Pieces of wood cut into different shapes. 

Two Tyler art studios, Ingrid Horner Art and Dimensional Artwork by Mandy Rietman, partnered to create a unique wood sculpture displayed in the Greyhound Inn, a boutique hotel housed in the historic Union Bus Station, the former site of the Greyhound bus station.

“This is an old building that’s been redone, and we had a bunch of old wood that needed to be repurposed, and we thought we could make something for them,” Rietman said.

The artists honored the building’s namesake and used the bus station’s running dog logo to inspire the wood mosaic.

“It’s our interpretation of the logo, and we wanted to do something three-dimensional, so we had the idea of sinking the blocks in different layers,” Horner said.

Horner said she and Reitman had talked about layering, but their idea was cemented by a discovery made during the building’s renovation. After metal sheets were removed from the second story of the building, it revealed stacked bricks at alternating depths.

“They have a picture on Instagram. It’s like all these little squares in different geometric bricks. That was like exactly what we wanted to do,” Horner said. “And I think they liked that we were still honoring the building and doing something that tied in with it.”

The upcycled art piece was created using materials left over from other projects and salvaged to make something completely new, Horner said. They layered different shades of wood to add contrast and created a rendition of the iconic running dog logo.

The Greyhound Inn project managers emphasized restoring the building to better condition than when it was built. All the door hardware is authentic 1930s, and the hardwood floors are refinished from the original. Brickwork and zigzag cast stone work on the exterior remains, and the 1946 floor plan inside the main building was rehabilitated.

There are nine hospitality suites for overnight lodging, two ADA-compliant hospitality suites and 2,600 square feet of retail space on the first floor, but the building maintains its authenticity.

“We wanted to mirror what they had done, bring new life into something that had already existed and transform it into something new and beautiful,” Horner said.

Reitman said it’s been impressive to see how the downtown area has been revitalized because few other cities are as dedicated to restoring its original architecture. Reitman and Horner had been interested in collaborating on a project, and both shared excitement for the improvement they noticed downtown.

“I love the idea of preserving the authenticity of the old downtown,” Horner said. “Even though I’m not from Tyler, I’ve seen pictures and how vibrant it was back in the day, and so I love the idea of them repurposing because it still stands. It’s still the same building, but it is new and improved now.”

Despite making changes until the last minute, Horner and Reitman were pleased with the project’s final state.

“The color on the wall perfectly accentuates those other contrasting colors. It’s modern and retro without being too modern or retro,” Reitman said. “And it’s the perfect spot because it greets you right as you enter the door.”