Business is booming

Austin punches in with hottest job market in the U.S., says Wall Street Journal

Austin's red-hot economy is bringing jobs — and hiring issues.

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No wonder so many people are flocking to Austin. A new ranking by The Wall Street Journal crowns Austin the hottest job market among the country’s 53 largest metro areas.

To determine the country’s hottest and coldest labor markets, WSJ looked at five metrics for each of the 53 metro areas: average unemployment rate in 2018, labor-force participation rate in 2018, change in employment and change in labor force for the fourth quarter of 2018 from a year earlier, and change in average weekly wages from the first half of 2017 to the first half of 2018.

The metro area with the highest average ranking among the five categories was named the hottest labor market. Austin ranked second for job growth (3.5 percent) and labor-force growth (3 percent); third for labor-force participation (70.6 percent); sixth for unemployment rate (3 percent); and 12th for wage growth (4 percent), earning it the top spot.

From December 2017 to December 2018, the number of jobs in the Austin area rose 3.5 percent, according to an analysis by the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce. During that period, Austin ranked fourth for job growth among the country’s 50 largest metro areas.

While Austin’s robust job market demonstrates the strength of the region’s economy, it also puts pressure on employers seeking to fill jobs. Local restaurants, for instance, are struggling to find enough workers like dishwashers and cooks, as outlined in a recent article by KUT.

In its summary of Austin, WSJ cited the presence of major employers Dell Technologies, Whole Foods Market, the University of Texas, and Apple as key indicators of the city's booming job market.

Not to be overlooked, startups also are driving job growth. A study released in 2018 by the Chamber of Commerce noted startups account for a larger share of businesses in Austin than in nearly all other major U.S. metros. Of the 38,405 businesses in Austin in 2016 with paid employees, almost 40 percent had been in business less than six years, according to the study.

Dallas is the only other Texas metro area to make WSJ's top 10, taking the No. 10 spot.

Austin was followed in the ranking by San Jose, California; Salt Lake City; Boston; Orlando, Florida; Raleigh, North Carolina; Nashville, Tennessee; Seattle; Denver; and Dallas.

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SKIN IN THE GAME

Renowned Hill Country tattoo artist inks new sacred geometry app

Photo courtesy of Dillon Forte

Dillion Forte at his "tattoo ranch" in the Texas Hill Country.

In the world of tattooing, there may seem to be few better rat traps left to build, but Dillon Forte aims to change that. In October, the renowned Wimberley-based tattoo artist and entrepreneur introduced a new iPadOS app to bring ancient symbology into the digital age.

Forte has made a worldwide name for his black dot work (a contemporary take on stick-and-poke techniques) and ambitious undertakings like tattooing underwater and opening a “tattoo ranch.” His ink appears on Usher, Chris Hemsworth, and Kehlani.

Still, he is most recognized for his sacred geometry designs, using patterns to convey various meanings. His interest led him to create the Sacred Geometry Drawing App, a convenient way for novices and experts to develop and export their creations.

The app grew out of his own practice. Over the past decade, he has used tablets and freehand techniques to achieve his highly symmetrical artwork but grew to realize existing tools were not always easy to use.

“The app is an attempt and fulfillment of my desire to make sacred geometry accessible and bring the ability to create into the fingertips of as many people as possible,” Forte tells CultureMap via email, adding a tagline: “symmetry made simply.”

He says he wished the app was available when developing his signature style as a tattoo artist, but it was designed with a broad range of users in mind. He hopes that designers, educators, and artists will find a use for it.

A short intro to the app's capabilities is available on YouTube. It looks like a standard drawing app, starting with a blank canvas and some tools like pens, pencils, colors, and of course, straight line and dot makers.

A "symmetry index" anchors the functionality and expands it to something between 2D art and 3D modeling. In addition to generating shapes like repeating patterns and spirals, the app also creates 3D shapes with grids, so that the artist can map their design in real space or even create sculptures. There is also an index for explaining the spiritual meaning of some standard designs.

“Geometry often prompts an intimidating feeling when it comes to making art,” Forte continues. “The fundamentally complex and often academic nature of math-based art can induce a sense of fear in the potential user instead of creating a sense of awe. The purpose of the sacred geometry app is to cultivate the latter."

Creatives interested in constructing their own geometric masterpieces can download the app at the App Store for free, and in-app purchases are available.

technology apps tattoos arts