When it comes to 2020 and COVID-19, people have a mixture of emotions they want to express. A new painting hanging in Southlake Town Hall might reflect what some people are experiencing during unprecedented times.
In July, former Carroll ISD art teacher Gayle Bunch started creating art to express her feelings on COVID-19. After Southlake Mayor Laura Hill stumbled onto one of her pieces online, she commissioned her to create one for the city of Southlake.
“I always look to art when I am trying to capture a special moment in time,” Mayor Hill says to MySouthlakeNews.com. “The pandemic has certainly not been special in the traditional sense of the word. I knew the minute I saw Gayle’s piece that it was the perfect way to capture the impact of the pandemic on our citizens.”
Gayle’s painting, titled “Southlake Together 2020,” portrays the American flag with a variety of red, white and blue words scattered all over it. Some of those words include “COVID-19,” “Fear,” “Uncertainty,” “Better Together,” “6 feet apart,” “The New Normal” and “#SouthlakeStrong.” There’s also a tribute to public works employee Darlene Rubio, who passed away in April from COVID-19.
“A mentor told me once that the painting talks to you and tells you what it needs. That’s exactly how I approached this one,” Gayle says to MySouthlakeNews.com. “Artists record the times, and that is what the painting is about.”
The “Southlake Together 2020” painting is currently hanging in Southlake Town Hall. You can see it for yourself at 1400 Main Street.