Culture - 8/13 - The Austinot

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…]

Hill Country Science Mill Creating New Generation of Problem Solvers

February 11, 2015 by Guest Blogger 1 Comment

Light wall at Hill Country Science Mill in Johnson City, TX (Credit: Kevin Tully/A Smith Gallery)

Guest article by Anne Hebert

A 40-foot wall of LED lights demonstrating the power of cell phone signals. A giant Romenesco broccoli-shaped sculpture illuminating fractals. A lifelike look at the inside of the Edwards Aquifer, showing the water cycle.

Would you imagine you’d find each of these inside once-defunct grain silos?

This is the new Hill Country Science Mill in Johnson City, a non-profit science museum that encourages interactive learning, creative thinking and scientific discussion.

The 14,000-square-foot space features more than 25 interactive and educational exhibits, plus hands-on maker stations and art installations, all designed to spark kids’ interest and help them fall in love with science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). [Read more…]

Paramount Theatre Celebrates 100 Years with Special Events

February 3, 2015 by Guest Blogger Leave a Comment

Old Congress Avenue in 1947 with the Paramount Theatre illuminated on the right

Guest article by Lindsey Moringy

A walk through the basement of the Paramount Theatre is like a walk through time: its history is literally written on the walls. Over the years, many of the estimated 10,000 visiting artists have left their mark on the famed theatre by signing the walls downstairs, just outside the dressing rooms. Passing through the hallway you’ll notice that performers from BB King to Joan Rivers have left their ‘John Hancocks’ – many with a personalized message or illustration. Admittedly, I laughed aloud upon reading what Parks and Recreation star Nick Offerman chose to leave: “Freedom. [Read more…]

Behind the Paint Cans: Austin Street Art

January 28, 2015 by Guest Blogger 17 Comments

Gay Dino Street Art by Mike Truth Johnson

Austin street art (Credit: 1138Studios.com)

Guest article by Gino Barasa

It’s five in the morning and I’m somewhere off 51st Street with Austin’s most dangerous street artists.

Well, not exactly. It is really early and I am watching some of Austin’s finest street artists do their thing, but they aren’t actually very dangerous. In fact, they’re really a bunch of easy going guys who happen to be amazingly talented artists. [Read more…]

One of Austin’s Weirdest Homes: Casa Neverlandia

January 28, 2015 by Kelli McDonald 5 Comments

The front of three-story Casa Neverlandia

After going on the Weird Homes Tour last year, I wanted to take a closer look at some of the odd homes in Austin and the people who live in them. Not far from FlamingO Ranch (my first peek into one of Austin’s unique abodes) lies Casa Neverlandia, the Bouldin Creek home of artist James Edward Talbot.

Welcome to Casa Neverlandia

When I walked up to the door, I noticed there wasn’t a doorbell, but rather xylophones and bells. After dinging a bell, I heard a voice coming from a PVC pipe imbedded in the house asking, “Who is it?” When Talbot greeted me outside, he began to tell me his background and how Casa Neverlandia was born.

What was once a small one-story house built in 1906 is now a three [Read more…]

Homegrown: Austin Music Posters 1967 to 1982

January 27, 2015 by J. Alan Nelson 1 Comment

Ramones Music Poster for Armadillo World Headquarters

Micael Priest’s music poster for The Ramones’ show at Armadillo World Headquarters, 1977

Sometimes you see them flitting by in the wind on a city street like a brightly colored bird. Sometimes you see them posted on telephone poles. You see others on walls inside clubs.

I’m talking about music posters. While they are silent in sound, their designs portend grand audio and visual experiences to come, as bands perform at a certain time and place.

For poster collectors, the memories these powerful scraps of paper evoke can be potent. Colored lights, sounds, lyrics, emotions, jockeying for the best position to see the stage, that special night at a club that doesn’t exist anymore…except in your mind.

Preserving Austin Music Posters of the Past

Most posters were ripped off walls after the show or destroyed by weather and time. [Read more…]

14 Facts Before Your Visit: Austin’s French Legation Museum

December 12, 2014 by J. Alan Nelson 7 Comments

Entrance to the French Legation Museum grounds (Credit: French Legation Museum and Daughters of the Republic of Texas)

The oldest wooden frame home in Austin sits alone on a hill with an unobstructed view of the State Capitol.

It dates back to the Republic of Texas, when France seized an opportunity to grab a piece of the new country and its wealth.

But the French sent the wrong man for the job. [Read more…]

Clayworks Has Carved and Fired Life in Clay for 35 Years

November 28, 2014 by J. Alan Nelson 2 Comments

Old design and log book at Clayworks, a local business dating back 35 years

If there was a book called Cool Things in Austin You Should Know About, Clayworks Studio/Gallery and the Gray Family would be in the first chapter.

The gallery on East Sixth Street displays tables, art work, tiles, architectural ceramics and more that the Grays have created. A working studio sits behind the gallery, where the Grays make and fire products for individual and company contracts.

Austin landmarks such as the Texas State Capitol Building, The Driskill Hotel and The University of Texas at Austin all house their creations.

The story of the Grays is a story, in microcosm, of what has happened in East Austin for the last three decades. [Read more…]

Behind the Scenes Tour: One of Austin’s Weirdest Homes

November 25, 2014 by Kelli McDonald Leave a Comment

Stefanie Distefano and her cat Maybelline at FlamingO Ranch

Stefanie Distefano cradles her co-star Maybelline at FlamingO Ranch

In September of this year, I went on the Weird Homes Tour to explore some of the residences that make Austin living so unique.

Nestled between 1st and South Congress in 78704 sits FlamingO Ranch, a home owned and curated by Stefanie Distefano where she teaches art classes and exhibits her talents as a ceramic and mosaic artist.

I felt very drawn into this quintessential reflection of living in Austin and I wanted to know more about this artistic bungalow and the person who is mirrored in it. I revisited FlamingO Ranch on a chilly and rainy afternoon for an interview, but I was warmed by the bright abode and company of Stefanie and her cat, Maybelline. [Read more…]

Bonjour, Austin! Exploring and Celebrating Austin’s French Culture

November 14, 2014 by Guest Blogger 3 Comments

Delicious French cuisine can be found in Austin, like the Steak Bearnaise at Chez Nous (Credit: Chez Nous)

Guest article by Kristella Montiegel.

Within the hip and diverse city of Austin, you’ll find an alluring presence of French culture and community. Fittingly so, since French colonization of Texas dates back to the the 1600’s. Traces of French influence – especially in historical locations, food and art – can be found throughout the Austin area.

While it might be a stretch to attribute the creative and experimental culture of Austin to the avant-gardism of modernist Paris, the fact remains that an impressive French community has been sustained through Austin’s growth and diversification. So, whether you’re a native of France or someone who’s simply curious about their customs, Austin has plenty of opportunities for you to get your daily dose of French lifestyle. [Read more…]

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