Thoughts about Dallas. The Traveling Man.
It’s been almost one year since I moved to Dallas, Texas, and I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how I feel about the place. Actually to be more exact, I love Dallas and Texas a lot, but I was trying to understand why. We got many warnings even before we moved: ‘the place is special’ (they didn’t always meant it in a good way), ‘is a different country (compared with the rest of the US)’, raised eyebrows and ‘hmmmm’-s, comments about politics or rednecks-ness. Thank God I’m the kind of person who likes to take her own conclusions about a place and both me and my husband are open to new experiences. I loved Dallas from the moment we put foot on the land – there is something about the air, energy of a place that gives one a good or not that good feeling when they first experience it. For us it was love at first sight. The greens, the blues, the oranges, the smell of rain, the chilled vibes, the friendly people, always smiling strangers, excellent service, a certain type of “American West” romanticism, people’s love for their home or adoptive town or state. No city is perfect and there will always be negative things to mention if that’s what we are focused on, but for me there was something more than the total of positives and negatives that made me attached to this place.
“A real place feels like it belongs where it is” – this is something I read recently and it clicked with me. I feel Dallas is a real place, a place that belongs and that makes it easy for its residents to belong. We asked friends why they like Dallas and why they want to stay here. One of the most common answer is that Dallas is a place where you can still live the “American dream’. And I totally get what they say.
To me, there is something else. Is the SPACE. It’s breathable. It’s vast. The sky is big. And there is still a feeling that humans and nature share the space, harmoniously, without bothering each other.
I didn’t really plan this post, initially I wanted to share new pictures of The Traveling Man sculptural series by Brad Oldham, Brandon Oldenburg, and Reel FX Creative Studios. If the Pegasus (the flying red horse) is the symbol of old Dallas, The Traveling Man is the symbol of what Dallas is now and what it wants to become. Dallas and Texas will always have a special place in my heart.
The Traveling Man – Standing Tall. Deep Ellum Texas, Dallas
The Traveling Man – Standing Tall. Deep Ellum Texas, Dallas
The Traveling Man – Standing Tall. Deep Ellum Texas, Dallas
The Traveling Man – Waiting for a train. Deep Ellum Texas, Dallas
The Traveling Man – Waiting for a train. Deep Ellum Texas, Dallas
The Traveling Man – The Awakening. Deep Ellum Texas, Dallas
Claudia Curici Photography 