Arts Archives - Page 7 Of 9

Have You Seen This Colorful Surprise on UT’s Rooftop?

Posted on August 20, 2014 by Kelli McDonald

James Turrell, Interior of The Color Inside, 2013. Photo by Florian Holzherr. Courtesy of Landmarks, the public art program of The University of Texas at Austin.

The Experience

When a bird flew inches above our oval cutout, some of us gasped and then laughed at our response. Our slowly changing focal point had shifted suddenly and shot us out of a relaxed, contemplative state and back to the reality that we were staring at something ever-changing, yet accessible: the sky.

If you haven’t visited James Turrell’s Skyspace titled The Color Inside, you may not understand the full thrill of the bird sighting. Turrell’s art piece is an incredible permanent space located on the rooftop of the Student Activity Center on UT’s campus. The Color Inside was commissioned by Landmarks, UT’s public art program, and describing the piece isn’t an easy task. [Read more…]

SprATX: The Collective and Business Behind Austin Graffiti

Posted on August 13, 2014 by Jessica Pino

Your author and her man at “Olive You” by SprATX artist Sweet

Art is represented in many ways within a city, from traditional art museums and historical buildings to theater and music. Graffiti, however, hasn’t always been accepted as a viable art form and has often been stigmatized.

But here in Austin where murals are a plenty, graffiti has transformed into street art, and a mural is a must if you are looking to be Austin. And thank goodness for that because art lives in the soul of every city.

Austin’s weird and eccentric vibe is what draws people in, but it’s also most at risk of changing as people continue to move here. At the forefront of keeping this creative energy alive in Austin through street art is a small group of people known as SprATX.

SprATX is unique in that it’s both a collective of artists and a business. The lines are often blurred, but the end results are the same – SprATX makes art [Read more…]

Guzu Gallery Reflects Growth of Austin Geek Culture

Posted on July 25, 2014 by Robert Luke

Visitors flock to a Guzu Gallery opening

Over the past few years, Austin has developed a reputation for pop culture screen prints. It’s become part of Austin geek culture.

Austin Books is a time-tested expression of that culture. The store has been around for as long as I can remember, and just keeps getting bigger.

Recently, the business expanded with a couple of extra arms, through Outlaw Moon Games & Toys and Guzu Gallery.

Guzu Gallery is an art gallery and retail store that exists “to give fans an opportunity to view and purchase lowbrow artwork, including limited edition vinyl toys, art books, prints and original artwork showcased in the gallery,” explains Gallery Director Vince Torres. [Read more…]

Elisabet Ney Museum: Meet a Woman Ahead of Her Time

Posted on July 11, 2014 by J. Alan Nelson

The Elisabet Ney Museum in Hyde Park

You don’t know it, but you know Elisabet Ney.

Her sculptures are part of your mental landscape. She’s credited by many for making Austin the Austin it is today – a center of culture. For anyone interested in the arts or Texas history, visiting the quiet little museum in the midst of a wildlife habitat at 304 E 44th Street in Hyde Park is a must.

Elisabet Ney self portrait

In the Austin of the 1880s, German sculptor Elisabet Ney insisted she be treated as an individual. The daughter of a stonemason, she won over misogynists and pushed herself to the highest power circles in Europe and United States. She always had short hair, which was extremely unusual for the times. She wore comfortable clothes, refusing corsets. She never took her husband’s name. [Read more…]

Austin Poetry Slam: Not Grandma’s Spoken Word

Posted on July 8, 2014 by Guest Blogger

Austin Poetry Slam takes place every Tuesday at Spider House Ballroom

This guest blog article is by Jenny Forgey.

Slam poetry is all about community, or so I was told when I met my long time friend, Peter Nevland, at the slam tailgating he and his wife set up on the grassy triangle across the street from Spider House Ballroom & Cafe on the first Tuesday of every month.

Peter has been a part of the slam scene since the year 2000. He slams locally, but also tours around the country slinging words for eager audiences.

“I’ve travelled all over doing slam stuff,” he told me, “and I’ve never seen a scene like the one in Austin.” His wife, Vicki, added, “It’s not just the size of the crowd [that makes Austin unique], but the quality of the poets.”

It didn’t take long for me to see what they meant. [Read more…]

Gallery Black Lagoon Is Home to Art and Yoga

Posted on June 10, 2014 by Robert Luke

Gallery Black Lagoon at 4301 Guadalupe

Since at least the 1960s, Hyde Park has been considered Austin’s hip and cool neighborhood.

