Travel and Lifestyle Blog

Watch The Design Tourist Airing on

Arrive Inspired: Houston Hobby Airport’s Artist Studios and the City’s Soaring Art Scene

Display of colorful floral paintings by artist Hannah Bull in the Houston Airports Artist in Residence program, with stained glass artwork in the background.
Multimedia installation at Houston’s Hobby Airport featuring a large screen on a metallic art car structure, displaying a close-up video of a person in a helmet.
A multimedia installation in the Skybridge Gallery turns travel time into an immersive art experience at Hobby Airport.

From the moment you land, Houston greets you with creativity. At William P. Hobby Airport (HOU), the journey doesn’t begin when you step out of the terminal—it begins while you’re still in it. Home to the longest continuously running Artist in Residence (AIR) program at any U.S. airport, Houston Hobby Airport is transforming the travel experience into something more soulful, more colorful, and undeniably more local.

Skybridge Studios: Art in Motion

Vibrant glass mosaic art in red, green, yellow, and pink tones, installed along a window wall at Houston’s Hobby Airport Skybridge.
Colorful glass mosaics in the Skybridge Gallery cast vivid, kaleidoscopic light patterns across the walkway.

Located inside the Skybridge Gallery, Hobby’s Artist in Residence program transforms airport corridors into live studio spaces where local artists work in real time. As you make your way through the sunlit glass walkway connecting the airport’s short-term parking garage to the second level of the main terminal, you’ll see artists sketching, painting, or assembling mixed media pieces. Many artists working in their temporary studios are happy to discuss their craft. The corridor itself is an art piece, lined with vibrant glass mosaics that resemble inkblots, casting kaleidoscopic shadows as natural light spills in.

Display of colorful floral paintings by artist Hannah Bull in the Houston Airports Artist in Residence program, with stained glass artwork in the background.
Artist in Residence Hannah Bull brings bold floral canvases and vibrant energy to Hobby Airport’s Skybridge Gallery.

Among the featured artists is Hannah Bull, a Texas muralist and art car creator whose bold, energetic work electrifies the terminal walls. Her presence in the AIR program is part of a broader push to integrate multidisciplinary artists into Houston’s transit spaces.

Higher Ground and Sky-High Imagination

Multimedia art car installation at Hobby Airport showing a video of a space module, surrounded by lights and tools.
The “Higher Ground” installation blends film, sculpture, and whimsy, inviting travelers to dream big before takeoff.

Don’t miss “Higher Ground” (2015), a compelling multimedia installation by Stephen Hillerband and Mary Magsamen. This interdisciplinary work—featuring video, photography, and sculpture—documents a family’s whimsical mission to launch a rocket from their suburban backyard. It’s an homage to dreaming big, commissioned by the Houston Airport System and City of Houston.

Hillerband, a University of Houston photography professor, and Magsamen, director of Aurora Picture Show, infuse the piece with playful urgency, reflecting the city’s passion for artistic exploration and storytelling.

From Runways to Runway Fashion

Fashion display of blue upcycled leather garments and accessories on mannequins, created from retired aircraft seat material at Hobby Airport.
Runway R&R transforms retired aircraft seat leather into high-fashion pieces, showcasing Houston’s flair for sustainable design.

Houston’s innovative streak extends to fashion as well. Southwest Airlines debuted Runway R&R, a collaboration with Magpies & Peacocks, the country’s only nonprofit design house dedicated to upcycling textile waste. The collection of fashion pieces are created from retired aircraft seat leather.

Close-up of mannequins wearing blue leather outfits, part of the Runway R&R upcycled fashion program at Hobby Airport.
Upcycled seat leather takes on a second life as bold, modern fashion in Houston’s Hobby Airport concourse.

The program is part of Repurpose with Purpose, launched in 2014 after Southwest redesigned its seats and donated more than 43 acres of leather. The result is a stylish and sustainable initiative that supports local makers and significantly improves fuel efficiency.

Harmony in the Air: Music for the Journey

String quartet performing in the Harmony in the Air program at Hobby Airport, framed by plants and signage.
Harmony in the Air fills the terminal with live classical music, turning layovers into moments of peace.

While passing through the central concourse rotunda, travelers are often treated to live classical, jazz, or pop music performed by Harmony in the Air, a performing arts program showcasing professional Houston musicians. These complimentary concerts elevate the airport atmosphere and create spontaneous moments of serenity in an otherwise fast-paced space.

