from the studio of kristy darnell battani

East Austin Studio Tour 2011

2011-11-06T18:46:00.000-06:00

"El Rey," Kristy Darnell Battani, 36"x48" (2011)

I love this time of year! The air is crisp, the lake sparkles and all of the artists on the east side of town are frantically wiring paintings, sweeping their studios and putting on a fresh coat of wall paint in preparation for the East Austin Studio Tour. I love this event and this year is especially exciting as it marks the 10th year of the Tour! Truly mind-boggling how much the event has grown in such a short time. This year there will be over 350 artists inviting you into their studios, sharing their process and showing their most recent work. The Tour is festive, family-friendly and a great way to jump start your holiday shopping!

I'm thrilled to be a part of E.A.S.T. this year as a resident artist of ARTPOST Studios (#54 on the E.A.S.T. map). ARTPOST is home to 30+ visual artists and is located on Cesar Chavez, just past the intersection of Springdale, across the street from Arkie's).

I invite you to my studio to see my recent body of work. For many months my ideas have focused on visually depicting eroding messages...large, colorful abstract encaustic paintings, resin-coated collage pieces, works on paper, three-dimensional pieces, several smaller works and note cards, too. Whether you are avidly collecting art, are contemplating your first original art purchase, are moderately confused by abstract art, or just looking for a little something "local," I think you will find something here.

WHEN: November 12 & 13, and November 19 & 20.

11:00am - 6:00pm

WHERE: ARTPOST Studios, 4704 East Cesar Chavez (just past Springdale)

WHAT: East Austin Studio Tour, ARTPOST # 54 on the EAST Tour Map

What will you find at ARTPOST: 30+ Visual Artists, Live Music, Zhi Tea, Texas Pit BBQ, CoolHAUS Ice Cream Sandwiches.

Asylum

2011-11-06T18:45:00.000-06:00

"Veni Vedi Vici" / Kristy Darnell Battani / Encaustic on paper

Asylum.

Does the word make you uneasy? Cause you to giggle? Invoke images of Nurse Ratched? A straight jacket? Electro-shock treatment?

By definition, asylum is simply a place offering solace, peace or refuge. Add hundreds of acres of whispering pine trees, grazing dairy cows, reflecting ponds, meandering trails and cool summer breezes blowing off Lake Michigan, it could be a welcome vacation. And so it was for me.

"Another Day" / Kristy Darnell Battani / Encaustic on paper

Admittedly, the Northern Michigan Asylum in Traverse City no longer functions as a hospital but rather is a high-design, eco-modern, residential community. For two weeks I escaped the Texas summer heat and worked while living in the former asylum. My life was simple. All my basic needs (good coffee, good wine, good chocolate and place to walk and bike) were simply laid before me each day. The scale of the structure itself intrigued me—brick and plaster walls two feet thick, massively wide hallways, and thirteen-foot ceilings with sunlight flooding in through windows of virtually the same height.

I worked each day on my sunny veranda, but at night, when the shadows filled the wide hallways, I couldn’t prevent my mind from wandering, wondering at the loneliness, frustration, despair, confusion, or anger the original residents must have felt. The hallways were silent, but my mind allowed the possibility of a cry, a scream, or a moan. What happened in the shadows at the end of the hallway? Was there a faint light in the transom window above the metal door? What really happened in the therapy rooms?

"Light in Darkness" / Kristy Darnell Battani / Encaustic on paper

And then the jackhammers started.

"Lucidity" / Kristy Darnell Battani / Encaustic on paper

On the second morning and throughout the rest of my stay a construction crew arrived with their jackhammer to pound a relentless beat for eight hours directly below my workspace. At first I thought it was a small price to pay for living in such luxury. But by the third day my work slowed. I was irritable. The noise drowned my thoughts. Nothing I created made any sense. I felt…crazy. And that was the begining of the Asylum project.

I spent many hours researching the history of this asylum and similar other institutions built during the late nineteenth century. I explored every part of the grounds, both the renovated and decaying structures. I read stories and flipped through photos of those who had lived, worked or been touched by the institution. I gave shape, color and texture to my own experience with these things. It culminated in the works that are part of this series on collage on paper.

"Hanging Optimism" / Kristy Darnell Battani / Encaustic on paper

Music For The Masses...ACL and More

2011-09-20T10:06:00.000-05:00

We may not have the crisp feeling in the air or the crunch of new fallen leaves under our feet, but we certainly have the electricity of the excitement of ACL (Austin City Limits Music Festival for those who live in a musical cave) in the air! Nothing beats a day with Aloe Black, the Court Yard Hounds, Stevie Wonder and a steady rain!

In keeping with the spirit of a melting pot of music, I hung some new work at Berry Austin on Second Avenue, next to the Austonian. The owner of Berry Austin, Kathy Steele, and I were comparing notes on the headaches of pouring resin one afternoon (Kathy creates the amazing mosaics and countertops in Berry Austin) when she asked me to hang some work from my "Subsequent Discord" series. I created all of the pieces in this series from old concert billboard signage that I have collected from the streets in Austin. I love the way the Latin fusion, alt rock, hip hop and country signage literally melt together, influencing each other much in the way the actual music inspires the others. The work will be on display at Berry Austin through November.

"By Day," acrylic, billboards & resin, 36"x36" (Battani 2011)

The 90s Are Back And So Am I

2011-09-20T09:45:00.000-05:00

As those of you in Texas well know, the heat was brutal in Austin this summer. It took its toll on the plants, lakes and apparently on my ability to post to my blog.

But this week the temperatures are all in the 90s and the world seems right again! I actually used my torch yesterday. Glad to be back in the studio and back on line!

ARTPOST Opening: Applied Imagination

2011-03-28T18:52:00.000-05:00

ARTPOST Spring Opening:
Saturday, April 2, 2011 / 7pm - 10pm

Both Mrs. Eaves and Zuzu agree on one thing — taking a new studio at ARTPOST in East Austin back in January was a great decision. Yes, Mrs. Eaves fretted over the distance, but come to find out, it's really helpful to have that separation time, time to create some space between home life and studio life. And Zuzu has been ecstatic over the wealth of creative energy buzzing around ARTPOST.

With more than 20 resident and visiting professional artists working in renovated warehouse and quonset huts ARTPOST is a bastion for new contemporary abstract painting, interpretive sculpture, fashion industry jewelry, large format printmaking, spatial-scale installation work, and screen printing.

Other artists working at ARTPOST include Court Lurie, Lacey Richter, Tina Schweiger, Dan Arredondo, Brian Crumley, Foster Talge, Rene Norman, Katy Horan, Taft Mashburn, Leah Haney, Rachel Long, Jim Pierce, Tim Schmidt, Ezra Masch, Squid Ink Kollective, Scott Proctor, Marianne McGrath, Nick Dertien and Heather Parrish.

So, if you live in Austin, stop by Saturday night to see some really innovative work. Court Lurie is hot off a solo show in New York and the sculptors over in the warehouse have some fascinating new work in glass, bronze and plaster. And, of course, Mrs. Eaves and Zuzu have ensured that I have lots of new work, too.

Saturday, April 2 / 7pm - 10 pm
ARTPOST, 4704 East Cesar Chavez, Austin, TX

Austin City Hall: Through the Fish Bowl

2011-02-21T14:34:00.000-06:00

Dry Creek, encaustic w/ mixed media, 24"x24"

The next time you are attending an Austin City Council Meeting, having lunch with the mayor or catching up with the City Clerk, believe it or not you can also see some really great artwork. For more than five years the City has showcased the talents of Austin artists with an extensive annual art exhibition known as the People's Gallery. Approximately 150 contemporary artworks, including paintings, photographs, sculptures and other mediums, are on display in the atrium and open areas of the first three floors of the uber-cool,enviro-friendly Austin City Hall.

