Howdy to all y'all! I recently traveled to Austin, Texas for a couple of weeks. It was my first trip to the City of Music and I thought I'd spend some time experiencing some of the art that it offered.
Museums/Galleries:
The Blanton Museum of Art
I thoroughly enjoyed the exhibits at this downtown art museum!
They currently have a large exhibit featuring Nigeria's internationally reknowned artist, El Anatsui. I fell in love with his work and was moved and inspired as I engaged with his art.
"With over 60 works installed from his "When I Last Wrote to You About Africa" exhibit. From early wood trays and ceramics, to rare drawings and paintings, to sculptures made from driftwood, to his most recent luminous metal wall hangings [like the photo below] the exhibition traces connections among global, local, and personal histories, and shows how, through transforming materials once overlooked or discarded, El Anatsui seeks to find meaning in the power of culture and memory."
El Anatsui, "untitled" 2007, aluminum and copper wire, 144 in. x 195 in.
The Blanton also had several other exhibits featuring more classical European drawings & paintings [like the photo below of a portion from an Italian icon].
Arthouse by AMOA (Austin Museum Of Art)
This gallery had an insightful exhibit titled "The Anxiety of Photography" which I didn't get any photos of but I enjoyed the creativity of the installation art.
The Pump Project
www.pumpproject.org
During the Austin Studio Tours I had the opportunity to tour the studio space which houses 36 artists under one roof. There are twenty three "studios available for working artists, gallery facilities, the Women Printmakers of Austin's printing studio, and a large flex space available for workshops, classes, photo shoots, and short-term installations and other resources to emerging and established artists throughout Austin." it's funded and supported in part by the City of Austin through the Cultural Arts Division.
I was able to talk with a few of the artists, within their private studios, about their art & their creative processes. This was a complete joy for me, as it one of my favorite things to do...connecting with other artists!
the studio space featuring the paintings of Phillip Nichols www.philnicholsart.com and mixed media artist Kafka Lenton www.kafkalenton.org
I was able to speak with Phil about his paintings and he was taking a small break from working on the center painting of the Capitol building in Austin with a large Native American face over it.
the studio space of painter Melinda Watters www.milliecarter.wordpress.com
I was able to talk to "Millie" about her paintings and found out that she was a fellow believer who works with a faith based artist mentor program in Austin called Fireseed www.fireseedanthology.wordpress.com .
Murals:
I enjoyed viewing several colorful murals painted throughout the city of Austin and surrounding areas. I really love it when communities allow public art.
a butterfly mural
a large oak tree mural within Becker Vineyards in Stonewall, Texas
Art within Churches:
I had the chance to visit a few churches in the Austin area while I was there and art seems to be thriving within their cultures. As an art minister myself, I am always interested in the differing flavors of how art and artists are featured, utilized, equipped within different types of churches and communities.
Hope Chapel
This church has been doing art for years formerly led by Arts Pastor David Taylor and currently led by Arts Pastor Brie Tschoepe. Their arts ministry values collaboration between artists for in-sanctuary themed exhibits & installations.
I had the opportunity to help Brie with an installation she was working on for the sanctuary.
Church of the Hills
When I walked into this church I found a wall featuring artwork by several artists within the congregation who create art during the worship services and prayer times. I was encouraged by the variety of styles and mediums utilized. This particular church values co-creating with the Spirit for the edification of the Body.
the art wall featuring several artists who create during worship services and prayer times.
True Life Fellowship
This church didn't have a lot of art displayed where I could see it but I was told that they have artists paint sometimes during their worship services.
this was the painting i saw the moment i walked into True Life. it's a representation of the Holy Spirit.
Collaborations of My Own:
While I was in Austin I also had the chance to collaborate with others to do some art. As I mentioned above, when I visited Hope Chapel I was able to briefly help with an in-sanctuary themed installation. BUT I also had the opportunity to teach some splatter painting to a friend of mine who had never ever allowed herself to let the paint fly. And in the process we worked together on a few canvases to create some artwork for her living room. THEN I spent some time with some other friends and had a wonderful time doing some art with their 3 year old daughter. We enjoyed coloring together on a huge piece of paper that we stretched out over the dining room table.
this is the center painting that i collaborated on with a friend...this isn't the finished piece it was half way done when i took this photo. i did the brown drippy splotchy patch and my friend did the colorful splatter.
this is me with the little 3 year old as we created a huge colorful crayon drawing together. it was very free-form and organic.
I know there probably was a ton more art stuff I could've experienced while I was in Austin but this was a good sampling that I was able to experience.
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