Denison -- With its colorful, rejuvenated downtown and thriving art community, Denison is always an entertaining destination for residents and visitors alike. But this past weekend was a perfect example why Denison is one of only 16 cities in Texas to be officially designated as an Art and Cultural District by Texas Commission on the Arts.
Denison's annual spring celebration of its unique heritage and historic connection to the wine industry, "Kick Back and Say Cheers," was a three-day event that featured a tour of eight local wineries, extended shopping hours at downtown galleries, free tours of "Vinita," T.V. Munson's restored home, and gourmet dining with wine pairings.
The main event was held under a large tent in Heritage Park on Saturday and this was a chance to enjoy a collaboration of the arts -- painting, music, pottery and the culinary arts. However, there was another art in the spotlight, namely the art of making fine Texas wine. Representatives of Grayson Hills Winery, Homestead Winery, Marker Cellars, Lenoir Sage, Los Pinos, Paris, Landon and Red Road wineries were serving samples of their unique savory wines.
As visitors compared wines and enjoyed food provided by 413 Café & Bakery and the Paper Plate, they could also talk to artists such as Dr. Donna Finch Adams and David MacSmith. This was a one-in-a-lifetime opportunity to hear a talented harpist, Laurel McConkey, perform the Guns N' Roses classic, "Sweet Child O' Mine."
"I like to play songs people don't particularly expect to hear from a harp," remarked McConkey.
The next musician to perform was gifted jazz trumpet soloist Alan Isley and the soaring riffs added to the ambience of the special afternoon.
At the west end of the tent, a budding potter was slowly forming a bowl during her first session on a spinning pottery wheel as clay artist Robert Ostman offered pointers and encouragement.
Outside the tent, visitors made their way through booths displaying everything from artwork to one-of-a-kind homemade drums as the scent of spicy Mexican food being served up fresh by another vendor filled the air.
On Saturday, the public was invited to take free tours of Vinita, the historic home of world-renowned viticulturist T.V. Munson. The classic Italian Victorian structure was the setting for many of Munson's scientific contributions to horticulture which led to the remarkable recognition of Cognac, France as the sister city of Denison, Texas.