I'm thrilled to have my painting "Dry Creek" included in the 2011 People's Gallery (#52 on the tour guide). And want to know Zuzu's favorite part? The painting hangs in the hallway outside Conference Room 2003—aka "The Fish Bowl" because it is completely glass and dangles precariously over the atrium—side by side with possibly the world's largest (and certainly the most fabulous) "Catfish" painting by Hunter Wesson (#53) and just a stones throw from an all-time classic photographic favorite "Buba At Barton Springs" by Roy Mata (part of the permanent collection and winner of the People's Choice 2008)! Jackpot! Make sure you go around the corner to see John Sager's "Hagia Sophia" sculpture (#76). It gets my vote for this year's top prize.

So stop by, say "hey" to Mayor Leffingwell and soak up some culture. Austin City Hall is open to the public Monday through Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. City Hall is located at 301 W 2nd Street (parking is available underneath the building). The Exhibition remains on view for the entire year, so no excuses not to visit.

For more information, visit the People's Gallery Exhibition page.

Austin Modern Home Tour

2011-02-02T14:58:00.002-06:00

Austin Modern Home Tour #2: 6703 Vireo Cove, Austin, TX

View some of my recent work in the 2011 Austin Modern Home Tour, stop #2 located at 6703 Vireo Cove (off 2222, just outside 360). Designed by Erik Gonzalez of Sago International, this home is absolutely stunning, with walls of windows that integrate the interior with the surrounding woods and creek.

The home is offered for sale by Cindy Goldrick, Wilson & Goldrick Realtors and was staged for this event by Susannah Blanton of Blanton Design.

Other featured artists include: Andrew Anderson, Rebecca Bennett, Sharon Kyle Kuhn, Rene Norman, Chris White and Stacy Kirk.

EAST AUSTIN STUDIO TOUR

2010-11-07T19:42:00.003-06:00

November 13, 14, 20, 21
11:00 am - 6:00 pm

5305 Bolm Road, Bay 11 [map]

Art Alliance Preview Party details

Friday, November 12 / 7pm-10:30pm

The East Austin Studio Tour (just "E.A.S.T." to most) is back for two weekends again this year. E.A.S.T. highlights the work and studios of hundreds of Austin's most creative artists. It's great fun to see the variety of working studios, artwork and holiday gift ideas. My eastside studio is located at Big Medium, the founders of E.A.S.T., located at 5305 Bolm Road, Bay 11 [map]

More info: www.eastaustinstudiotour.com

Maps available at Whole Foods, Big Medium and other businesses around town (and I have a few extra). Hope to see you all! - Kristy

Looking for fun restaurants to try on the eastside of Austin?

Here are a few of my favorites:

· Progress Coffee [coffee, sandwiches], 500 San Marcos Street

· Blue Dahlia Bistro [sandwiches, salads, tartines], 1115 E. 11th Street

· Eastside Pies [pizza], 1401-B Rosewood Ave.
· Buenos Aires Cafe [Argentinean cafe], 1201 E. 6th Street
· East Side Show Room [vintage cocktails, dinner], 1100 E. 6th Street
· East Side King @ The Liberty [Asian fusion in a trailer], 1618 1/2 E. 6th Street

Startling Revelation...Goddess of Beauty Has Toe Deformity!

2010-10-04T08:30:00.003-05:00

Zuzu was shocked to discover today that Venus—as in Sandro Botticelli's "The Birth of Venus" (1482-1485)—has deformed, slightly dirty looking toes! How did Zuzu make such a discovery, inquiring minds may want to know? Well, thanks to the fine folks at Haltadefinizione you can now have an up close view of several of the works on display at the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, including works by Botticelli, Caravaggio and Leonardo da Vinci.

How close is up close, you ask? According to Vincenzo Mirarchi, CEO of Haltadefinizione, the images have a resolution of up to 28 billion pixels—that's about 3,000 times stronger than the resolution of an average digital camera—minutiae up to a hundredth of a millimeter. Holy devil in the details!

Mirarchi says the technology involves taking hundreds of pictures of small parts of the artwork and then combining them to recreate the whole image. Truthfully, even if you are standing next to the painting in the Uffizi you will never be able to get close enough to see these kinds of details (particularly without getting a swift escort to the piazza from the polizia).

So by simply visiting the Haltadefinizione website and clicking on the zoom button you can now see every strand of Venus' hair (unruly and split ends), the color of her lipstick (presumably Estee Lauder Caffe Latte) and whether or not she shaved under her arms (doubtful). And you will see that her second toe is clearly longer than her big toe and a little dirty under the nails to boot.

Zuzu was completely blown away by this superb technology. And, truth be told, she was even a little pleased to learn that Venus wasn't so darn perfect after all. Until Mrs. Eaves walked in and casually mentioned as she passed by, "You know, some people think that a longer second toe indicates wisdom and is a sign of leadership." Zuzu looked down at her own toes...come to think of it, her own second toe is a little long, too. Maybe she and Venus aren't so different, after all. Go ahead and take a look for yourself.

Good-bye to Good ‘Ol Boy Agreements

2010-09-27T08:30:00.000-05:00

Mrs. Eaves has always been a bit puzzled by the art world’s reliance on “good old boy” agreements, the handshake-and-a-smile transactions wherein artists pledge their artwork to dealers and in turn dealers hand over the art to collectors with little to no paperwork and often no real time exchange of money. Although these types of transactions may have worked sufficiently in the past, the recent economic woes have caused many to reconsider these practices, even at the highest levels.

Mrs. Eaves recently read an article in The Art Newspaper regarding the problems art dealers are facing collecting on sales. Collectors are taking longer than the standard 30-days to pay for art purchases or even canceling sales. The delayed payments make it difficult or impossible for the dealer to pay the artist.

The article noted that this type of transaction is less tolerated in other industries. Fashion houses often require a deposit for couture orders. Even Christie’s has a new policy requiring buyers to pay in full before picking up purchases (whereas clients previously had 30 days to pay). Sotheby’s too expects payment in full at the time of sale and is quick to turn over late payments to the accounts department and legal department.

While Mrs. Eaves thinks the visual art world would be well served to follow these leads, what does this mean for the average artist? Mrs. Eaves encourages artists to discuss this point with their gallerist or dealer. Good gallerists/dealers will acknowledge the problem and be willing to negotiate a working solution. For example, one gallerist Mrs. Eaves knows requires the client to pay 50% at the time of delivery (even to take a piece out on trial) and that amount goes straight to the artist. Then even if the client is slow to pay the balance due, the gallerist is still able to pay the artist and keep that relationship strong.

How do you see artists and gallerists dealing with the problems of collecting payment in a tight economy?

Surround Yourself With Creative People

2010-09-22T08:30:00.001-05:00

Laura Scarborough

Mrs. Eaves and Zuzu agree that the best formula for inspiration is to simply surround yourself with wildly creative people, regardless of what form their creativity takes.

Case in point, Laura Scarborough, a self-described “pianist-composer-singer-perfomer-producer-eklectronik-musician-piano teacher-accordion player-hula hooper-bike rider-video editor-runner of a rural tech-farm in Austin, Texas.” Talk about a job description that’s tough to fit on a business card!

At first we knew her only as “Miss Laura,” Lil’ Zu’s totally hip, beyond cool piano teacher. Miss Laura sashays into our home each week wearing swinging bell bottom pants and feathered flowers in her hair (some of which even had blinking lights!). No lifeless piano recitals for Miss Laura; rather, her pupils have a “gig” each year at a local restaurant where Miss Laura herself performs weekly with a jazz trio called The Mingtones.

