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Holiday gift guide: These Austin galleries are selling unique, locally made artwork

The end of the year is the perfect time to reminisce. Critics compile their favorites, while writers are busy putting together their “best-of” lists. Here in Austin, two galleries are assembling exhibitions showcasing the best of this year’s art scene. The show openings are back to back, Friday and Saturday, so plan your weekend accordingly.

SEND OFF
December 6 — 7-10 pm
grayDUCK Gallery, 608 Monroe Street, Suite C

Before moving to a top-secret location on the East Side, Jill Schroeder and grayDUCK Gallery are having one last blow out party. Fourteen of the galleries finest artists worked with master printmaker Satch Grimley to create unique small batch prints for a show that is sure to captivate any audience.

Prints can make a great gift and this sale will offer a large amount to choose from. The stylized illustrations of Terrence Payne and Katy Horan will be great for your cool grandma. Or purchase an ethereal work by Jennifer Davis for that trash collector who just rocked it this year.

PRO TIP: Neighboring restaurants Sway, Elizabeth Street Café, and Lenoir can have long waits. So put your name in, go do some print shopping, and then enjoy your dinner.

A Catalogue
December 7 — 7-11 pm
Tiny Park Gallery, 1101 Navasota St. Suite 2

Curators/owners Brian Willey and Thao VoTang will have a packed house this Saturday. The duo asked 30 of their favorite artists from the past year to participate in a salon-style exhibition. The selected contributors work in a vast amount of mediums and range from painters to photographers to sculptors.

Contemporary art can be seen as an investment as well as a thoughtful gift. Instead of getting your nephew a savings bond, why not give him a piece of artwork from critically acclaimed University of Texas professor Margo Sawyer? And put down that worthless Chili’s gift card because you’re buying Mom an exquisite original photograph by Elizabeth Chiles or Anna Krachey.

PRO TIP: Tiny Park Gallery is located in the blossoming Rosewood neighborhood which is full of one-of-a-kind shops and boutiques that can help you cross even more names off your gift list. Try East End Wines for great selection and beautiful ambiance. Take Heart offers up secret treasures and charming designs and stop by Switched On for the mad scientist musician in your family.

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SEND OFF runs from December 6 - 22. For more information, please go to their website.

A Catalogue runs from December 7 - January 18. For more information, please check out their site.

Katy Horan's work will be on exhibit (and for sale!) and grayDUCK.

Phot by Katy Horan Facebook

Katy Horan's work will be on exhibit (and for sale!) and grayDUCK.

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New

Historic Austin museum will close for more than a year for restoration

Photo courtesy of the City of Austin

The Elisabet Ney Museum will close at the end of 2024 and reopen in mid-2026.

Every building needs some maintenance here or there, and the historic Elisabet Ney Museum needs some extra-special care. Formerly the art studio and residence of its namesake, it's been standing since 1892. It'll spend 2025 in relative solitude, as it undergoes renovation for a year and a half with no visitors allowed.

The museum will close to the public December 30, 2024, and open again in the summer of 2026 if all goes according to plan, a news release from the City of Austin shares. It'll be a quiet period compared to the 21,000 people visiting from around the world each year.

According to a museum overview on the city's website, Elisabet Ney, a European portrait sculptor, bought the property and called her new studio Formosa. She worked on sculptures depicting important Texans like Stephen F. Austin and Sam Houston, and collected works of European contemporaries.

The building at 304 East 44th St. includes 3,700 square feet of museum space, which was converted by Ney's friends after her death in 1907. It retains its unique look that juxtaposes a Neo-Classical main studio from 1892 with a later addition from 1902 including a tower for her husband, Edmund, to write in. It is also on 2.5 acres of land, which has largely been restored to its natural state with native species.

A press release lists these tasks (verbatim) within the scope of the new work, referred to as the Capital Improvement Project (CIP):

Restoration of original exterior wood doors and windows
Upgrades and replacement of the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system
Replacement of the exhibit and general lighting systems
Repairs to the roof, masonry, plumbing, and interior finishes.

There will also be work to do outside of the building. Workers will replace the pedestrian bridge across Waller Creek, stabilize a 20,000-square-foot portion of the bank, and make the grounds more accessible by adding new pathways.

Funding comes from several sources, according to a release: "the 2012 Bond, Proposition 14, the Parkland Dedication Fund, the Historic Preservation Fund, Partners in Preservation through the National Trust, and contributions from the Friends of the Elisabet Ney Museum."

museums galleries history texas