After spending two and a half glorious months in New Orleans, we moved on to Houston TX. On our way to Jetstream RV Resort, we passed incredible roadside art in Houston Texas!
Spider on the Grass
We had passed this eclectic menagerie of metal sculptures a few times. But we were never close enough to be able to get photos. Finally, on our way back from visiting downtown Houston, our GPS directed us right alongside those whimsical sculptures.
Meep Meep – It’s a Roadrunner!
It was so much fun to get a really good look at the couple dozen sculptures that include everything from an armadillo to a roadrunner to King Kong.
The Ladybug and the Cows
It all started back in 1987. Suddenly a concrete hippo magically appeared on the grounds of Texas Pipe and Supply, on a 2 acre field at the intersection of SR288 and Bellfort Avenue. The hippo had been rescued from where it originally was displayed because it was deemed too clunky and old. But that hippo wasn’t lonely for long. It was soon joined by a similarly rescued rhino.
After that came Snoopy, who was behind the wheel of a sporty twin tailed airplane. At some point the series of rescued statues was augmented with new creations, most of which were created by Ron Lee. Lee was employed as a welder at Texas Pipe and Supply for more than 50 years. He passed away in 2017 and never exhibited his work anywhere else.
The pieces that were not created by Lee were made by Mark Rankin, a light metals artist. But since Lee’s death no new works have joined this weird roadside menagerie..
The Fly and The Rhino
There are so many wonderful pieces there! The collection includes cubist style armadillo that shares a grassy mound with a sleek roadrunner. Near that dynamic duo a dragon stands threateningly on its hind legs, joined by King Kong scaling a boom crane and a stegosaurus-like dinosaur. There’s a colorful grasshopper zipping through the air as well as a 20-foot tall spindly legged spider.
It’s a Bird, It’s a Plane, It’s Super Owl
The public sculpture garden also has an enormous chrome owl with outspread wings ready to attack an unlucky mouse, along with colorful cows floating on high. One of my favorite pieces is a giant fishing rod and reel that appears to have hooked a bright red pickup truck.
Truck on!
Many of these fabulous metal sculptures have been created out of scrap from Texas Pipe and Supply, owned by the Rubenstein family. Their love for art prompted them to create this fabulous roadside art collection in Houston Texas that includes handmade metal sculptures by local and famous artists.