Laura could have a solo career as either a vocalist or pianist— indeed she won the Austin Music Award for Best Keyboardist in 2009—but she often prefers to accompany others. Laura possesses a gift for making other people look and sound good. In the summer, she performs as a soloist, choreographer and keyboardist with the Kansas City based group Quixotic, a multi-sensory performance group that combines music, dance and video. Take a look: http://vimeo.com/13169998

But wait—there’s more! Laura is passionate about her hooping, the artistic dance and exercise craze crossing the globe. Zuzu and Mrs. Eaves had the pleasure of helping Laura design the logo for her business HoopCircle.

While Mrs. Eaves had seen Laura hooping it up in the annual Austin First Night parade, she was completely dumbfounded to discover how popular this dance-sport has become. College girls to soccer moms are grabbing these hoops (which Laura custom designs) and taking them for a spin. Mrs. Eaves thought even she might be able to hoop it up and envisioned her ownself leading the parade, but then Laura jetted off to Japan for a hooping exhibition that takes hooping to a whole 'nother level. Check out this video of Laura (in a Japanese Noh mask) and yes, that is real fire. http://www.youtube.com/scarbiedoll#p/a/u/0/E5AzOdI7zOo

Laura Scarborough performing in Japan

Zuzu and Mrs. Eaves agreed that they would be best to keep their flames limited to their encaustic paintings but it sure is great to hang around such creative people!

Letting Go

2010-07-26T09:00:00.001-05:00

Yesterday Mrs. Eaves was fussing over the last touches of the large installation piece that will soon be on its way to its permanent home at the University of Western Michigan. She scrutinized every inch...scraping a bit here, removing a panel to fuse an area a little smoother there. She let her hands slide over every bump, every piece of embedded pigskin and metal, and linger over every image and incised line.

As she paused,a thought occurred to her. She wasn't inspecting the piece as much as saying good-bye and letting it go. It's funny how an artist can have such a love-hate relationship with a piece of art. This piece has been hogging studio wall space for many months, slowly evolving over time. Some days it glared defiantly, refusing to cooperate in any measure. Other days, it yawned with ennui, casually wondering aloud if this was really what all the fuss was about. Other days it sang out, bursting with ideas and possibilities. In short, it had become a stalwart studio companion.

But now it's time for this painting to go out into the world. In this case, it is public art so, in theory, Zuzu and Mrs. Eaves could go visit it whenever they like. In reality, they will help it settle into its new home and visit it one more time for a grand unveiling and dedication. And then, most likely, they will all go their own ways...sharing fond memories and mutual respect but leading separate lives. Mrs. Eaves can't help but wonder...is artwork created or birthed?

aMuse

2010-07-16T17:09:00.000-05:00

Much of the allure of working in encaustic is the instant gratification it provides. The paradox is that some of the encaustic processes are actually quite slow and laborious. Building up wax and subsequently scraping it back is one of those processes…love the result, but on a large scale piece, a fair amount of patience is necessary.

Unfortunately, patience is not one of Zuzu’s virtues and the monotonous scraping required in the studio this week left Zuzu’s mind wandering. She needs to start some new pieces, but can’t quite “see” them in her mind yet. It occurred to her that what she really needs is a muse. Matisse had his nurse Monique; Dante had Beatrice; John had Yoko…clearly, Zuzu needed someone to inspire her.

With so much scraping left to do, Zuzu considered the obvious muse choices. Perhaps one of the great Masters? But would you really want Michelangelo critiquing every stroke? Frieda seems like she might be moody. And Picasso probably wouldn’t show up until late in the day anyway. Truthfully, many artists are too selfish to be of much muse use. Zuzu wanted a muse to be, well, more a-musing.

Come to think of it, Zuzu sort of wanted a muse who was more magical than anything. You know, someone who could jump in and help get things done. Someone who was fun and spunky and could just make things happen around the studio. Someone like Barbara Eden as Jeannie. OMG…that was perfect! Zuzu’s muse would wear white go-go boots and live in a bottle filled with lava lamps and throw pillows. If Zuzu needed a different pigment stick, blink! Jeannie would make it appear. If Zuzu wondered if it would look better to add a smudge of blue across the bottom of the painting, blink! Jeannie would do a smudge of blue and then wrinkle her nose and take it away when it clearly was not right. And if Zuzu needed something new to wear in the studio, blink! Jeannie would go shopping and bring back cool, funky artist clothes. OMG…Zuzu could wear go-go boots, too!

Zuzu paused from her scraping and mulled over the idea of wearing go-go boots in the studio. Mrs. Eaves frowned at Zuzu, letting her gaze drift to Zuzu's paint splattered leather sandals and toenails begging for new polish. She continued to survey the piles of latte cups and used paper towels scattered around Zuzu.

“Perhaps the Bradys could spare Alice for a day or two to inspire and a-muse you.”

Sigh. Making art isn’t very glamorous most days. And it isn’t a day job for go-go boots. Some muses have to be a little sturdier than others.

4th Annual Encaustic Conference: Why Bother With Professional Associations?

2010-06-22T08:30:00.001-05:00

Downtown Beverly, Massachusetts

Mrs. Eaves has been working hard on a summer schedule that will accommodate all of the works in progress at the studio with the fluid nature of summer family activities. Come to find out, there is a shortage of 3.75 hours per day. She frowned when Zuzu announced she was trotting off to the 4th Annual Encaustic Conference at Montserrat Collage in Beverly, Massachusetts. Was there really time (and money) for this kind of frivolity? Begrudgingly Mrs. Eaves booked her airfare.

Montserrat College of Art New Residence Dorms

But after four days of panel discussions, break out sessions, networking and general creative kvetching, Mrs. Eaves has determined that she and Zuzu can't afford not to attend these kind of professional gatherings. Both of them have returned home with energy and rejuvenated ideas, Zuzu with plans for a new body of work and Mrs. Eaves with multiple ideas for marketing, planning and business strategies. Perhaps best of all, they both returned with a bevy of new friends and acquaintances. Artists whose work they have only admired from afar...Eileen Goldenberg, Daniella Woolf, Laura Moriarity—met ‘em. Artists whose work they hardly knew...Kandy Lozano, Kim Bernard, Lisa Pressman, Alexandre Masino—love ‘em!

Other professions require their members to attend these kind of conferences. Lawyers, for example, are required to clock a set number of CLE (“continuing legal education”) hours to stay current with trends, changes in the law and networking with colleagues. Although it would be a bitter pill for most artists to be required to complete such education, the fact is that most of us need it—desperately. We need the interaction and the energy that comes from being around like-minded souls.

The tricky part for most artists is identifying solid, organized arts associations that warrant your limited time and money. Often the strength of a group is a reflection of their leadership. In this case, both Zuzu and Mrs. Eaves agree that the Encaustic Conference is a singularly well-run, inspired event thanks in no small way to the expertise and energy of artist Joanne Mattera. If you are an artist in need of a role model, look no further. At the very least, dog-ear Joanne’s blog. Then set your calendar to send you a reminder in January to submit your form for the 5th Annual Encaustic Conference....chances are you won’t be the first to get your form in (I suspect some of these artists are already camping out to sign-up for next year’s conference!) but you won’t regret the investment.

NOTE: This is not a paid advertisement. Mrs. Eaves or Zuzu swear they didn’t receive any compensation for this endorsement.

What's the Deal With Marfa?

2010-05-19T08:00:00.001-05:00

Some things defy definition. Zuzu and Mrs. Eaves can agree on one thing after their recent visit to Marfa, Texas—it’s a tough place to define.

At 440 miles west of Austin, Marfa is smack in the middle of nowhere, even by West Texas standards. For their visit, the temperatures ranged from a high of 95 in the day down to 32 at night. On the plateau of the Chihuahuan Desert, Marfa boasts a population of slightly more than 2000 which appears to be a combination of a few original ranchers and the rest migratory artisans who split their time between Marfa and parts north of the Mason-Dixon Line.

