Silos mural project in McKinney brings community together as it is created

Before any paint went on any silos, Guido van Helten took some photos.

In fact, he took over 5,000 photos.

He also interacted with over 100 residents and immersed himself in the McKinney community, especially in the communities around the silos located near East Virginia and Main streets.

He visited local businesses, nonprofits, places of worship and a local middle school. And it was all part of a roughly two-month research process that would inform how he chose to tell the story of McKinney on a towering piece of history.

Now, the fruit of that research is beginning to emerge. Since mid-July, all eyes have turned to the silos off of State Highway 5 as figures begin to take shape on the blank canvas.

Andrew Jones, interim director of the McKinney Performing Arts Center and McKinney Main Street, said van Helten’s process was one of the reasons the city was interested in working with the mural artist.

“It’s a really unique process, and I think one of the reasons we were excited about him being interested and coming out and doing something in McKinney is because he does have this very community-focused process, and that’s unique for a lot of artists, and it takes a lot of patience and relationships and kind of willingness to meet people and go out there,” Jones said. “It’s a lot of effort that he went through to really make sure that the final work makes sense for the city. So that’s pretty neat and special.”

Progress on the silo project has sparked conversations both on and off social media as locals have gotten a front row seat to watching the creation of an artwork unfold in real time.

“It’s really been amazing to see just on social media and as well as physically at the site just like the impromptu watch parties and people coming out just to see his progress,” Jones said. “There is quite the spectacle of how he actually goes about doing the work, it’s a very technical process.”

That process includes taking a flat design and applying it to the three-dimensional silos that will be viewed from different perspectives, Jones added. It also involved selecting the right colors and using custom paints that work on the specific concrete.

Ultimately, Jones said, the work will serve as a focal point for the area, especially as it will complement the forthcoming city hall and plaza space that will be constructed across the street.

“We anticipate there’s going to be tons of events and activities happening in that plaza, and this is going to be the backdrop for that,” Jones said.

Since Van Helten began painting on the silos, McKinney City Councilman Justin Beller has partnered with Legacy Keepers of Old East McKinney to schedule a community tailgate at the silos that will allow attendees to watch the creation unfold together.

“Bring your lawn chairs, friends and neighbors, yard games, and whatever else you'd like,” Beller said on his Facebook page.

The tailgate event is scheduled for 6 p.m. Aug. 12.

Jones said the mural is expected to be complete in early September. Van Helten, an Australian-based artist, has been in the midst of a silo series named “Monuments” across the United States.

“And so there’s kind of a tour that’s happening of his large-scale silo murals, and it’s pretty cool to see,” Jones said. “This one is going to be one of the largest murals in the state of Texas, and it’ll be here in McKinney. It’s pretty neat.”