This Hawker 125 has been transformed into a work of art by Gonzo274, one of Houston's Spray Artists. There is supposed to be "nuggets of Houston history" in the artwork. The only thing I found was on the front, under the pilot side window - the original 1940 airstrip overlaid onto the current Hobby International configuration. There may be more, but I'm not a Houstonian so I might have just missed it.
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Houston Cronicle
Houston Graffiti Artist Gonzo247 To Paint A 1969 Hawker Jet
By Andrea Leinfelder May 23, 2019
Houston graffiti artist Mario Figueroa Jr., best known as Gonzo247, will start painting a 1969 Hawker jet on Thursday.
He's partnering with the 1940 Air Terminal Museum at Hobby Airport to create the the art installation featuring his signature bright and colorful designs with nuggets of Houston history.
The public is invited to observe a demonstration by Gonzo247 on June 1 at 11 a.m. He's expected to complete the project on June 2.
"When I first saw the jet, I couldn't believe that it was going to be my canvas," he said in a news release. "I have transformed cars and even beer silos, but this is a project of a whole different scale."
The building housing the museum first opened on Sept. 28, 1940. The terminal, designed by architect Joseph Finger, served as the administration building for the airport and supported airline operations and air traffic control functions. The first airline tenants were Eastern Airlines and Braniff Airways.
But air travel outgrew the building, and the terminal ceased airline operations in 1956. The building was abandoned by 1978 and left vacant until its reopening in 2004 as the 1940 Air Terminal Museum.
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Glasstire
Historic Air Terminal Partners With Houston Artist GONZO247
by Glasstire May 23, 2019
The 1940 Air Terminal Museum at Hobby Airport In Houston will partner with local artist GONZO247 to paint a 1969 Hawker jet, which is parked outdoors at the museum’s entrance.
The air terminal originally opened in 1940 and was completely abandoned in 1978 and left vacant until it re-opened as the Terminal Museum in 2004. For this project, the museum collaborated with organizations across Houston for suggestions on symbols and icons of the city to be included in the mural. Painting will begin on Thursday, May 23, 2019 and will probably end on Sunday, June 2. States Amy Rogers, Executive Director of the Terminal Museum: “The true success of the art project will be measured by the ways we are able to engage the public at large and build bridges in the Houston community.”
Mario E. Figueroa, Jr., publicly known as GONZO247, was born and raised in Houston and is an early pioneer in local graffiti and street culture. He has participated in over 300 exhibitions and murals over the last 30 years. GONZO247 says of the project, “When I first saw the jet, I couldn’t believe that it was going to be my canvas! I have transformed cars and even beer silos, but this is a project of a whole different scale.”
The 1940 Air Terminal Museum Follow the transformation of the jet on Instagram @1940atm. There will be live demonstration by GONZO247 on Saturday, June 1 at 11am.
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1940 Air Terminal Museum is located at 8325 Travelair Street, Houston, TX 77061 (west side of Hobby Airport) and is open Tuesday – Saturday 10am-5pm and Sunday 1-5pm.