Robert Hamilton and Cynthia Mulcahy (photos by Erin Ahlfinger)

As you drive down W. Davis Street in the heart of South Dallas, a field of sunflowers is the last thing you’d expect to see tucked among the single-story brick buildings, just blocks from the thriving Bishop Arts District. The fact that it’s so out of place in its surroundings is part of what makes this display of farming as public art so charming.

The project is a collaboration of the agricultural and artistic expertise of art dealer Cynthia Mulcahy and artist Robert Hamilton, who run Mulcahy Farms. They began looking for a site over a year ago, and chose the 1.6 acre plot in Oak Cliff for its location and visibility. The land was cleared and prepared for planting in March. Seventeen hundred and sixty Aztec Gold sunflower seeds went into the ground in a grid pattern under an ominous sky on a North Texas spring day. Days passed, and farming as art became entertainment as area residents and passerby took notice and began to express interest. Police, firemen, and bus drivers now honk in approval as they pass through their daily routes. “It really is like street theater,” notes Hamilton. “The traffic slows down.”

Jump for more.

Sunflower seed ice cream floats provided by Bolsa

Eight-inch golden flower heads and a picturesque sunset provided the backdrop for a reception and community picnic Saturday evening.  Fifty or so area residents and three highly cultured dogs came with blankets and cameras to admire the collaborative efforts of artist and nature. The chefs at Bolsa were kind enough to provide an adorable assortment of sunflower-themed treats including sunflower ice cream floats and butter cookies for neighbors to nibble on as they mingled.

As I sat on a bale of hay chatting with other guests, I began to understand that the contribution to the community was not the flowers themselves, but the opportunity to build the sense of community around them. “It’s great to get all the people out. It really brings the community together,” resident Victor Zimmerman comments. Nearly everyone there had noticed the plot while going about their daily routine and had been curious enough to seek more information. That search had brought them to this small plot of urban nature where they now connected with neighbors who also appreciated the opportunity to enjoy seventeen hundred flowers on the way to work each day.

Seventeen Hundred Seeds will remain on display at 715 W. Davis Street until it completes its natural lifecycle.

The plot from the Davis Street Side. The white box in the foreground contains an information sheet about the project.

Still life objects (photo by Desiree Espada and Kasumi Chow)

Forgive me, forgive me. I am four days late with this news that I have known about for awhile. One of our SideDish photographers, Desiree Espada, is one of 10 recipients selected for the Dallas Museum of Art’s 2012 Awards to Artists. You have seen her work all over our blog (like here and here), but outside of SideDish, she also does some amazing collaborative work with her friend Kasumi Chow. The DMA recently announced on its website the winners, and the Observer picked up the story including some quotes from Desiree. I just have to share because I know Desiree is too humble to make a big deal out of this, but Nancy and I couldn’t be more proud!

Hippie donuts will be served in a groovy setting.Photography by Desiree Espada.

SideDish photographer Desiree Espada roams the roads with her camera looking for good things to eat and shoot. Check out her photo essay of Bolsa Mercado. Then feast your eyes on what to expect when the Jerry Garcia of donut making, James St. Peter, opens Hypnotic Donuts on Sunday, January 29.

Glory be to the donut.

Interior seating. Kate Nelson of Piecurious makes curious donuts. Photography by Desiree Espada.

James St. Peter rings up a sale. Photography by Desiree Espada.

The Zoo Ropa with iced animal cookies. Photography by Desiree Espada.

Jenni's evil Elvis: peanut butter with banana and bacon. Photography by Desiree Espada.

Greek yogurt parfait and The Hypnotic. Photography by Desiree Espada.

The Canadian Health Care. Photography by Desiree Espada.

The Biscuit Board. Photography by Desiree Espada.

Biscuit with peanut butter and jelly. Photography by Desiree Espada.

Fried chicken biscuit and gravy. Photography by Desiree Espada.

Hypnotic Donuts: Inside out. Photography by Desiree Espada.

Team Hypnotic: Rachel Villarreal, Kate Nelson,and James Baker. Photography by Desiree Espada.

First, a few things to disclose. I talked to Dean Fearing’s about this endeavor because my memory isn’t what it used to be. Second, when you see “Sfuzzi,” it refers to the original, not the current (for the youngsters in the audience). Third, I know there are bound to be errors, too bad. This was the best I could do at 3:30 in the morning. Fourth, I have tried to update locations, but some are questionable, thus the “?”

Remember this chart is the first draft of a larger project. Looking forward to adding more names and connections.

Get it? Corn dog. Hah!

Here is a preview of some of the hip new t-shirts carnival workers will be wearing when the Texas State Fair opens on Friday. They were designed by the Belmont Icehouse in Deep Ellum. They will be available for purchase.

Pretty self-explanatory.

Fletcher's finest gets a loose mustard Devo do.

On Thursday, Sept. 22, from 7 to 10 pm, Jennifer Rubell’s Made in Texas exhibit at Dallas Contemporary will be: “…a participatory artwork involving Texas cuisine that is a hybrid of performance art, installation, and happening. Rubell’s large-scale, sensually arresting pieces often employ food and drink as media. Past works have included one ton of ribs with honey dripping on them from the ceiling,; 2,700 hard-boiled eggs with a pile of latex gloves nearby to pick them up; 1,521 doughnuts hanging on a free-standing wall; and a room-sized cell padded with 1,800 cones of pink cotton candy.

Made in Texas will make visible to human labor that is most often hidden inside the kitchens, factories, and warehouses of Texas business. One each of the seven large platforms, a living scene taken directly from a factory, workshop, or enterprise in the Dallas and Fort Worth area—including actual equipment, workers, materials, and ingredients—will be reenacted, from assembling tamales to pressing table linnens. The final product of this labor will be given to participants to eat, use, and consider.”

Fascinating.

Tickets are $100 for members or $200 for non-members.
Someone who is not a member can either pay $200 for a nonmember ticket or a total of $160 for a membership and a member ticket. A nonmember couple could either pay $400 for two nonmember tickets or a total of $300 for a couple’s membership and two member tickets.