The only thing spotted more frequently than rattlesnakes in Marfa are celebrities. Bands like the Dandy Warhols, Sonic Youth, Lyle Lovett and David Byrne make regular stops. Julia Roberts, Tommy Lee Jones and plenty of others are lured there as if the Greek sirens had resurfaced as prickly pear cacti. One local bookstore owner claims that in Marfa "you sit and the world comes to you." But the whole thing made Mrs. Eaves scratch her head and wonder "what's everybody smoking?"

But there it is in the middle of all that parched earth, a regular beehive of contemporary artistic activity, a little SoHo of the Tumbleweeds. Maybe the renowned Marfa Lights aren’t alien activity after all but rather a strong magnetic field that mysteriously sucks artsy types from Manhattan, Los Angeles and beyond to establish roots here. Art galleries like Galleri Urbane, Ballroom Marfa and Inde/Jacobs Gallery fill every old building that can tolerate a coat of white paint. Marfa has many cinematic ties, including serving as the locale for “Giant,” “No Country for Old Men,” and “There Will Be Blood” so it is no big surprise that the Marfa Film Festival has become quite the social scene. Artisans like Lorna Leedy of Fancy Pony Land keep studios in Marfa as home base for their one-of-a-kind wares. Creatives like Austinite Liz Lambert have refurbished quirky old hotels including the Thunderbird, the Capri and Zuzu's preferred abode in a restored airstream at El Cosmico.

So who was the instigator and ring leader of this Marfa cult? No argument on this one. Hands down everyone points to renowned minimalist artist Donald Judd. After spending several years summering in Marfa (which in Zuzu’s book sounds pretty sweaty), in 1979 Judd purchased 340 acres of land formerly used as an army base (Fort Russell) including a stint as a German POW camp during WWII. Judd wanted a place to integrate his large scale installations with the landscape and create a new type of “anti-museum.” Judd liked the juxtoposition of the rural land with the military architectural structures. Judd’s own installation of 100 aluminum boxes (each 41"x51"x72") is housed in two former artillery sheds now lined with soaring glass windows. Zuzu was smitten with this installation which is like walking through an optical illusion. The metal boxes reflect their surroundings, at times appearing to be made of the painfully perfect blue sky that almost suffocates you on a hot day.

Judd companion installation featuring 15 concrete box dots the surrounding fields. The starkness of the landscape seamlessly envelopes Judd’s boxes.

In addition to Judd's work, the Chianti complex includes permanent exhibits featuring works of Carl Andre, Ingolfur Arnarsson, John Chamberlain, Dan Flavin, Roni Horn, Ilya Kabakov, Richard Long, Claes Oldenburg, Coosje van Bruggen, John Wesley and David Rabinowitch. Of note are six U-shaped barracks which house Flavin’s light installation “Untitled (Marfa Project).”

While appreciative of the other pieces, Mrs. Eaves preferred the Oldenburg/van Bruggen sculpture "Monument to the Last Horse" dedicated to "Louie," the last horse of First U.S. Cavalry which was disbanded in 1932. The sculpture is inscribed "Animo et Fide"— "Spirited and Faithful"— and so perfectly captures the spirit of the West, where everything is bigger than reality.

In his later years Judd continued buying up Marfa ultimately owning nine city buildings, 34,000 acres and three houses in the area. After Judd’s death in 1994, the Chinati Foundation was created to oversee his work and the space. The museum is open by guided tour only, Wednesday through Sunday.

At the end of the trip, the magic of Marfa is still difficult to describe. Some say the allure to Marfa is its ability to break down boundaries. Perhaps. Or maybe there really is something going on with those Marfa Lights.

There was much debate amongst Zuzu and Mrs. Eaves as to whether or not they actually witnessed the Marfa Lights. Zuzu swears she saw them. Mrs. Eaves swears it was only the Marfa Head-Lights. Great minds reserve the right to differ.

Where Art Leads Us (Oh, The Places You Will Go!)

2010-04-30T08:00:00.001-05:00

If there is one thing that Zuzu loves, it’s an adventure, particularly one dotted with an interesting cast of characters. The world of art can’t always guarantee a steady paycheck, but the one thing it surely provides is an interesting cast of characters.

Case in point, Zuzu recently ventured out to the far western reaches of the Texas Hill Country to meet with Mr. John Roberts and tour his 300+-acre Rafters 7 Ranch near Montell. Last month Zuzu was selected to participate in the Art & Conservancy program in Boerne, Texas. The premise of the show (which will be on display in April 2011) is to match artists with Hill Country landowners and to create an exhibit featuring the work the artists create based on their time exploring the land. Zuzu was fascinated by the idea and was thrilled to be selected as one of the artists. So this past weekend Zuzu headed west, accompanied by Mr. Eaves and Lil’ Zu.

The drive alone was spectacular. Just west of Boerne, the terrain becomes more rugged, the canyons deeper, the hills more pronounced. A wet spring has made the hills uncharacteristically green and the wildflowers make the highways look like Jackson Pollack paintings in splashes of yellow, red, blue and white. Many of the ranches along scenic RR 337 sport exotic animals including buffalo, kangaroo, gazelle and antelope. (Zuzu picked up a lovely stainless steel pot perfect for encaustics at garage sale at one of these fabulous ranches.) We ate homemade apple pie (with apple ice cream) in Medina and settled into our cabin at The Lodges at Lost Maples. For dinner we headed over to Tarpley, Texas for some amazing roadside cuisine at Mac & Ernies Roadside Eatery (make sure you check out the video where Mac & Ernies was featured on the premier episode of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives on the The Food Network...the shack has been replaced but the yellowfin tuna with wasabi mayo, ancho chili honey basted pork chops, catfish and bbq shrimp are still to die for! Word of warning...order your chocolate cream pie when you place your order at the counter or risk being shut out. We learned the hard way that they run out every night.)

But Sunday was the real point of the trip. After breakfast and saying good-bye to our borrowed guard dog Remy, we headed past Leakey (pronounced Lakey) towards Camp Wood. Towns out this way come and go quicker than you can blink. Even gas stations are a bit of a novelty. Mr. Rogers had given us excellent directions ("go to Camp Wood and turn left, then turn right at Montell"—please note, these turns are at a town, not a road, which gives you some idea of the size of the places we are talking about—then take the 4^th bump gate into 'headquarters.'")

Now, for you city-slickers (unfortunately this includes Zuzu) a “bump gate” is a swinging metal gate across the road that you literally bump into with your vehicle (ideally, this vehicle is a very large, dusty truck and Zuzu was greatly relieved she had not insisted on driving the Mini for this outing, particularly when the next turn required driving across a river bed that would have swallowed the Mini whole).

Mr. Rogers and his dogs met Zuzu and Company in front of the house, but quickly loaded everyone into the Kubota (that’s a type of all-terrain-vehicle or ATV for the aforementioned city-slickers) and set off driving up the side of the mountain, along the edge and ultimately straight up the river bed (which was very exciting for Lil’ Zu). Mountain goats hung precariously on the side of the mountain while domestic goats and cattle whiled away the day in the fields. Mr. Rogers’ grandfather bought these 800-acres in 1945 and Mr. Rogers himself grew up on the land, inspiring an apparent love for the land and a degree in botany from Sul Ross State University. He pointed out the native plants and endangered flora species as well as the Native American caves cut into the limestone cliffs where he played in as a boy. (The University of Texas has excavated these caves and discovered evidence of four civilizations and a 26-inch saber-tooth tiger tooth!)

