My mother would be so proud. I have found that I live in the artistic epicenter of Austin. Always the one to encourage any "cultural" activities, growing up, she insisted our family frequent museums and theaters as often as possible. While it was fun to take a 45 minute trip from the suburbs into Houston it sure is nice that I don't have to drive into town to get my fill of culture anymore; culture is literally in my backyard.
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| Pump Project Studios |
No. I am not exaggerating. The
East Austin Studio Tour, aka
E.A.S.T.,is hosted by
Big Medium Studios on Bolm Road and approximately 0.50 miles from my front door.
E.A.S.T. is a 9 day event where hundreds of artists throughout the area know as East Austin open their studios and front doors to the public. Visitors of the tour get a chance to meet artists, watch demonstrations of their work, and purchase art. Art includes sculptures, paintings, jewelry, drawings, music, clay works, interactive art, glass blowing, metal works, photography, print making, book binding, modern, classical, eccentric, and much much more. There are types of art I have never heard of on display. Encaustic? My spell check doesn't even register that as a word.
And of course...there are parties. Pre-parties, after parties and throughout the tour many of the artists are smart and offer wine and beer at their studio. They know you are more likely to spend hundreds of dollars on artwork if you are drunk. Free culture and alcohol? Yes please! Every year I have lived in Austin I have visited studios all over my 'hood and every year it gets bigger and better. I conveniently (and oh so very greenly) ride my bike around the East Side with friends to check out the art, attend parties and even meet new neighbors. In fact, my friend Jessica and I pretty much mark the anniversary of our friendship solidifying during our first
E.A.S.T. experience in 2007. I have nothing but positive experiences on the tour.
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| Just imagine what's inside... |
When most people think of East Austin they think of the "ghetto" or the "bad part of town." Well that is just silly for more reasons than I can begin to list. As it turns out Artists like the East Side, and everyone knows artists are lovers, not hooligans. The East Side in Austin is considered the area East of I-35, which stands as a physical socioeconomic dividing line. Where Christmas lights never come down, there are fast food joints on every corner, a pawn shop next to every Pay-Day Advance, a run down house next to a eco-friendly home, and artists and minorities live in perfect harmony. As it turns out, starving artists need an affordable place to live and with them they naturally bring their art! Art People = Trendy People. Trendy People + East Side = Trendy East Side.
I could write forever about the unique art I have seen, the intriguing people I have met, and how much fun it is to ride around town on bikes with friends 10 deep in our newly formed bicycle gang. I have a Huffy from circa 1989, purple splatter paint.
Don't be jealous. Be jealous of
E.A.S.T. and get down here a dose of art and culture for yourself. Anyway isn't art in the eye of the beholder? So what good is it for me to tell you what I saw if you don't see it yourself.
November 13-21, 2010
November 19-27, 2011
http://www.eastaustinstudiotour.com/
http://www.bigmedium.org/east.htm
