Austin: Open studio

Last weekend was the last weekend of the West Austin Studio Tour. I happen to live in a neighborhood with lots of artists, and it happened to be cool and overcast, so I walked to some of the places in my neighborhood.

Down Mary Street with all its different kinds of houses.

Along South First St with all its decorated telephone poles (when I first moved here I mistook this mysterious artist's--or artists'--work for the kinds of altars or descansos created for people killed on the road) and that mural everyone poses for.

 Up Annie St. with an outstanding example of the things people in Austin do to their yards and some joyful noise being made at St. Annie's AME.

I ended the day by purchasing some cards made from photographs taken by my friend Gia (who I met via Instagram because we travel many of the same highways in New Mexico and Northern California, as well as Austin). Big Medium publishes a beautiful catalog with all the participating artists' statements and a sample of their work and sponsors studio tours for both the East and West sides of Austin, twice a year. But the studio that is Austin its quirky self is open 365 days a year.