When a couple of whimsical artists moved into a quiet White Rock area neighborhood, extraordinary things followed.
Lake Highlands native Preston Pannek and his partner Adrienne Creasey, together known as The House of Pannek, purchased a place in Forest Hills, and Moouis Vuitton — a life-sized bovine featuring the recognizable Louis Vuitton rainbow pattern, a zipper and purse handles — took up a prominent place on their front lawn.
Like fashion designer Louis Vuitton, The House of Pannek — painters and sculptors described in promos as creators of lighthearted abstract and geometrical pop culture mashups — turned a cow into a high-end handbag.
In this case, no animals were harmed, and the Moouises’ (there are five sculptures) price tag is $50,000 apiece. Pannek has sold two, he says, and he’s negotiating with a local establishment regarding a third. The entrepreneurial couple is considering donating one if they find a just-right foundation.
Over the summer, the Moouis on Barbaree Boulevard became a tourist attraction, which has been fun, Pannek says.
“What usually happens — a vehicle comes slowly rolling down the street, then they turn around, come to a stop in front of the house. Then the windows come down and the cameras and phones come out,” he says. “We will be sitting on the deck some evenings and hear someone yell, ‘We love your cow!’ It’s a good time. We’re super happy everybody’s enjoying it.”
The House of Pannek is responsible for hundreds of colorful street murals throughout Dallas.
They started by painting 10 around Deep Ellum — there’s Bart Simpson in a psychedelic scene from the romantic comedy Say Anything (Say Yes, Say No at 3000 Canton) or Donald Duck as Hunter S. Thompson in Fear and Loathing (3013 Elm) — where they lived for the last 10 years before relocating to their two-story home on the large lot near White Rock Lake.
Pannek has helped build “a bunch of crazy weird” items for Gary Isett — a well-known East Dallas resident with a fantastical front lawn populated at various times with a purple unicorn Pegasus (Peggy), Kip’s Big Boy, 10-foot rainbow velociraptor, one maniacle French Fry Man and a Cowboys-blue Billiken, to name a few.
By comparison, the Pannek yard is tame, although Pannek says he would love to get something like what Isett has “going on this side of the lake.”
Pannek and Creasey also own Lash Loft in Deep Ellum. They are eyeing a second location in Lake Highlands, but that announcement won’t officially come until after their October wedding, Pannek says.
Throughout August, Pannek has been making regular appearances with Modelo Custom Shop. Sponsored by Modelo beer and manned by Los Angeles artist Mister Cartoon, a 1963 Ford Econoline van turned mobile art studio makes appearances at bars and restaurants where regional artists join to paint tote bags for attendees. They were in DFW all month. It’s all about celebrating local artists, according to the company.
That gig has been all consuming, Pannek says. Once it’s done, the focus will be the wedding, the Lash Loft expansion and then the next art endeavor.
Among other things, they are bringing Moouis on tour to Pete’s Dancing Marlin in Deep Ellum in November and painting a new mural there. Also this fall they will replace their Kristaps Porzingis mural with a new Mavs concept.
The whole Moouis Vuitton thing has been fun, but The House of Pannek is ready to move on, he says. “Some of the big things will just have to wait till we get back from our honeymoon.”
