BYOBeard

This is Austin, and whether you like it or not, facial hair is a big part of our culture. Urban Skep and Pump Project teamed up to put together a show to celebrate this hipster trend. Our good friend Magda Sayeg teamed up with Dave Mead to create this trio of "Wolly Specimens".

 It was exciting to see all the different takes on it though. "Bearded Lady Buck" by Cricket Burwell was one of my favorites.

 I love the blues and greens of "In the Good Old Days" by Hannah Reinhold.

"Such a Lovely Lady" by Nikki Sorrells has the same feel of what we started doing and I love it. The 70's black velvet feel is spot on.

Katie Cowden was a crowd favorite. "Great Poseidon's Beard!" looks pretty simple until you look at it for a while and see mermaids and fish swimming.

WEST 2013 It's a Wrap

Well - it's done! It was killer, but we're ready to power down and recover for a bit. Mad thanks to all who came and hung out, talked art, and bought art.
I got a chance to sneak out for a bit and see some of the other amazing art happening. While it's not as much as I usually see on EAST and WEST tours -- I was still thrilled to experience some seriously amazing happenings.

I was so excited by Olaniyi Akindiya's work and installation. His pieces are truly next level thinking, fully conceptualized and layered ... and each uniquely created from all types of sourced materials. Captivated by his art, and his excitement for art.

Padaric Kolander. So intense. His paintings/drawings/charcoal etc. hold such power, completely overwhelming. Real.

Stephen Schwake. Say what!? Crazy rowdy.

Christopher Hynes - box assemblages like no other! Everything imaginable and an infinite amount. His studio had so much going on. Think Joseph Cornell except with less/no birds.

 

Yuliya Lanina. Her collages/paintings are amazing. I absolutely fall out for them ... want every single piece I encountered. She holds the perfect balance of imagery.

And then there's Adreon Henry. His show, The Quiet Room, was the most over the top complete package there can be in the art scene. He and Jen Bradley created an unbelievable mental, aural, visual, and yeah, even physical experience. There is no doubt that the process of the installation was well thought out and executed to the freakin' T. His work consumes. The best.

One of three peepholes at Adreon Henry's show.

Jennifer Braham

 

Putting down the cutters until next time ....

China invades WEST Austin Studio Tour 2013

OK ... not really, but we've got a couple of pieces lined up for the second weekend of WEST that come from China. I'm lucky enough to have a sister living in China who sent me a stack of amazing prints from China - ranging from the 1950-60's. Cut them up, collaged them, and put it all together inside plexiglas.

 We are talking original Mao propaganda here. "Girl Power."

The bonus on this piece, "Bug Killas," the collection of bugs included are originals by Jaelah Kuehmichel (stop #44). And the rest of the prints we still have to work on - well, let's just say the Chinese were really into selling products with two women, and one boob.

Come by to see these and our other rad pieces!
And of course to hang with us, talk art, and sip beers!

WEST
Tour: #19 on the map
6701 Burnet Rd (right behind the Pour House)
May 4th & 5th 11-6

WEST Austin Studio Tour 2013 -- We Are Ready

We just finished hanging our show and now we're reeeaaalllyyy pumped. It's our first true solo show so of course we're nervous as heck but after seeing all our work up - so excited for people to see what we've got goin.' A solid mix of new and old pieces. Here's a couple of our girls - "Joan" and "Betty."

 

Come by to meet their sisters and see the rest of our art.
And of course to hang with us, talk art, and sip beers!


WEST
Tour: #19 on the map
6701 Burnet Rd (right behind the Pour House)
April 27th & 28th 11-6
May 4th & 5th 11-6

WEST Austin Studio Tour 2013

It's go-time around the Modplexi studio --- the mad dash to get our art ready to go for WEST. Tons of plexiglas ordered, razorblades flying, fingers cramped from cutting. We are getting there ... and we are getting our ladies ready for showtime.

Tour: #19 on the map
6701 Burnet Rd
April 27th & 28th 11-6
May 4th & 5th 11-6

Factory Girls

Warhol factory girls making blue floating pillows (we wish)?

Machining numbers?

No not exactly ...

These are just parts of the process of plaque making. Recently, we got our biggest order to date, and had to crank out massive amounts of plaques at once. Needless to say, we had no problem tying our hair up in do-rags and getting on the factory line.

DO NOT DISTURB

We will be terribly busy all day, in deep preparations for the new season of Mad Men.
Booze accounted for, ice cubes chilled, kids tucked away ...

Let the games begin.