Mr. Rogers showed us the old homestead and barn built in the late 1800s, drove us to various site advantages of the numerous waterfalls along the river and ultimately led us to a fabulous 23-foot deep swimming hole. Lil’ Zu looked wistfully at the spring-fed swimming hole but even she admitted the water was a “tad bit” cold and opted for wading further down stream. Mr. Rogers had other appointments but encouraged us to spend the rest of the afternoon enjoying the river and the land, which we were only to happy to do. He invited us all to come back in the fall for his annual roping event…he’ll be cooking up 150 pounds of fajita meat so it appears there may be a few other invitees!

With her camera laden down with images and bags full of rusted wires and detritus, Zuzu & Company headed home. What to do with all of it? Can she capture any of the magic in a single piece of artwork? We shall see, we shall see.

Taking Advantage of Resources: Accountants & Lawyers for the Arts

2010-04-27T14:54:00.001-05:00

On Saturday Mrs. Eaves had the pleasure of meeting with Judy Arfa, CPA, a certified public accountant from Houston who has been assigned by Texas Accountants and Lawyers for the Arts (TALA) to assist Texas Wax with its tax filings and federal non-profit status. TALA is a non-profit organization that assists individual artists and arts-related groups in the state of Texas with tax and legal matters. TALA assists nonprofit arts organizations with an annual budget of less than $250,00 AND individual artists making less than $50,000 annually. TALA can assist with nonprofit incorporation, estate planning, licensing, landlord-tenant disputes, financial review, budgets and federal and state tax filings. TALA has a helpful library of information available to its members. For a nominal cost, you or your organization can have access to professionals like Ms. Arfa whose fees might otherwise drain your piggy bank.

Mrs. Eaves herself previously volunteered her time with a similar organization in Georgia and highly recommends their services. While some of these professionals may not have experience with your specific arts-related issue, generally they come from sophisticated firms and practices with many resources available to help resolve your issue. Mrs. Eaves is wont to remind you that you cannot simply defer all of these matters to someone else. You may still have to roll up your sleeves and read (okay, at least skim) one of those nasty, Texas-sized documents so that you can understand WHY you need to do what is required of you or your entity. But simply having access to an intelligent and reliable resource is easily worth the annual membership fee.

The Birthday Candle Trick

2010-04-12T09:00:00.000-05:00

Is there anything worse than being stuck? We’re not talking traffic jam stuck, stuck between a rock and a hard place, or even your shorty’s Ipod stuck on replay. We’re talking about being stuck—creatively.

Not a one of us is immune from it. You know the drill. You stare at the canvas. You think…deeply. You get coffee. You check your email. You start a load of laundry. You pay a bill. You call your Aunt Paula. You think about the plight of polar bears in the Arctic. You wonder if bluebonnets would grow in Michigan. You think your second toe might be longer than your big toe. And yet nothing emerges. The canvas stares blankly back at you. It clearly has the upper hand in this stand-off.

What’s a poor, starving (insert your calling) to do when she finds herself in such a bind?

Fear not. Zuzu and Mrs. Eaves present the fool-proof: Birthday Candle Trick.

Step 1 Locate one (1) birthday candle (color and design of your choice).
Step 2 Locate match (or for us encaustic enthusiasts, a torch will do in a pinch)
Step 3 Light birthday candle.
Step 4 Do something of a creative nature (preferably in your studio or workspace) for the length of time it takes the birthday candle to burn out: mix colors, clean brushes, doodle, just paint that little section in the corner that hardly matters, whatever. The only rule is that you keep doing something for the entire time the candle is burning.
Step 5 Be prepared to be dazzled and amazed because you will never actually see the candle flame go out. No one ever has. Studies show that the miniscule amount of time it takes the birthday candle to extinguish itself is all the average artist needs to get the creative juices flowing again. Like magic, the creative wheels are rolling along (whether they are creaking or zipping along is irrelevant).

Neither Mrs. Eaves nor Zuzu can take credit for the Birthday Candle Trick—they learned it from Andrew Long (clearly they both benefited from his workshop because his words keep echoing in their ears—check out his workshops for yourself: Creative Arts Austin). For once, they both agree on something. Plus, as Zuzu would like to point out, it’s just kind of festive to keep birthday candles in your studio.

Dread Sales Tax- Part 2

2010-04-06T09:30:00.002-05:00

Well, despite Mrs. Eaves promises to continue her thoughts about artists and sales tax, Zuzu kept distracting her until here it is the first of April and she is only now getting back to the topic. But with April 15 Tax Day fast approaching, she renews her vow to tackle the topic.

So, back to Sales Tax. When we left off Mrs. Eaves advised us that, for better or for worse, visual artists are required to collect and submit sales tax for sales of artwork in Texas. In most metropolitan areas in Texas the sales tax rate is .0825%. The good news is if you make a sale of artwork to a buyer located outside the state of Texas (and the work is delivered to that out-of-state location), you are not required to collect and submit sales tax.

Recently Mrs. Eaves attended a workshop regarding “Tax Issues for Individual Artists” as part of the City of Austin Next Level series. Andrea Belano, a staff attorney for the Texas RioGrande Legal Aid, did an excellent job presenting a concise, coherent overview of tax issues relevant to artists. Allegedly, the presentation was filmed and will be rebroadcast on a local station. If so, it would be well worth your effort to grab a bowl of popcorn and watch it in your pjs (Zuzu’s preferred method of “professional development”). Check the City of Austin website for air dates.

Ms. Belano recommended that artists create a separate account for collected sales tax so that you are never tempted to consider that money part of your gross income. Even Zuzu’s suspect method of hiding collected sales tax from herself in a special jar is better than co-mingling the funds. As Ms. Belano reminded everyone, a buyer pays sales tax on the purchase of artwork regardless of whether you itemize it on a bill of sale or not. And the flip side is equally true—the artist is required to submit sales tax regardless of whether you charged it or not. The artist is simply the middle-man for those funds. The tax is paid by the buyer to the STATE and you, the artist, simply hold the money for a brief time on behalf of the state. It’s like you are a bank…but one who doesn’t charge any interest. Mrs. Eaves’ advice: avoid the wrath of The Comptroller and just make sales tax collection a mindless part of your business regimine.

The Weight of a Brush

2010-03-30T17:23:00.001-05:00

Question: How much does a paint brush weigh?
Answer: According to Mrs. Eaves’ United States Postal weighing device—

approximately .5 ounces.

However, it is statistically proven that the same brush will weigh roughly as much as a male African elephant if being used to paint the first stroke on a new painting. Indeed, Zuzu confronted this heavy burden just today as she began the first panel of a rather large installation piece (when finished it will measure 48” x 120”).

A new painting is a very exciting thing. Because Mrs. Eaves is a stickler for planning, Zuzu usually begins most of her works with a sketch, some color explorations and perhaps some experiments with texture or technique. In this case, due to the size, Mrs. Eaves insisted on drawings to scale to give the client comfort that the piece would work in the destined environment. So it’s not like Zuzu is just winging this one. There is basically a blueprint and all she needs to do is have at it.

And yet…that paint brush is so damn heavy.

What if that first stroke irrevocably ruins what could have been her best work ever? What if all those sketches and ideas are just a pile of cliché crap? What if she isn’t a real artist after all?

You see the dilemma.

So Zuzu does the only thing she knows to do—she slaps a big, fat, juicy blob of paint right there on the board. What the hell, might as well throw down another blob. And the next thing you know, that paint brush is so light the post office would let you mail it for free. The brush virtually paints by itself.

At least until it’s time for the last brush stroke on the painting. But that’s a whole other story.

Honest Art

2010-03-24T22:25:00.000-05:00

Terrell Powell, 2010

Zuzu loves meeting artists whose work is an honest reflection of their personalities. Austin folk artist Terrell Powell is a great example. Terrell stopped by the studio the other day and Zuzu instantly remembered why she likes both Terrell and his work so much — both are like a big plate of warm chocolate chip cookies served up on the front porch. They just make you feel good about life. His little creatures have that half-bucolic, half-I’m-up-to-something look that Terrell himself exhibits so well. They just make you smile.

