Texas Deco: Constructing a Modern Identity in the Lone Star State

  • Sunday, August 30, 2020
  • 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
  • The Zoom link for this live online event will be emailed several days before the program to those who have registered

Registration

  • Special discount for members of fellow Art Deco Societies


About the Program:

The Art Deco Society of New York’s series of web-based illustrated talks inspired by our Destination DecoTM travel program continues with an exciting virtual “visit” to Texas with David Bush and Jim Parsons of Preservation Houston.

This online presentation will explore how Texas began to shed its rural agrarian past and develop an economy based on manufacturing, shipping, and oil in the 1920s and 30s. We will see how state and city leaders worked to build an appropriately modern image for the Lone Star State—and to our delight, Art Deco proved the ideal design language!

Get your ticket today to see how Texas built Deco skyscrapers, courthouses, and railroad stations; modernistic schools and hospitals went up in smaller towns; and a statewide movement to mark the centennial of Texas independence from Mexico resulted in the construction of Fair Park in Dallas, which today is one of the world’s only surviving 1930s-era exposition grounds.

During their web-based illustrated presentation, David Bush and Jim Parsons will discuss some of the state’s most stunning modernistic designs and how architects regionalized national and international design movements deep in the heart of Texas.

Even though this event is online, it will include a live PowerPoint—with wonderful images that you will be able to see directly on your computer screen, tablet, or mobile device––as well as a Q&A session with participants. 

This talk is at 1:00 p.m. (EST), which makes it open to Deco enthusiasts everywhere. However, if you aren't able to join us at the time of the live program, no problem! Those who sign up for the event will receive a recording of the entire program a few days after the live presentation––which you can watch at a time more convenient for you. 

About the Speakers:

David Bush, Preservation Houston's Executive Director, was born and raised in New Orleans, where he developed his interest in historic architecture. He holds a master's degree in historic preservation from Middle Tennessee State University and has worked professionally in preservation since 1990, spending most of his career with Galveston Historical Foundation and Preservation Houston.

Jim Parsons, a Texas native, puts a passion for the state's history and architecture to work coordinating programs and educational outreach as Programs Director for Preservation Houston. In addition to his preservation work, Jim has written about and photographed cities across the United States as a freelance author, editor, and photographer.

David and Jim are the authors of four books on Art Deco architecture in Texas, including DFW Deco: Modernistic Architecture of North Texas (2017, TCU Press).

About Preservation Houston:

Preservation Houston (PH) is Houston’s only citywide nonprofit historic preservation education and advocacy organization. Since it was founded in 1978, PH has voiced strong support for better public policy and protection of the city’s irreplaceable historic resources. Its members, volunteers, and staff have been instrumental in the adoption of a citywide preservation ordinance, the designation of local landmarks and historic districts, and the development of a preservation ethic in the Bayou City. As a member of ICADS, PH has also worked to raise awareness of Art Deco design in Houston and across Texas.

Registration:

How to Register for ADSNY's Web-based programs:

  • Click the gold  Register  button located to the left of the "About the Program" section
  • Enter the requested information in the registration form and follow the instructions to pay online and complete your registration
  • In a few moments, you will receive an email confirmation of your registration
  • Several days before the program, you will receive an email with the link and password to join your Zoom event

For more information on Zoom, check out our How-to webpage

If you are having difficulty registering for this program please check the settings on your web browser to make sure that cookies and cross-site tracking are enabled. We recommend registering for programs through a desktop. If you need further assistance registering for this event, please email Info@ArtDeco.org, let us know which events you would like to register for, and we will send you an invoice.

If you have a Household Membership and would like to take advantage of the reduced member ticket for both members, each ticket will need to be purchased separately under the name and email address of each member. If you are having difficulty, please email Info@ArtDeco.org, let us know which events you would like to register for, and we will send you an invoice. 

    All ticket sales are final. Sorry, there are no refunds or exchanges.

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