Arts Archives - Page 5 of 9

Modern Rocks Gallery: Your Backstage Pass to Rock Stars

September 9, 2015 by Judy Rae Merhar Leave a Comment

Kurt Cobain by Kirk Weddle, on display at Modern Rocks Gallery

I knew this wasn’t your average ho-hum art gallery when I noticed it was nestled between Sa-Tén and Blue Genie. If you’re a lover of music, nirvana is waiting.

Gallery That Rocks

Tom Waits by Herb Nolan (1976)

A collection of rock stars silently await your arrival: The Clash, the Ramones, the Talking Heads, The Cure, Bob Marley, Elvis Costello, the Grateful Dead, Nina Simone, Miles Davis and Madonna, among others, are on display at Modern Rocks Gallery.

The list of musical legends on exhibit competes with Gene Simmons’ tongue–it’s lengthy! But what makes this sanctuary of rock truly unique are the stories behind the images as told by the photographers, beginning with the gallery’s owner. [Read more…]

Experience Bollywood Right Here in Austin

August 18, 2015 by Kelli McDonald Leave a Comment

Bollywood Dancing at Long Center in Austin

Bollywood dancing in front of the Austin skyline

Austin Bollywood Day 2015 was a success! While the weather was exceptionally hot, hundreds of visitors were in good spirits while checking out the festivities at the Long Center. If you missed this recent August event, don’t worry. There are several happenings throughout the year to celebrate the vibrancy and excitement of Bollywood in Austin, and you can get involved. [Read more…]

6 Unbelievable Public Art Pieces at The University of Texas

June 23, 2015 by Kelli McDonald 4 Comments

Nancy Rubins, Monochrome for Austin at The University of Texas

Nancy Rubins, Monochrome for Austin, 2015. Photo by Paul Bardagjy. Courtesy of Landmarks, the public art program of The University of Texas at Austin.

The University of Texas campus contains a large community. For those who don’t have a direct connection to this part of town, it can be daunting to navigate or even considered an area to avoid. For art lovers, this is a huge mistake.

UT features a wonderful art museum along with recognizable sculptures and incredible contemporary public art to engage students and the public. UT’s public art program, Landmarks, is to thank for curating James Turrell’s Skyspace and numerous other pieces that provide distinguishable visual markers on the large campus.

Though Landmarks provides an accessible map and monthly tours, I asked their External Affairs Coordinator, Nick Nobel, to introduce the Austinot community to six of UT’s notable landmarks. [Read more…]

Top 10 Austin Etsy Artisans

June 1, 2015 by Jessica Pino 8 Comments

There is one thing Austinites love more than breakfast tacos, and that’s local businesses.

But not all local businesses are created equally. Just as an up-and-coming chef might begin their journey with a food trailer, local artisans often open virtual storefronts before they are able to expand to brick and mortar. Etsy is one of the best websites to find quality craft items, but it can be a little overwhelming. Especially if you’re searching specifically for Austin artists.

So I decided to do the work for you and find 10 amazing local artisans to follow. Many have full-time day jobs and work on their craft on the side. Another thing they all have in common? Perfect 5-star ratings. So without further ado, here are the top Austin Etsy artisans. [Read more…]

Take a Glass Class at Helios Fused Glass Studio

May 26, 2015 by Kelli McDonald 1 Comment

Helios Glass class work and color samples

Helios Fused Glass Studio is one of the few studios in the world that focuses entirely on fused glass. Since 2007, Helios has offered classes and retail to the Austin community. I was fortunate enough to take the Absolute Beginners class from founder Paul Tarlow to jumpstart my discovery of this versatile medium and unique studio.

Paul’s interest in glass inspired him and his wife Karen to start the business. In January 2015, they moved to their new, more spacious location off of Highway 183. I found my class to be incredibly organized, accessible and not at all intimidating to a beginner. [Read more…]

5 Things You Never Knew About Ballet Austin

April 30, 2015 by Edwin Ochoa Leave a Comment

Ballet Austin Butler Dance and Fitness Center is located at 501 W 3rd St (Credit: Andrew Yates via Ballet Austin)

42,000 people attend Ballet Austin performances each year. Who knew that some of the most exciting works of ballet are being performed in our backyard?

