The artist modeled the angels after his mother, wife, and daughter. | Photo by @bassperformancehall
Ever wondered about the history behind the angel sculptures downtown? For an agricultural city complete with a plethora of western art, the heavenly reliefs might seem a little out of place in Cowtown.
Next month marks the 27th anniversary of the opening of Bass Performance Hall. Today, we’re breaking down the history of its iconic angel sculptures.
Remind us where we are
Two 48-foot-tall angels adorn the East 4th Street Grand Facade of the Nancy Lee and Perry R. Bass Performance Hall. Hewn from Texas limestone quarried near Austin, the sculptures were installed in 1998 with wings flaring toward the heavens and golden horns trumpeting over the street.
The angels were created by Márton Váró, an artist born in the Transylvania region of Romania when it was still part of Hungary. Váró was approached by the Bass family when the 2,042-seat performance hall was still in design. He elected to create custom sculptures that complemented the loftiness of David M. Schwarz’s architectural design, rather than emphasizing the city’s cattle industry.
“Cracking Art” | Tuesday, April 22-Monday, Sept. 1 | 8 a.m.-6 p.m. | Fort Worth Botanic Garden | $12 | The exhibit by the Italian art collective features 80+ brightly colored animal sculptures like bunnies, elephants, and snails crafted from recycled materials.
Jim Milan’s Bucket List Jazz Band | 7 p.m. | Tulips Fort Worth | $5 | Enjoy smooth jazz from the band still playing in the name of a Fort Worth man whose last wish before he died was to start a jazz band.
Thursday, April 24
Borosilicate Level I Sculpting Workshop | 5:30-8:30 p.m. | SiNaCa Studios | $160 | Learn how to sculpt like Márton Váró in this 3-hour workshop, where you can advance your skills in making small solid sculptures like turtles, dolphins, flowers, and more.
DFW Local Business Networking Event | 6-8 p.m. | Kendra Scott Clearfork | $35 | Grow your network, meet other entrepreneurs + enter a giveaway to win a free Kendra Scott item, a mini-photo shoot, and a gift basket from Milk + Honey.
Burleson just got Mo’Bettah — no, literally. Utah fast-casual food chain Mo’Bettah’s Hawaiian Style Food opened yesterday next door to Black Rock Coffee Bar. Plates are centered around protein like grilled teriyaki chicken, kalua pig, or shrimp tempura. This is the second location near Cowtown — Mo’Bettah’s in Alliance opened last year. (CultureMap Fort Worth)
Announced
On Sunday, May 4, head to Texas Motor Speedway for the start of the WÜRTH 400 NASCAR Cup Series. The first-ever Busch Light Summer Music Series kicks off that day and will feature Grammy-nominated country singer Ernest. Purchase your Sunday Track Pass ticket online.
Plan Ahead
Cinco de Mayo is less than two weeks away. The Fort Worth Museum of Science and History is hosting Cinco de District this Sunday, April 27, from 12 to 5 p.m. Experience Mexican-American art and culture, live entertainment from Mariachis, fashion shows, and dance performances. The event is free.
Biz
Fort Worth’s GM Financial’s CEO and President Daniel E. Berce is retiring at the end of this month. Berce served as CEO for 20 years and in 2023, he received the Susan Halsey Executive Leadership Award from the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce. GM’s Chief Financial Officer Susan Sheffield will step into the position. (Fort Worth Report)
Edu
It’s time to start thinking about summer camps for the kids. Fort Worth is partnering with the Sid W. Richardson Foundation to launch a new dyslexia screening program at several community centers during Camp Fort Worth. The screenings are a part of the city’s efforts to improve children’s literacy. (Fort Worth Star-Telegram)
Eat
Zaxby’s, which currently only has three locations across DFW, is planning 100 more stores in North Texas. The chicken chain has six locations already planned for Fort Worth + will be looking to hire between 35-50 employees per store. One store takes about a year to build, but we’ll keep you updated as they roll out. (Dallas Business Journal)
Legacy
Pope Francis died Monday morning at 88, just a day after serving thousands on Easter Sunday at Vatican City’s St. Peter’s Square. Follow WFAA journalist Paul B. Livengood to keep up with the latest world news.
Listen
The 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs are underway. Find the NHL’s full schedule, then check LockedOn each day to get the full rundown from the local experts of the Dallas Stars.
Real Estate
Looking for new digs, Fort Worth? From suburban master-planned communities to fully custom luxury builds, new construction in Tarrant County spans every style and budget. This guide can help you navigate the ever-growing array of builders and neighborhoods — find your new home.*
Stat
$10,000. If you owe that much in debt, this organization can reach out to credit card companies and potentially reduce what you owe. See how it works.*
The Buy
Save time and simplify your life with these must-have kitchen gadgets:
On Saturday, I caught the NCAA Gymnastics Finals at Dickies Arena where OU took home the title of 2025 champions. Other winners (IMO) include UCLA’s Jordan Chiles, who scored a 9.9625 on bars, and Mizzous’s Helen Hu, who scored the same on vault. My favorite event in gymnastics will always be floor. What’s yours?
UCLA, Missouri, Utah, and Oklahoma took to the floor to compete at the 2025 NCAA Gymnastics Championship.
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