TWU has a long history of making history, and this week saw a new chapter inaugurated as Texas Woman’s University in Denton unveiled its first official mascot for the school. First TWU mascot, you say? Yep, it’s a long strange story that we’re more than glad to tell you about since it illustrates the school’s uniqueness from its very beginnings back in the day.
Read MoreMURAL POWER-DUO DISHES AT LSA
A slender silhouette with long dark hair and a firm handshake, Melanie Little Gomez Smith greets me warmly, with her husband Des Smith just behind her as we sit down to talk at the bar in West Oak on a breezy evening. Kambucha, their drink of choice, was their one precondition for our meeting spot.
Artists at their heart, the duo have seemingly explored it all, and are still -with only slight exhaustion but still enthusiasm -exploring it all. They do a diversity of art projects and mediums including photography, sculpting, mural painting, album art, music videos and more.
Most recently, within the span of two days the couple painted a mural that is funny, dark, thought-inducing all at the same time. A porpoise, a white rhino and other endangered, majestic species sit around table at LSA restaurant, coming together to resolve and discuss their looming fate of on-coming extinction.
Read MoreLOCAL BUZZ: AUGUST 2017
Local Buzz is our new quick and easy guide to the many different breweries and distilleries both in and around Denton County. Let’s be honest: When it comes to breweries, we’re a little spoiled. Sure, we may not yet have the name recognition that a lot of those Dallas gastropubs have, but the beer scene in Denton continues to flow with cool creativity thanks to a crop of longtime dedicated Denton denizens. This spring saw the arrival of two new breweries, which means it’s past time to round up all of the local spots where you can wet your whistle and sample some of the finest brew creations in and around Denton.
Read MoreNEW NON-PROFIT TO SUBSIDIZE HEALTHCARE FOR DENTON ARTISTS
Pursuing the music and arts as a career has never been known to be a financially easy or smooth path. Denton, a hot hub for budding artists and musicians is experiencing a population explosion says Nic Bagherpour. The problem this presents? Starving artists and musicians may find it more difficult to afford living here. Founders of the the new local nonprofit, the Denton Music and Arts Collaborative, have set out to combat that issue, starting with subsidizing health care for artists and musicians.
Read MoreSCENES FROM STOKE'S 1ST BIRTHDAY BASH
Denton's co-working space and entrepreneurial center, Stoke, held a celebration in honor of their first birthday earlier this week. We were there of course (who can resist free cupcakes?) and took a few photos. Check out a few photos of the event by WDDI-er, Danielle Marie Longueville, below. You
Read MoreFAREWELL TO THE TWU WIMBERLY BRIDGE
Sadly, another Denton icon has fallen. Due to the cruel whims of fate and physics, the much-beloved pedestrian bridge that has helped visually define the Texas Woman’s University campus was demolished on Wednesday, June 21st. It may have come as a shock to some of us, and with the re-opening of Bell Ave. some are just now noticing the bridge's absence, but the TWU crew offered a thoughtfully dignified farewell to this campus landmark that has offered safe passage to generations of students since back in the day.
Read MoreWHAT IS GOING ON WITH THE DENTON MUNICIPAL ELECTRIC INVESTIGATION?
Modern society has normalized demonizing institutions we are skeptical of, and hoisting sacrificial heads upon double-sharpened sticks has become commonplace. Calls to “drain the swamp” and revolutions to end the reign of tyranny are a cyclical occurrence which stems from the conflict between our innate desires of power and autonomy. When malfeasance is found we are ever thankful for this protection from it, but sometimes in our haste to root out evil we punish the innocent, and all too often it is uncertain in which of these scenarios we partook. This two-ended spear has now made its way to our city of Denton.
Read MoreSTOKE TURNS ONE!
Let’s be clear about one thing: Denton is nowhere near Silicon Valley.
Obviously this is true geographically, but it’s also true in the sense that people’s experiences in the tech industry in Denton are nothing like what you’ll find in the news or in TV shows like Silicon Valley.
The tech industry in Denton actually provides a refreshing counterpoint to some of the problems that plague Silicon Valley (i.e. lack of diversity, allegations of sexual harassment, etc..). This is reflected in the existence of places like Stoke, a co-working space and entrepreneurial center that opened in 2016. The people who choose to work at Stoke also reflect an ethos of consideration for the larger community. Read on to find out how you can help Stoke celebrate their one year anniversary later this week!
Read MoreNEW MURALS UP AT LSA
Local burger joint and outdoor music venue, LSA Burger Co, recently held their second annual live mural painting event. The event sees local artists painting new artwork over spaces on the widely-seen wall space of the second story outdoor patio of the popular restaurant. This year, LSA added pieces from Dan Black, Matthew Long, Zarina Kay, Gracie Piper, Malcolm Byers, Melanie Little Gomez, and Des Smith. We spoke with a few of them about their artwork and the process in general. You can read more at People of Denton or check out the artwork for yourself over at LSA. Let us know your favorite piece in the comments!
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