Terrell specializes in whimsical, folksy farm animals and birds. But Terrell also confided that he has been excavating around some south Austin construction sites reclaiming pieces of old wood to use for some four-legged sculptures. You can find Terrell at Marburger Farm in Round Top Antiques Fair March 23–April 3 and next month at his annual Home Show.

A is for…. Finding Your Own Vocabulary

2010-03-03T20:37:00.002-06:00

Carpool, Kristy Darnell Battani (2010)

Zuzu really got to let her hair down this weekend (well, what’s left of it…a spontaneous need for a new “do” has her sporting short “sassy” hair these days). Zuzu and seven other Austin painters spent time with contemporary artist Andrew Long learning to push the boundaries of abstract acrylic painting. Andrew is a master of juxtaposition, using unbalanced shapes in carnival hues against areas of flat color.

After starting the class by stating blandly that he had nothing to teach us (later revealed to be a bald faced lie), Andrew looked at the group blankly. “So go start painting…that’s why you’re here.”

Dear God, man! You cannot simply throw us into the abyss without some gear! Let’s chat about gesso or matte medium or clear tar gel or something! After Zuzu stopped hyperventilating, she thought “what the hell” and squished some paint out of the tube right on to the board. Right onto the board, I tell you…no mixing, no plan, just let ‘er rip kind of stuff.

Five hours later, she looked up, physically exhausted and somewhat surprised at the raw, energy she had painted with colors that don’t regularly show up in her color palette. Andrew announced a break and threw a stack of images from numerous well-known contemporary artists onto the floor. “Everyone is doing this,” he said as he stabbed at one of Zuzu’s favorites filled with loose, squiggly markings. “So why would you keep doing the same thing? Use your own voice. Find your own vocabulary.”

Zuzu pondered the idea of a personal vocabulary. Mrs. Eaves whispered fervently in her ear “oh, let me do this one…I’m stupendous, spectacular, sublime with vocabulary.” Zuzu hesitated and tenatively asked, “but how do you know when you have found your own vocabulary.”

“Go into the studio. Paint a hundred pieces. Then look at all of them together. The thing that keeps reappearing…the line, the shape, the color…the thing that keeps reappearing even when you aren’t thinking about it—that’s it. That’s your vocabulary. But the only way you will ever find it is to keep going back into the studio, keep being in the process.”

So back to the studio we go.

Make sure you stop by Andrew’s upcoming show at the Dougherty Art Center “Done, Undone” on May 20-June 27, 2010.

Open Studio: Encaustics Are Hot!

2010-02-04T14:03:00.004-06:00

Chartreuse Art+Design

Saturday, February 6

10am - 5pm

You know the old saying —Hot wax warms the heart!

Okay, even if you don't know that old saying (and admittedly very few do), come try your hand at encaustic painting, a contemporary art favorite that combines pigment, resin and beeswax. Austin artist Kristy Darnell Battani will guide you through the process and answer your questions about creating and collecting encaustic works.

But wait! There's more! If you dare, you can be the artist and create your own Valentine (just like kindergarten, but without the little decorated shoe box). Kristy will show you how to use encaustic paints and techniques to create your own "i love you." Pop it in a frame or stick it in an envelope and viola! Instant Valentine! Cost is $20 per person (suitable for ages 8 & up) and all supplies are provided (as long as they last). No need to register, just come on over.

You are welcome to just stand around and watch for free, browse the studio, ask questions, drink your latte if the weather is nasty (allegedly the rain will stop) or just stick your head in and say hello!

On the first Saturday of every month
Chartreuse Art+Design owner Kristy Darnell Battani
opens her studio to share her latest artwork and designs.

The Dread Sales Tax - Part 1

2010-01-26T22:21:00.004-06:00

Mrs. Eaves is frowning. December proved once again to be a chaotic, free-for-all of events and family gatherings. Zuzu built trees of wax snowflakes, designed holiday cards, indulged in treats of both of the edible and entertainment varietals, until now we, like many others, are suffering from post-holiday bloat. Where is that lean, mean, art-making machine? Mrs. Eaves doesn’t create these business plans just to amuse herself, you know. Work must be done and accounted for in a proper manner!

Which brings us to Sales Tax (insert scary music).

Here it is January 20 and Zuzu has not submitted her quarterly sales tax report. In fact, where did she put that receipt book? Oh, how fun! Here it is and there are a couple of checks still stuffed in there from a show in December. Goodie!

Now Mrs. Eaves is really frowning. She understands that none of us artists care a lick about sales taxes. “I thought artists didn’t have to pay sales taxes,” whines Zuzu. Au contraire, mon frere.

Let’s start with some basics. What is subject to sales tax?

Here in Texas, “all retail sales, leases and rentals of most goods, as well as taxable services are subject to sales tax.” (See Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts) If you live in another state, you will need to check your state’s tax code. When I lived in Georgia, for example, many of my design “services” were not subject to sales tax.

You must obtain a Texas sales and use tax permit if you are “engaged in business in Texas and you sell tangible personal property in Texas.” (See 34 Tex. Admin. Code Sec. 3.286) A “graphic artist” in Texas must collect sales tax from the customer on the “total charge for the art.” (See 34 Tex. Admin. Code Sec. 3.312(a))

Aha! Says Zuzu. I am a painter and not a graphic artist, so no sales tax, right?

But alas, no. Under the Eyes of Texas, a “graphic artist” includes “photographers, commercial artists, portrait painters, and persons who draw, paint, engrave,and etch.” (See 34 Tex. Admin. Code Sec. 3.312(a)) Feel free to argue that your art doesn’t fall into one of these categories, but be prepared to potentially lose that argument.

Coming soon: In the next post, Mrs. Eaves will walk us through what to do now that we realize that we are supposed to be collecting—and submitting—sales tax.

*Please note: Neither I nor Mrs. Eaves is an actual certified public accountant or a lawyer licensed in the State of Texas. If you are unsure about your own circumstances, contact the Comptroller’s office: http://www.window.state.tx.us/taxinfo/sales/

A Little Bit of Wonder

2009-12-07T14:03:00.001-06:00

It was a small, actually miniscule, miracle here in Austin on Friday…it snowed. Admittedly by anyone’s standards north of the Red River, it wasn’t snow but cold spit swirling in the air. But it was magical and everyone, regardless of age, felt the joy of an unexpected wonder. Here at the nursery, the workers were singing as they loaded a galvanized bucket full of the tangerines dripping off the tree behind my studio. At the art store down the street, a man held the door for me so I could “come in from the blizzard.” Harry Connick was crooning “Let It Snow” on my Ipod. And twenty minutes later it stopped. The sun grinned mischievously and absolutely no remnants of the magic remained. Or so I thought.

Hours later as I sat in carpool waiting for my third-grader, I prepared myself for her inevitable disappointment. She and her classmates had been breathless with anticipation for two days, desperately hoping the local meteorologist had accurately predicted snowfall. The kindergarteners who attend my art class on Wednesdays had created African masks that, oddly enough, all had magical powers to “bring snow to the people…especially in Austin.” How sad they must all be with such a scant sprinkle, a regular Charlie Brown snowfall.

But then a second little miracle happened. My daughter burst into the car and declared, “Oh, Mommy, did you see it? It was beautiful!” Scarcely pausing for air, she proceeded to detail the “amazing” things they did in the snow (i.e., twirling, catching “really huge” flakes on their tongues, getting pelted in the face with “tons of them”). Mind you, unlike some of her friends, this was not the first time she has ever seen snow. We have spent plenty of time in sub-zero locales sledding, skiing, building forts and general arctic antics. But nothing frosty has ever evoked this kind of complete rapture and joy.

