From the Artist’s Way Every Day A year of creative living by Julia Cameron
Art is not about thinking something up. It is about the opposite–getting something down. The directions are important here. If we are trying to think something up, we are straining to reach for something that’s just beyond our grasp, “up there, in the stratosphere, where art lives on high . . .” When we get something down, there is no strain. We’re not doing; we’re getting. Someone or something else is doing the doing. Instead of researching for inventions, we are engaged in listening. Art is an act of tuning in and dropping down the well. It is as though all the stories, painting, music, and performances in the world live just under the surface of our normal consciousness. Like and underground river, they flow through us as a stream of ideas that we can tap down into. As artists, we drop down the well into the stream. We hear what’s down there and we act on it–more like taking dictation than anything fancy having to do with art.
With one of the world’s most dynamic tropical environments and a tumultuous cultural history, Brazil is a country whose beauty can obscure it’s economic and social realities. Politics and the Amazon River have dramatically shaped the lives of the Brazilian people and have left an indelible mark on the country’s social landscape. During Austin photographer Glenn Twiggs’s travels within the country, he began to chronicle the palatable narrative of change within Brazil which resulted in the exhibition At Water’s Edge.
At Water’s Edge will run at UP Collective Studios and Gallery from February 10th to February 26th and was co-curated by Ricardo Santiago Jaén and Mary Caitlin Greenwood.
The opening reception will be February 10th from 7-10 PM with food provided by Rio’s Brazilian Cafe.
Thank you to everyone who came out to our first member meeting of 2012! We reflected on the successful Christmas Bazaar put on by UP Collective member, Lesli Marshall, introduced new building renovations that are currently in the works, presented new application forms available here, announced our line up of exhibitions for Spring 2012, planned for our upcoming one year anniversary party, and UP Collective member, Audrey Fox, presented guidelines for our 2012 UP Collective T-Shirt contest. To sum it all UP, lots of exciting things will be happening in 2012. Please stay tuned to our blog…
Be sure to stop by Flex Space at Pump Project Art Complex on Austin’s east side before January 21st to check out the newly-opened exhibition curated by our very own, Mary Caitlin Greenwood. The exhibition features the work of photographer Mattew Genitempo and sculptor Travis LaMothe, both exploring the dynamics between humans and nature.
When: January 6-21, 2012
Where: Flex Space, 1109 Shady Lane, Austin, TX 78702
PHEW! After the whirlwind of E.A.S.T. and Thanksgiving, we are back for more.
Come join us THIS Thursday (Dec 1st) evening for another Thursday Night Art Social
BYOB and bring you own medium to our life drawing/painting workshop! We have recently acquired six, full-size studio easels graciously donated by the St. Edward’s University art department available for you to use!
Bring your own drinks & drawing/painting materials
Many of our in-house artists will join in on the party to sketch and serve as (dressed) models. We have plenty of chairs, easels, and floor space to accommodate a crowd.
UP Collective Members: FREE!
Non-members: $1-$5 suggested donation
This past weekend really exceeded our expectations…which were already high. We had a constant flow of visitors to Starving Art Studios and received so much positive feedback about our space and all the great artists we house.
E.A.S.T. is always such a great way for artists and the community to interface directly with each other. Visitors feel more relaxed being in the casual environment of the artist’s studio as opposed to a gallery or museum. Plus, people LOVE to hear the stories behind the art. We’ve had the most fun telling people about our work and sharing the inspirations and process. Wouldn’t you rather have a piece of art made by an artist who you had a chance to meet and talk with in their studio? So excited that we still have another whole weekend of E.A.S.T.! Be sure to stop by for the last weekend of E.A.S.T. (November 19th & 20th)…we will be open Saturday and Sunday from 11am-6pm. We have a great variety of interesting and affordable artwork, ranging from original paintings, sculpture, prints, collage, and mixed media.
Here is a snapshot of some of the work from our artists’ studios as well as in our galleries.
Check it Out!
A warm hearty thank you to all of the amazing artists that participated in the first annual 6 x 6″ Project! Come by durring EAST and check out all the entries! But come quick, cause they will be flying out the door!
Come out on (this) Saturday Oct 29th from 7pm-Midnight for the Vanitas: Shrines, Relics, Mementos show closing Costume Party!
Come Show Off your Costume, Check out the Artwork and Get your Freaky-Deaky Boo-gie on with the sounds of DJ Jurassic Acid
We have a Keg, Music and Great Art On the Walls.
Not a bad way to start your night on this Halloween Weekend!
Come out and support local artists at the lovely Gallery Black Lagoon.
Opening Reception Friday October 14th, 7-10pm
Free to attend, beverages by SAVVY Vodka & VitaminWater.
The gallery will also be open for free viewing hours Sat-Mon from 12-4pm, October 15-24th
more information at:
http://galleryblacklagoon.wordpress.com/oct-austin-series-part-iv/
Tonight is the Night! Come out and see new works by members of the UP Collective!
Opening: 8th of October from 7pm-10 pm.
Show Runs October 8th- November 1st
Gallery Hours: 11am-3pm.
Closing Costume Party: October 29th from 7-12pm, with bands TBA.
Vanitas are paintings, meant to represent the fleeting ephemeral moments of life that leave one feeling empty, and contemplative. Popularized during the 16th and 17th century in the city of Flanders, Netherlands, common Vanitas symbols include skulls, rotten fruit, bubbles, smoke, watches, hourglasses, and musical instruments, which symbolize brevity and the ephemeral nature of life and the suddenness of death. This collection of contemporary Vanitas installations, coupled with traditional Mexican Dia de los Muertos shrines, is the driving force behind the UP Collective’s most recent group show: Vanitas: Shrines, Relics and Mementos.
Featured UP Collective Artists in Main Gallery:
Mary H. Chriss, Audrey Fox, Marta Gibbs, Ricardo Santiago Jaén, Kelly McTavish, Farrah Rasheed, Amruta Shah, Allison Walvoord, Adrian Zamora & guests.
North Gallery:
Latter Day Goddesses & Guardians featuring the work of Laura Tankersley
South Gallery:
Skin & Bones
Ron Moses
Joshua Meadows and Farrah Nada of Bone Sculptures