Houston Hobby Airport Art Car Legacy on Display

The Fruitmobile art car by Jackie Harris, a colorful 1967 Ford station wagon covered in plastic fruit and painted designs, on display at Hobby Airport.
The Fruitmobile, Houston’s most iconic art car, brings a burst of color and history to Hobby Airport’s arrivals area.

Adding to the terminal’s visual excitement is an icon of Houston’s art world, the Fruitmobile, created by artist Jackie Harris. This kitschy, colorful 1967 Ford station wagon is covered in plastic fruit and painted in punchy hues. It was the catalyst for Houston’s now-famous Art Car Parade, held each April and organized by the Orange Show Center for Visionary Art. The Fruitmobile remains a roving ambassador of creativity.

A Cultural Mission in Motion

Each AIR artist is granted a three-month residency, a stipend, and a platform to engage with thousands of travelers. The program not only showcases Houston’s vibrant creative class but also slows down the travel experience, encouraging moments of human connection, observation, and inspiration.

Bright stained glass-style mosaic in shades of green, yellow, and pink at Hobby Airport’s Skybridge Gallery.
Bold glass mosaics flood the Skybridge Gallery with kaleidoscopic light, adding color to every traveler’s path.

No wonder Skytrax named Houston Airports the World’s Best Airport Art Program for three years running—2023, 2024, and 2025. In addition to its permanent collection, Houston Airports presents more than a dozen rotating exhibitions each year through cultural collaborations with institutions such as NASA, the 1940 Air Terminal Museum, the Orange Show Center for Visionary Art, FotoFest, the Houston Botanic Garden, and the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. Houston Airports is home to one of aviation’s largest civic art collections, with nearly 450 works on display across its terminals.

Coming in September: Houston’s Global Art Moment

Woman standing in front of vivid glass mosaic at Hobby Airport, wearing a light sweater, green pants, and carrying a white bag.
Karen pauses to take in the vibrant stained glass mosaics that make Hobby Airport an art destination in its own right.

If you’re planning a trip this fall, September is the month to visit. Houston will debut Untitled Art, an internationally acclaimed contemporary art fair that will bring together 80+ top galleries from around the world. Untitled Art hosts an annual show in Miami, and the event’s decision to expand into Houston is a testament to the city’s emergence as a global arts destination, blending local perspectives with international prestige.

From terminals to town, Houston invites you to land, linger, and look. Whether you’re arriving for a weekend getaway or simply passing through, don’t miss the opportunity to explore a city where creativity never takes a day off, and it all begins at the airport.

[tp_widget][/tp_widget]

Want more ideas about where to stay and what to see and do in Houston? Read on:

Picture of Karen LeBlanc

Karen LeBlanc

Karen LeBlanc is a freelance writer living in Orlando, Florida with many published bylines in magazines, newspapers, and multimedia sites. As a professional lifestyle writer, Karen specializes in art, architecture, design, home interiors and personality profiles. Karen is the writer, producer and host of the streaming series, The Design Tourist (www.TheDesignTourist.com) that brings viewers a global dose of design inspiration with episodes featuring the latest looks and trends from the world’s premiere design events and shows. She also publishes a quarterly magazine on design travel that you can read by clicking the link: https://thedesigntourist.com/the-magazine/ Her journalism background includes seven years on-air experience as a TV news reporter and anchor covering a range of issues from education to politics. Her educational credentials include a Master of Arts in Mass Communications from Northeast Louisiana University and a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from Louisiana State University. Throughout her career, Karen has written and produced dozens of documentaries and videos for educational, commercial, corporate, and governmental clients and appeared in many TV and video productions as a professional host.

Share the post on social media

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Pinterest

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Sign up for the latest travel news and insider tips

[mc4wp_form id=882]

Latest blog posts

Karen LeBlanc

Karen LeBlanc is an award-winning travel journalist and storyteller, honored with two Telly Awards and four North American Travel Journalists Association (NATJA) awards for The Design Tourist travel show. As the show’s host, producer, and writer, Karen takes viewers beyond the guidebooks to explore the culture, craft, cuisine, and creativity that define the world’s most fascinating destinations.

2025 NATJA Award

2024 NATJA Award

2023 NATJA Award

SATW

NATJA

IFWTWA