And that’s when it hit me. I had a design professor who always talked about giving your audience a little bit of “wonder,” that little something unexpected in your artwork. Something that makes them smile or ponder or even frown and think “I wouldn’t have thought of that.” It doesn’t have to be big and flashy. If you drown your viewer with too many special effects, no one can appreciate the beauty of the little wonder. The joy comes in the lone snowflake, the one we don’t expect or take for granted in a pile of other snowflakes.

Perhaps our tiny little blizzard will help me remember to incorporate, albeit judiciously, a little bit of wonder in my artwork more often.

5th Annual 12Buy12 Juried Art Exhibit & Sale

2009-12-03T09:22:00.004-06:00

5th Annual 12Buy12 Juried Exhibit & Sale
December 1 - December 21, 2009
Artists' Reception: Saturday December 5, 6:00-9:00pm

Austin Art Space

7739 Northcross Drive, Suite Q, Austin, TX 78757

(hint: it's across the street from the Alamo Drafthouse on Anderson) Map

I am pleased to have my work included in the 5th Annual 12Buy12 Juried Art Exhibit & Sale at Austin Art Space. The traditional event is a juried exhibition and sale of art no larger than 12 inches by 12 inches created by artists from Texas, the U.S and around the world. The event was juried by Bill Keese, the President of Austin Visual Arts Association, an art scholar and a life-long patron and promoter of the arts.

I love the idea of making art that is accessible for newer collectors, gift giving and personal enjoyment without a large financial commitment. And it is fascinating to see how different artists can fill a 12x12 piece of board or canvas. Please come by the Artists' Reception on Saturday evening or any other day until December 21.

E.A.S.T. Austin Studio Tour

2009-11-14T22:12:00.002-06:00

I will be a guest artist this year for the East Austin Studio Tour at

5306 Bolm Road, Stop #67 (studio of Angela Wallace)

November 14-15 (10am - 5 pm)

November 21-22 (10am-5pm)

As in the past, the tour provides the public an opportunity to visit a variety of artist studios in East Austin—154 in total. Now in its sixth year, this event has proven to be so popular that it was extended to cover two weekends this year. Please download a map and come visit!

www.eastaustinstudiotour.com

Zuzu Meets Tony Scherman

2009-11-09T22:55:00.001-06:00

www.tonyscherman.com

In October I was fortunate to attend the International Encaustic Artists conference in Carmel Valley, CA. In addition to pontificating and commiserating with wonderfully talented encaustic artists from around the country, we heard a thought-provoking array of speakers. Over the next few weeks I will let Zuzu and Mrs. Eaves share some of the highlights with you.

Because Zuzu is bursting at the seams (as usual) I will let her begin with some thoughts on the presentation by TONY SCHERMAN (www.tonyscherman.com).

First, Zuzu would like everyone to know that she actually sat next to Tony Scherman on the patio one afternoon and discussed “art as an unregulated market.” She readily acknowledges that this conversation made absolutely no impact whatsoever on Mr. Scherman, but nonetheless she is still giddy with the memory that she bantered coherent, full sentences with such greatness.

For those of you somewhat unfamiliar with encaustic art, Tony Scherman is THE artist of this medium. Since receiving an M.A. from the Royal College of Art in London in 1974, his work has been exhibited in solo and group exhibitions in North America and Europe. Wiry and wry, Scherman oozes the spirit of “artist.” Born in Toronto in 1950 to musician parents, Scherman spent a childhood and early career bouncing around Paris and London, equally familiar with the Beatles, David Hockey, drugs and alcohol. Deeply drawn to history and Greek philosophy, his artwork is simultaneously dark and spiritual, like a portal that allows audiences to witness the artist trying to reconcile all that he has seen and experienced.

Scherman confided in Zuzu (possibly he was speaking to the entire audience) that his haunting portraits of Napoleon, Lincoln, Kurt Cobain, among others emerged out of his own inability to paint the “figurative ground.” The figurative ground refers to the relationship in an artwork between the principal forms or figures and the background. Scherman discovered that he could completely ignore this dilemma if he allowed the face to “float in space, completely undetermined.” Opining that “photography steals souls,” Scherman sees his portraits as a way of giving back those souls to the individuals, and indeed it is if those souls are immortalized in suspended wax. Scherman is drawn to encaustics in part because it does not “carry the weight” of paint, but readily admits that it is “a crippling medium” (a sentiment that Zuzu echoes every day in the studio).

Scherman’s newest series “Conversations with the Devil” appear drastically different from the portraits for which he is best known, but the work is equally deep in conceptual thought. While spending time in Amsterdam, he began noticing all the flower markets and thought about what they represented. “The beauty of flowers in the field is that there is no beginning and no end. But when the flower is cut, it changes, the beauty becomes finite.” He contemplated the signification of cut flowers—they may represent birth, death, love—and yet once the cut flower has been given assignation, it becomes sacred and can’t be changed. Can you really take flowers off a grave and give them to your lover, for instance? Contemplating that sort of change evokes a “conversation with the devil” and hence the name of the series.

Zuzu found immense comfort in Scherman’s blunt acknowledgement of her (and most artists’) greatest horror—the vacuum—the utter lack of response from an audience. Love the art, hate it, just don’t let the space be filled with silence. And ultimately, Scherman insists, the only way a viewer can truly show love and appreciation of art is to buy it. Without sales, Scherman believes an artist will wither and eventually stop making art.

Just as Zuzu was wrestling internally with the idea of how do you know if you are making “great art that will sell,” Scherman uttered these words of encouragement:

“I am comfortable that I am painting my worst work now…if so, it will only add contextual value to my best work.”

Feeling inspired and quite philosophical, Zuzu hustled back to her studio to create some “contextual value.”

November 7th Open Studio

2009-10-30T17:18:00.000-05:00

CHARTREUSE ART+DESIGN OPEN STUDIO:

Saturday, November 7 / 10am - 5pm

Beginning this November, Chartreuse Art+Design will host an Open Studio on the first Saturday of every month. Come see Kristy's latest encaustic artwork and new Ikebana Girls designs inspired by the fabulous gardens and flowers surrounding the studio.

Chartreuse Open Studio will also feature locally-grown artwork from some of our favorites artists and designers here in Austin. Come find great gifts for kids and grown-ups, especially those who love nature!

Featured November artists include:
Terrell Powell
Curlin Reed Sullivan
Carolyn Wright

Chartreuse Art+Design

3535-B Bee Caves Road

(next to Barton Springs Nursery in Westlake)

512.287.0590

YorkArts: Hot For Wax Exhibit: October 1 – November 14

2009-10-15T10:05:00.000-05:00

I have new work on exhibit in Pennsylvania at the Arts Center of York. The YorkArts' show Hot For Wax features work of painters who explore the range of expression through pigment and wax. The show features of the work of national encaustic artists Kristy Darnell Battani, Margaret Berry, Jeremy Penn, Deanna Wood, among others.

The work will be on exhibit from October 1 through November 14, 2009. YorkArts is located at 10 North Beaver Street, York, Pennsylvania. Gallery hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 10am–2pm and First Fridays from 5:00–9pm. For more information visit www.yorkarts.org.

ABIA Airside East Gallery Exhibit: Elements October 5 – January 5

2009-10-09T08:10:00.006-05:00

If you are traveling in or out of Austin, Texas during October, November and December, stop by the Airside East Gallery to see some of my recent work on display with three other encaustic artists. The show entitled "Elements" will be on display from October 5 through January 5, 2009.

Elements features encaustic work by Kristy Darnell Battani,Michelle Balto, Sharon Kyle Kuhn and Jaqueline May in the Austin Bergrstrom International Airport's Airside East Gallery. The Airside East Gallery is located past the security checkpoints across from Gate 8 and is accessible to ticketed passengers only.