Lately, whenever I plan a Friday night, consider my options, and notice what’s going on in Hyde Park, I start to wonder why it’s not considered the Arts District. Being just north of “the Drag,” this neighborhood houses many wine bars and art galleries. Among one of those galleries is the really cool Gallery Black Lagoon.

For those who remember The Movie Store, that space has since been purchased by Gallery Black Lagoon owners Singer Mayberry and her husband, David Lujan. After almost four years of growth, the gallery offers yoga classes, monthly gallery opening shows, and even services for artists featured in shows. [Read more…]

Mondo Gallery Creates Limited Edition Posters for Cinephiles

Posted on April 3, 2014 by Robert Luke

Mondo gallery creates limited edition film posters that sell out online in less than a minute

This guest blog article is by Robert Luke.

Austin is notorious for being a movie town. Any given week, a TV or film production is happening somewhere in town. Additionally, between all of the film festivals, Austin Film Society, and Alamo Drafthouse, there is always a fun movie event to attend, whether you’re a hardcore cinephile or an average moviegoer.

Alamo Drafthouse has had such an impact on the film-watching community that there are multiple people who claim they moved to Austin just because of the Drafthouse and Fantastic Fest. Mondo Gallery is yet another local phenomenon that has spawned from Austin’s love of film.

Originally, back when Alamo Drafthouse was located on Colorado Street (where Haven currently resides), before the move to South Lamar, it had a small t-shirt stand called Mondo Tees. During that time, Mondo Tees began to sell creative, licensed posters to various film screenings, creating a rabid fan base among movie collectors and graphic design enthusiasts. [Read more…]

Three Stories of Graffiti for HOPE on Castle Hill

Posted on February 11, 2014 by Jessica Pino

A graffiti artist at work on Castle Hill

Editor’s Note: The HOPE Outdoor Gallery closed on Jan. 2, 2019. A new location will open later in the year.

There are a few mainstays in Austin I like to take visitors to when they visit. My list includes the impressive Capitol Building, which is taller than the U.S. Capitol Building in D.C., Whole Foods headquarters, where you can get a $5 smoothie, Zilker Park to fly a kite, and anything on South Congress. But there’s one place that embodies the true spirit and weirdness of our city, and every resident and visitor must experience it: the graffiti wall at Castle Hill.

Tucked away on Baylor and 11th near Whole Foods, this is one of my favorite places in Austin because it has a great energy and amazing art. When I say graffiti wall, I don’t mean just one wall like the “i love you so much” graffiti at Jo’s Coffee Shop or the Austin Postcard at Roadhouse Relics. I’m talking about a three-story playground for artists. [Read more…]

Art.Science.Gallery. Is Intriguingly Innovative

Posted on January 28, 2014 by Guest Blogger

Art.Science.Gallery in East Austin (Photo credit: Art.Science.Gallery.)

This guest blog article is by Madison Torres.

Art AND science? Though they’re typically viewed as unrelated subjects, Hayley Gillespie, founder of Art.Science.Gallery., understands the two disciplines actually merge together in a unique way.

Hayley first opened Art.Science.Gallery. as a mobile gallery in 2012. After more than a year and much anticipation, the gallery launched its first exhibition at its permanent location in the center of East Austin. It’s one of the nation’s first art galleries to feature exclusively science-related artwork. The gallery strives to make science more accessible through visual arts. As a result, the venue is building a community of artists and scientists who want to share their knowledge and experience with the public. [Read more…]

Miracoco by Architects of Air Has Returned to The Long Center

Posted on January 27, 2014 by David Thomas

Architects of Air Miracoco at The Long Center

It doesn’t take much for a vivid imagination to run wild inside Miracoco

When I first moved to Austin, back when Emo’s was on 6th St., there was this dude who would sit out on the sidewalk of 6th St. and spray paint these crazy designs on canvas. He’d then light the canvas on fire and the end result was a beautiful alien landscape. That guy is no longer around, but Austin hasn’t stopped being an inviting environment for creativity.

What Is Architects of Air?

Until February 2nd, The Long Center will be hosting an extremely unique and interactive art exhibit called Architects of Air: Miracoco Luminarium. Created by Alan Parkinson, luminarium are unique, one-of-a-kind sculptures made of custom designed inflatables. Yes, you read correctly. These are surreal, labyrinthine inflatable structures that take advantage of a plethora of design elements and natural lighting. [Read more…]

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What Is Architects of Air?

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