Hotel Ella is the home of a monthly artistic salon series (Credit: Jake Holt)
Austin has a reputation for being Texas’ city of art and creators. We are the Live Music Capital of the World, right? Throw a rock in any direction and you have a good chance of hitting some type of self-expression. Music everywhere, indie filmmakers, glassblowers, painters. Nearly any and all kinds of art can be found within Austin city limits. We are a city of art makers.
But are we a city of art appreciators? One group at Hotel Ella is doing its best to make sure we are. The Hotel Ella Salon Series is a monthly gathering of art aficionados and regular folks who care deeply about supporting Austin’s unique artistic community. At their regularly hosted artistic salon, Austinites can get to know both the art and the artists who keep our city weird.
Promoting Austin’s Art Culture
The Hotel Ella Salon Series celebrates sculptures by Austin’s own Charles Umlauf (Credit: Jake Holt)
You may be asking right now, “What is a salon series?” Art salons have been around for centuries. They first began in France during the Renaissance as a place for art academies to foster, critique and grow the artistic communities of the time. Salons grew into a way for budding artists to “get to the the next level” within the art world, since anyone who was anyone would attend.
Though Austin is no Paris, we are currently experiencing a small renaissance of our own. We have never been more open to new means of self-expression: be it anything from food to music. So it makes sense that having an art salon would be the next step to making sure art survives Austin’s growth in the coming years.
Within the historic Goodall Wooten House in downtown Austin, Hotel Ella is already woven into the history of our city. Visitors spend the night there to experience Austin’s contemporary and historical style, including sculptures by famed local sculptor Charles Umlauf.
The Salon Series held at Hotel Ella is an ongoing event where the public is invited to explore the lives of artists through their work. In addition, many of the artists are available to discuss the inspiration and impact of the art on display.
What to Expect
The Hotel Ella Salon Series exhibits work by Texas artists
Sometimes the salon centers around visual art–just what you’d expect from a legitimate salon. The past three events focused on work from the Texas Modernists and were hosted by Carl McQueary. The art presented is real and relevant to Texans today.
The Hotel Ella Salon Series is an opportunity to engage with art instead of passively gazing at it, as it hangs on a wall. You get to immerse yourself instead. You learn its history and impact alongside other passionate art lovers (not to mention the artist who actually created it).
Upcoming Hotel Ella Salon Series Events
Instead of visual art, the next three salon series will focus on music. These events will be hosted by popular folk musician, Darden Smith, whose history with art goes far beyond playing it.
Aside from publishing a ton of great Texas music, Smith is responsible for multiple nonprofits and events that foster artist growth within communities. Smith lives and breathes creativity and local pride, so he’s the perfect fit to host the salon. Smith’s three hosted events will be:
- March 8, 2017 – “On Everything”
- April 5, 2017 – “Songwriting with Solders” which supports the organization by the same name
- May 10, 2017 – “Stories and Songs with Darden Smith”
The Hotel Ella Salon Series is an ongoing event, so be sure to keep up with them online for future dates. Art is becoming more and more precious as our city grows. The Salon Series is a great opportunity to support local art on a deeper level. You’ll surely walk away from each event with a new appreciation for the arts in Austin.
The Hotel Ella Salon Series is free to attend. RSVP here. Snacks and beverages available for purchase.
@DustyVegas wants to know:
Who is your favorite Texas artist?
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