For many fairgoers, the State Fair of Texas offers opportunities that are far more significant to them than riding the Texas Star and seeing how many fried delicacies they can scarf down in a day. First and foremost, there are the solid-as-steel employees who work 12-to-15 hour days and longer, sometimes in grueling conditions such as 106-degree temperatures, tumultuous rainstorms or surprising but welcome 58-degree days. They do it to entert...

At 10:15 a.m. Oct. 19, reports came in that the iconic cowboy who welcomes fairgoers had caught on fire. The fire came on the last weekend of the 2012 fair and Texas Storm Chasers has posted audio of the call on YouTube. Dallas Fire-Rescue units had a some fun reporting updates. "Got a rather tall cowboy with all his clothes burned off," one responder said. "Howdy folks, it's hot," said another.

Mayor Mike Rawlings joined the skeletons, ghosties and long-leggety beasties who roamed the halls of the Bath House Cultural Center last Sunday night, Oct. 14, for the opening reception of the 26th Annual Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) Exhibition. He viewed art and talked with artists, including student artists of the Thriving Minds After-School Program. He also met with Marty Van Kleeck, manager of the Center, and Susan Lecky, president...

Pure Sculpture hosted the début of Jessica Jesse’s sculpture series, Women of Importance, on October 12. The reception with the artist, in the Gene and Jerry Jones Great Hall at the Meadows Museum at SMU, featured Jesse’s 10 life-size sculptures, which together form an awe-inspiring installation of color, texture and form. Described as a “collection of floral grand dames,” these individual pieces draw the eye and imagination to the most minut...

Every famous artist or writer started somewhere. The next generation of artists and writers might start right in the halls of Lakehill Preparatory School. Senior Lauren Davenport recently won the Best in Show Award in the Up-and-Coming Artists Display at the Lakewood Summer Arts Faire (LSAF) held in September. Lakehill’s art department received a $250 donation for her honor. Every year LSAF brings together leading local artists and the East ...