In 2017, Jencey Keeton came up with the idea for a one-of-a-kind interactive art venue with a sugar-coated twist. A year later, she opened the very first Sweet Tooth Hotel location in Dallas along with her husband, Cole. Since then, they have opened several new pop-up locations — including one in Fort Worth where the lobby was full of LED lit neon ice cream cones (by Jeremy Biggers). Sweet Tooth Hotel’s latest pop-up exhibit, Rewind, just opened on October 16 at Watters Creek in Allen. While including a few fan favorite pieces from previous locations, Rewind is an experience all its own.
Rewind is a 5,000 sq. ft. gallery space featuring 12 unique installations, each by a different artist. The exceptional artists whose work is featured in Rewind are: Andy Arkley, Sam Lao, Niki Dionne, Hannah Busekras, Hatziel Flores, MOM, Twinkie Chan, Bobcat and Birdie, Jackie Lawrence, Ray Albarez, Madison Mask and Joanna Lin.
Rewind is derived from the concept of nostalgia. It’s all about taking a look back and rewinding. Several of the artists took this theme to heart when creating their installations. For example, MOM took inspiration from the great Willy Wonka for The Sky’s the Limit, which is an indoor garden full of bright colors and greenery. Here, just like in the movie, you will transport yourself to a vibrant utopia where as you walk in the grass beside a garden and look up at the clouds. Then, in the Vice Video room, you can literally rewind a tape as you travel back to the 1980s, browse VHS tapes (by Madison Mask) and collect prizes in a pom-pom filled arcade (by Niki Dionne).
Among the other whimsical installations, there is In a Beautiful Place (by Andy Arkly). This room features nearly 100 hand-cut and painted three-dimensional flowers along with a “cake bench” to sit on while you take in the beautiful setting. The vibrant colors and feelings of joy will take you back to childhood. There is also the Venus Room (by Hatziel Flores), where you can head under the sea. In this ocean blue room with dim lighting, you’ll be surrounded by lily pads and small fish. And because it wouldn’t be a Sweet Tooth Hotel without sweet tea, there’s Sucre Fleuf (by Twinkie Chan) where you can have your own tea party.
When visiting Rewind, you will have the opportunity to partake in the Rewind Scavenger Hunt. During this scavenger hunt, you will follow a set of clues. Not only will these clues lead you to certain places, they will also ask you to do tasks — such as count the number of fish in the Venus Room, send a postcard to a loved one and find out how many purple flowers there are in the garden. You will also have a chance to try your hand at the claw machine in the arcade. The clues will ultimately lead you to the safe in the Vice Video room, where a sweet surprise will be waiting for you. The clues to the scavenger hunt can be found on Sweet Tooth Hotel’s Instagram page, @sweettoothhotel, or on their website, sweettoothhotel.com.
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Rewind is closed on Mondays and from 12 pm – 7 pm Tuesday through Thursdays as well as Sundays. It is open until 9 pm on Fridays and Saturdays. Rewind is currently available to host private events and photoshoots. General admission tickets are $20. Tickets for children ages 2-12 are $15 and kids under two get free admission. Rewind is located at 877 Watters Creek Boulevard Allen, TX. For tickets to Rewind, visit sweettoothhotel.com.