McKinney -- Saturday was set aside for art in downtown McKinney and Sunday went to the dogs as the skies cleared for the 11th annual Krewe of Barkus Mardi Gras dog parade and costume contest.
Every parking place in the heart of historic downtown McKinney was occupied Saturday evening as art galleries welcomed visitors to appreciate exhibits by regional artists and shoppers took advantage of extended hours of businesses participating in the city's monthly Second Saturday event.
As visitors walked streets dampened by a falling mist outside, inside Laura Moore's Fine Art Studios the crowd paused to study "Street Walkers in Vienna" and 40 other impressionistic realism watercolor paintings that comprised Jeffrey K. Jensen's exhibit, Street Level.
Jensen's street scenes will be on display at Laura Moore Fine Art Studios located at 107 South Tennessee in downtown McKinney through March 6. For more information, visit www.lauramooreart.com or call 214-914-3630.
On the north side of the McKinney Square, artist Jake Dobscha welcomed the Second Saturday crowd to his spacious loft studio. An equally gifted sculptor and painter who doesn't shy away from thought-provoking images and evocative concepts, Dobscha has carved out a unique position in the McKinney art scene.
Garret Art Gallery and Orison's also featured regional artists for this latest Second Saturday event.
On Sunday, more than 250 entries paraded through downtown McKinney as the 11th annual Krewe of Barkus Mardi Gras dog parade and costume contest attracted a crowd estimated at 4,000 people to this popular, family-friendly event.