The Austin Airport is really a gem. I actually look forward to arriving early for a flight so I can pick up a breakfast taco at the Salt Lick kiosk and fresh coffee at Austin Java (two local favorites). If you are lucky there will even be a local band playing on the stage just outside the security entrance. So on your way to Grandmamma's house for Thanksgiving, stop and take a look at the Elements exhibit, and don't forget that breakfast taco.

Zuzu Speaks: Texas Wax Presentation at the Dougherty Arts Center, Austin, TX

2009-09-29T08:55:00.013-05:00

LOTUS EMERGING, KRISTY DARNELL BATTANI, 2009

ENCAUSTIC/MIXED MEDIA ON WOOD PANEL, 24X24

One of the many wonderful benefits of belonging to a well-functioning artist group is that the power of the group can and will regularly push you beyond your comfort zone. And so it was for Zuzu a week ago at the September meeting of the Austin chapter of Texas Wax Encaustic Arts at the Dougherty Arts Center in Austin.

Please note that I said a “well-functioning” artist group. That means one that has goals, sticks to its agenda, and most importantly, is comprised of enthusiastic members who willingly share of their thoughts, ideas and time. Belonging to anything short of that seems slightly worse than being assigned to the Spirit Store committee of the PTA. The key is the sharing of ideas. Some artists hide their ideas and the spirit of their work behind cloaks of mystery as if revealing their “secret tricks” will some how expose them as the fraud of a wizard they fear they may be. In reality, creative genius comes not from the knowledge of such trickeration, but rather in the execution of it. We all know it, and yet I think all artists fear that perhaps their artistic execution is weaker than the sum of their artistic tricks.

But I digress. Back to Zuzu and her moment of public speaking truth.

The plan was for each member of the Austin/Texas Wax group to present a piece of their current work and discuss it with an audience comprised of group members from other Texas Wax chapters from across the state and members of the local community interested in the history and rising popularity of encaustic works. The presentations were intended to be short but with the added challenge of being "on stage."

What is so terrifying about taking three small steps up—rising a mere 21 inches above an audience? And yet Zuzu was horrified about discussing her work "on stage." See here’s the thing…because the other half of my two-headed self (Mrs. Eaves) has a great deal of public-speaking experience as a lawyer, teacher and presenter and is quite at ease in a room full of thousands, everyone assumes that Zuzu is equally comfortable. But Zuzu most definitely is NOT. Zuzu presumes everyone in the audience sees the weakness of her composition, her completely random color selection and her lack of artistic tricks. And it most certainly does not help imagining the audience to be naked…there is positively nothing comforting about a room of naked art critics.

But if Zuzu has one saving grace, it is that she is a risk taker. So Zuzu mounted the risers (being the first speaker of the day, no doubt thanks to Mrs. Eaves’ reputation), looked at her painting and began to talk. At first she just talked to the painting itself. She remembered her recent trip to Japan and the inspiration she drew from the simplicity of the Japanese woodblock prints and design. She looked fondly at the section of the painting where she had transferred a Japanese sewing pattern thinking of those lovely sewing magazines available in Japanese train stations. She pointed out the tiny bits of Japanese origami paper she painstakingly cut to create borders reminiscent of the woodblock prints. She wisely kept to herself the nasty thoughts about the section where the wax paint absolutely refused to cooperate. By that point she was looking into the audience because she really wanted them to see those details—can you see them in the back? Here, let me move the painting under the spotlight—and she was more than happy to discuss the preparation of the substrate and how many layers she used.

And then it was over. No injuries to speak of. In fact, Zuzu walked down the stage steps approximately two inches taller than before. Mrs. Eaves beamed with pride.

Introducing Zuzu and Mrs. Eaves

2009-09-25T08:35:00.014-05:00

LUZANA LICKO

EMIGRE FONT DESIGNER OF MRS. EAVES

We all have moments when one side of our brain or the other takes over. The left side demands that we buy little plastic shoe boxes for our closet; the right side says let’s have pizza for breakfast! For most folks, however, one side or the other prevails the majority of the time and society deems us “left brain” or “right brain.”

For some time now, I have had the suspicious feeling that both sides of my brain are locked in a fight to the death over who will be deemed the dominant side. I have had periods of time where the left side beat down the right (i.e., law school and the subsequent ten years) and times when the right side threw a punch when Lefty wasn’t looking (i.e, leaving the practice of law to return to art school).

So as I begin this blog, I think this may be a fine place to let both sides of my brain have their day. I have begun to think of them as separate and unique beings, ones that are cursed to spend their lives bound together like a two-headed Scylla. For clarity in this blog, and to give each side their moment to shine, I have allowed each of them to assume their own fictitious blog name.

Lefty chose first, being more organized (of course) and with considerable thought selected the name “Mrs. Eaves.” The name is inspired by the lovely font of the same name created by Zuzana Licko (pronounced “Litchko”), one of the finest modern day fontographers and the co-founder of Emigre, one of the first independent digital type foundries.

Mrs. Eaves was Licko’s first attempt at a traditional typeface design and is based on the famous (among designers) transitional serif typeface designed in 1757 by Englishman John Baskerville. Mrs. Eaves was named for Baskerville’s live-in housekeeper, Sarah Eaves, whom he later married (a scandal and allegedly much of the cause of Baskerville’s poor reputation). Mrs. Eaves as a font has perceptible shortcomings and yet these imperfections are what have made it the number one selling Emigre font and the winner of numerous design awards. I believe Left Brain selected the name Mrs. Eaves in hopes that she, too, can present information that is perhaps too perfect and stark (i.e., law and business practices) and present it a manner that may be imperfect but pleasing.

Right Brain is equally smitten with Zuzana Licko and her fonts and in a fit of passion selected the name “Zuzu” for this blog. Of course, it is highly unlikely that Ms. Licko ever uses the nickname Zuzu (and why should she when her real name is so lovely), but Righty likes the zippy sound of the name Zuzu, likes the way it looks, is especially fond of the visual repetition of the letter U, and as a bonus it reminds her of that little girl in “It’s A Wonderful Life” who was just as cute as a button. So hence forth Right Brain shall be known as Zuzu.

To learn more about Zuzana Licko or Émigré fonts, see:

http://fontfeed.com/archives/an-interview-with-zuzana-licko/

http://www.emigre.com/Licko.php

And so I shall let them each have their selected monikers and allow them to comment on the comings and goings of daily activities in my studio. Please join us as Zuzu and Mrs. Eaves share their discoveries, their debates, their frustrations and their musings in the months ahead.

Modern Day Lawrtist™

2009-09-22T23:15:00.009-05:00

I am a modern day Lawrtist™ ...you know, artists who have previously been lawyers (quite different from “artyers,” those wacky characters who start out as artists and end up as lawyers.)

I say “modern day” because really there have been so many great Lawrtists™ before me…Cezanne, Matisse, Degas, Kandinsky…just to name a few. Admittedly, very few of them actually practiced law and perhaps only attended law classes because their overbearing fathers made them. Still, it cannot be denied that there is a wisp of a Socratic thread that firmly connects me to those outstanding artists and I will take inspiration from that. Plus, I feel certain I am the first Lawrtist™ to have a blog.

I left the legal world quite a few years ago and am profoundly happy to live and work in the creative world now. I suppose I have always been an artist but I didn’t previously have the courage to make it my profession. The problem is the law and that analytical style of thinking has a funny way of sneaking up on me (even in the studio), inevitably pestering the creative, right side of my brain. My intent is for this blog to give both the left and right sides of my brain their day in court—or rather the studio, as the case may be.

If you are a fellow Lawrtist,™ please by all means speak up and let us band together. One day the Supreme Court may require all legal briefs to be finely illustrated, hand-painted or carved, and if we stick together we will be ready to meet the challenge!