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E.A.S.T. DO'S AND DON'T'S | 
comic books and original art from the original
East Side Superhero will be on display in my studio. |
NOVEMBER 2007
STUDIO UPDATE
With the East Austin Studio Tour taking another gigantic leap in size this year, a large part of Austin's citizens have made the trek over the past five years. While I've largely been confined to my studio during the event entertaining crowds with stories behind the paintings and letting folks get a glimpse of how I work, I've only been able to see a few other studios on the tour. Here's a quick guide of some things that may help you out: |
| DO'S | DON'T'S |
- RIDE A BIKE
Don't spend all day looking for a parking space. Ride on the right side of the road, bring a lock, and have a blast
- PLAN A ROUTE
Find a map, buy a catalog, spend some time perusing the website and pick a couple days worth of studios to see
- START EAST
Lots of folks start at 35 and head east, beat the crowds and do the opposite
- ASK QUESTIONS
Artists spend a lot of time alone. They're usually more than willing to talk about their work to anyone willing to listen
- BUY STUFF
Austin's artists need your support. Without high (30-50%) gallery commissions tacked onto the price, the tour's a perfect time to buy some art. Remember, most folks spend at least $600 a year on cable so they can watch reruns on 600 channels, why not buy a painting?
- FOCUS ON STUDIOS
Check out where the work is made, galleries are open year round so you can visit those anytime
- EAT LOCAL
Patronize that dirty little Mexican place you've driven past on your way to the airport. You won't die and you'll get a great cheap meal at old standbys like Los Comales and Arrandas, but check out Taco Journalism and find the dirty hole in the wall you'll fall in love with. Also, the turkey and havarti sub at Rio Rita is exquisite.
- STAY LATE
Hang out on the East Side after 5. Rio Rita and the Longbranch are two great spots to cool your heals, talk about the crazy things you saw all day, and plot the next day's adventure over a refreshing cold one.
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- RUSH YOURSELF
Plan a route, but be flexible. Hang out in some places longer than others, if you miss something, send an artist an email and set up a visit some other time
- BE A PIG
Since the studio has grown so much, lots of studios buy food and beer for their guests. Be polite and don't make the tour a bar crawl. Surely the Chuggin Monkey is open all weekend.
- COMPLAIN ABOUT THE PRICE OF CATALOGS
The tour is still run and put together on a shoestring by three hard working artists using dusty old computers in a dusty old warehouse. The bucks are five bucks and well worth it.
- BE PRETENTIOUS
I always enjoy the relaxed vibe throughout the tour. Lots of artists have degrees in art, and you may too. Let's all be friends and not bore each other with pretension.
- HAGGLE
If you're interested in a piece of art, don't try to chew the price down. Without any commissions, the price of the work is already lower than you'd pay otherwise. If you just can't live without a work you really honestly can't afford, talk to the artist and see if they'll accommodate payments. You may be surprised.
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| STUDIOS TO SEE | |
Here are some of my personal picks of artists and studios to see on the tour.
There's a heavy concentration of painters in the list,
but I don't think any of these stops will let you down:
- 92 - KRISTEN HARTSELL CHAMPION
A Kansas City Art Institute alum doing a variety of cool work
- 90 - ETHAN AZARIAN
Austin's original, just back from a lengthy stay in Mexico
- 89 - GALLERY DV8
The spirit of Mojo's Daily Grind lives on with this counterculture stop
- 87 - AUSTIN METAL AUTHORITY
A perfect example of an insane studio
- 82 - CHARLIE CHAUVIN
Cool fun paintings without a lick of pretension but a whole lot of fun
- 63 - LUIS ABREUX
This Cuban born painter's work looks like it could be really interesting.
- 62 - BLUE GENIE ART
With the Annual Art Bazaar moved off site, this is your chance to see their shop
- 58 - ARTHUR SIMONE
I do enjoy the way Arthur uses paint
- 56 - IAN SHULTS and DAN MORRISON
I was fortunate enough to show with these two in July, their work is stunning
- 50 - PAINTERLY HANDSOMES
A good combination of young painters giving it a go
- 43 - BIG MEDIUM (formerly BOLM STUDIOS)
Meg Stone, Maggie Phillips, and the individual work from the members of SODALITAS makes the EAST Headquarters a vital stop. (I'm in the back of the studios as well, if you get bored)
- 42 - MICHAEL YATES
He just made two beautiful cabinets that almost made me cry
- 38 - ANDY ST. MARTIN
A smart, refined, and damn talented painter
- 34 - BEARDED LADY PRINTING STUDIO
The best print shop in town, two fun guys, one with a beard
- 23 - DAVID OHLERKING AND CHRIS CHAPPELL
The influence these two unleashed throughout Austin this year is amazing
- 18 - BARRIO MEXICAN RELIGIOUS ART STUDIO
Leave your hipster detachment at the door and check out this woman's work
- 15 - JENNIFER BALKAN
Jennifer always puts together a great body of work
- 14 - OKAY MOUNTAIN STUDIOS
Eric Uhlir and Peat Duggins are two of the best in Austin
- 08 - DAN BURNS
returning to Austin to show off some work he's produced in New York
- 07 - CESAR ALEXANDER SYLVA
Concentrated work from an earnest painter
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