Commuters traveling west on Memorial Drive Thursday afternoon got an unexpected sighting at the Waugh Drive interchange — preparations for the Houston Arts Alliance's "Under the Blue Trees" pop-up party. By the time the sun went down, guests were mingling among the vivid blue trunks of crepe myrtles, transformed in March by artist Konstantin Dimopoulos and a host of volunteers.
Chaired by Divya and Chris Brown and Kate and Will Stukenberg, the party was just one in a series of happenings that have taken place in the intersection green space that have included marriage proposals, yoga classes, photo ops and more.
The Blue Trees are part of Dimopoulos' international installations created to draw attention to the plight of trees in our deteriorating environment. HAA invited the artist to work his magic in Houston in response to the devastating loss of trees during the 2011 drought and from Hurricane Ike. (No worries, the trees are colored with biologically-safe, water-based ultramarine mineral pigments that fade with time.)
The cocktail party festivities included music by Divisi Amp'd and entertainment by Frame Dance Productions.
Among those enjoying the Blue Trees esthetics were HAA CEO Jonathan Glus and Alton LaDay, Houston city council member Mike Laster and Cindy Clifford, Susieand Sanford Criner, Judy Nyquist, Fabene Welch, Philamena and Arthur Baird, Ting and John Bresnahan, Jenny and Mark Johnson, John Bradshaw Jr. and Travis Jenner.
Philamena and Arthur Baird at HAA's Under The Blue Trees Pop-Up Party.
