. The juried art show receives more than 800 submissions and pares those down to the selection you'll get to enjoy in October. You'll find jaw-dropping pieces in 14 categories — everything from ceramics and glass to painting, pastels, photography, and sculpture. There are even categories for such specialized skills as jewelry, leather, metalwork, fiber, wood, digital art, and 2-D and 3-D mixed media.

The ArtStop Children's Area ensures that pint-size Picassos also get in on the fun, with interactive workshops and arts-and-crafts projects so fun they might make adult jealous. It doesn't get any cooler than this, so be sure to mark your calendar for Cottonwood Art Festival.

Cottonwood has been one of Richardson's most beloved festivals for more than 40 years.

Photo courtesy of Cottonwood Art Festival

Cottonwood has been one of Richardson's most beloved festivals for more than 40 years.

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Museum News

2 Dallas museums partner on landmark Roy Lichtenstein acquisition

Courtesy

Roy Lichtenstein

The Dallas Museum of Art (DMA) and the Nasher Sculpture Center will present works from the joint acquisition of more than 50 artworks generously gifted by the Roy Lichtenstein Foundation in 2024, showing prints, drawings, and sculptures by the groundbreaking American artist at the two neighboring institutions in the Dallas Arts District.

According to a release, the installations will be on view from January 31 to August 16, 2026 at the Nasher and from January 1 to July 5, 2026 at the DMA.

The joint gift made by the Roy Lichtenstein Foundation to the DMA and the Nasher in Celebration of the Centennial of Roy Lichtenstein is comprised of a selection of prints, drawings, maquettes, and sculptures by Roy Lichtenstein (1923–1997), a leading figure in twentieth-century American art and a pioneer of the Pop Art movement.

The works were specifically selected by the curatorial staff of both institutions and relate to objects already in their respective collections including sculptures, works on paper, and maquettes, along with tools and study objects.

Organized by the Nasher Sculpture Center’s Senior Curator Dr. Catherine Craft, The Nancy and Tim Hanley Assistant Curator of Contemporary Art at the DMA Ade Omotosho, and The Allen and Kelli Questrom Assistant Curator of Prints and Drawings at the DMA Dr. Emily Friedman, the presentation is divided according to each institution’s strengths and will be shown in combination with objects by Lichtenstein already in their respective permanent collections.

At the Nasher, works relating to three sculptures from the Raymond and Patsy Nasher Collection—Head with Blue Shadow, Peace through Chemistry, and Double Glass—will be accompanied by a selection from the Foundation's gift of more than two dozen drawings and maquettes associated with Lichtenstein’s Brushstroke sculptures.

At the Dallas Museum of Art, the presentation features a set of Brushstroke sculptures carved from wood alongside various prints and studies that reveal the artist’s eclectic imagery.

Events
In addition to the exhibition, the DMA and the Nasher will co-host a Study Day focused on the artist on March 28, 2026, sponsored by the Roy Lichtenstein Foundation. This scholarly event will bring together a variety of curators, academics, and conservators to discuss Lichtenstein’s studio practice and the fabrication and conservation of his sculptures.

Concluding the Study Day will be a public conversation held at the DMA between Nasher Director Carlos Basualdo and artist Alex Da Corte, regarding Da Corte’s work on the forthcoming Lichtenstein retrospective at the Whitney Museum of American Art.

“In bestowing this generous gift, the Roy Lichtenstein Foundation established Dallas as a center for the study and display of Lichtenstein’s work,” Basualdo says in a statement. “This collaborative presentation of the gift and the corresponding programming is an important step in the direction of pursuing that goal, deepening the understanding of an artist who remains immensely influential to contemporary art and its relationship with mass media and today’s culture.”

Roy Lichtenstein is made possible by support from the Roy Lichtenstein Foundation and the Dallas Tourism Public Improvement District (DTPID).

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