You don’t have to be a diehard ballet geek to appreciate the cultural value Ballet Austin adds to our city. You don’t even have to be a current fan of ballet to enjoy what Ballet Austin has to offer.

Here are 5 things you never knew about Ballet Austin. [Read more…]

10 Beautiful Sights from Umlauf Garden Party 2015

April 29, 2015 by Kelli McDonald Leave a Comment

Umlauf Sculpture Garden & Museum is located at 605 Robert E Lee Rd near Zilker Park
(Credit: Rebecca Belcher Photography)

Last week, I joined local photographer Rebecca Belcher at Umlauf Sculpture Garden & Museum for one of the loveliest events in Austin, the 17th Annual Umlauf Garden Party.

This major fundraiser featured fare from 20 local restaurants, wine, a silent and live auction, live music and, of course, striking artwork. Though the humidity that night made us feel like we were in Houston, the event was unmistakably Austin with excited chatter, beautiful summer dresses and a garden full of sculptures made by a man who loved this city, Charles Umlauf (1910-1994). [Read more…]

Austin’s Jennifer Cunningham Hearts Art

March 18, 2015 by David Thomas Leave a Comment

Jennifer blends her love of pop culture and art (Credit: Rebecca L. Bennett)

As an artist, mother and comic book geek, Jennifer Cunningham is the embodiment of Austin, TX.

Art from Early Age

Her life long love of art started early. Despite life throwing her curve balls, Jennifer has never forgotten how it feels to create. In her own words, “I’ve been drawing and creating various things for as long as I can remember. My mother still has a thing I drew when I was about 4 years old, an illustration of a dinosaur behind an X-ray screen with a mouse in its belly among the bones. My first recollection of getting in trouble at school was a result of me coloring the bunny’s eyes the wrong color in a kindergarten class assignment.” [Read more…]

Heartless Machine Finds New Purpose for Antique Instruments

March 11, 2015 by Judy Rae Merhar 2 Comments

One of Christopher Locke’s “Heartless Machines:” an old brass instrument which connects to your iPod or iPhone

Thankfully the sun wasn’t shining the day I met Christopher Locke, owner of Heartless Machine, or I would’ve been blinded by the countless brass instruments strung across his shop, oddly resembling the dangling nocturnal colony that clings to the underbelly of Congress Bridge.

These discarded musical remnants wait to be freed from restraint. Though the metal scraps may not have a heartbeat, Mr. Locke has engineered a way to unlock a melody that caused my heart to skip a few beats.

Where Vintage and Modern Co-Exist

Alternating from smooth as glass to an aching quiver, Ruthie Foster’s cover of Johnny Cash’s “Ring of Fire” was amplified and clear. Her lyrics weren’t coming from a live performance and I wasn’t idling in traffic listening to the radio, nor was this melody coming from an electrical box requiring an outlet. Instead, it came from a recycled brass instrument attached to an iPod [Read more…]

Yard Dog Gallery: Folk and Outsider Art on South Congress

February 12, 2015 by Kelli McDonald Leave a Comment

View from the entrance of Yard Dog

For almost 20 years, Yard Dog Gallery has resided at 1510 S Congress Ave. When I first moved to Austin and visited the South Congress shops, I was excited to find a gallery space full of intriguing art. Since my curiosity was piqued back then, I’ve always wanted to know more about this space and the artists whose work lines the walls. Last week, I spoke with owner Randy Franklin about what makes Yard Dog a uniquely Austin art gallery.

Defining an Art Gallery

Jan, Randy’s wife, had considered the idea of a Southern Folk Art gallery for a while. Once the perfect space opened on South Congress, they had to act fast to get started. They dove in without a business plan, consulted their folk art book collection and reviewed art shows done in museums in order to track down artists. From there, Yard Dog was born. [Read more…]

« Previous Page
1
…
3
4
5
6
7
…
9
Next Page »

Gallery That Rocks

Art from Early Age

Where Vintage and Modern Co-Exist

Defining an Art Gallery

Recent Posts

Welcome to The Austinot