State of the Arts

Stay rooted with 8 Austin artists exploring their ancestry this August

Creativity is all about exploring, but it's important to remember where we came from. This August, lots of artists are thinking about the people and places they came from. Darcie Book & Vy Ngo pose questions at ICOSA Collective about identity when physical barriers are removed. Anne Bobraff-Hajal & Craig Campbell consider how politics play into identities, especially when power goes unchecked; and Yuliya Lanina explores a foreign casualty to the same political imbalance. This August, ask yourself where you see yourself in art.

Art for the People Gallery

"Vibrance of Summer" — Now through August 11
Viewers can expect an eclectic mix of mediums and styles, from vivid abstract paintings to stunning photography. Many emerging local artists are showcased alongside established talents, providing a well-rounded look at Austin's thriving creative community. The artwork on display evokes the feeling of summer through bold colors, energetic brushstrokes, and inspiring scenes of nature.

The Old Bakery & Emporium

Anne Bobraff-Hajal & Craig Campbell: "Empire's Echo" — Now through August 12
"Empire's Echo" sets intimate scenes of daily life against the backdrop of Russia's autocratic center of power. Through paintings, photographs, and mixed media installations, the artists reflect on the triumphs and tragedies of Russia's imperial history, from serfdom to the Soviet era. Campbell's multimedia installation "Agit Kino" focuses on the Indigenous peoples of Siberia and their encounters with early 20th century Bolshevik propaganda efforts. Bobroff-Hajal's icon-inspired works contain hundreds of portraits narrated by whimsical "godparent" figures that bring to life centuries of Russian aristocracy.

Mexic-Arte Museum

"Expresiones de México, Arte de la Gente / Art of the People" — Now through August 20
Through assembled paintings, prints, and folk art, "Expresiones Vibrantes" provides a glimpse into Mexican traditions old and new. This impressive collection brings together works by master artists from regions across Mexico who carry on the traditional practices and techniques handed down over generations. A single defining vision of Mexican art is elusive; The vast diversity of Mexican artists produces a vibrant array of styles, subjects, and media. "Expresiones" celebrates this variety and creativity that many see as emblematic of Mexico’s culture.

Link & Pin

Helen Buck, Stephen Pruitt & Rama Tiru: "Summer Exposure: Session 4" — Now through August 26
"Summer Exposure: Session 4" highlights the latest work of three talented local artists, each with their own unique style and perspective. Helen Buck's varied body of work includes landscapes, figures, still lifes, animals, and more in a range of mediums. Rama Tiru's intuitive process results in dreamlike images that incorporate augmented reality elements. Stephen Pruitt brings over 30 years of photographic and performing arts experience to his current work as a full-time fine artist.

Cloud Tree Studios & Gallery

"Cloud Tree August Summer Salon" — Now through August 31
Viewers can expect an eclectic mix of mediums and styles, from the vibrant abstract paintings of Meena Mitai to Alyssa Dawn's nature-inspired canvases. Watercolorist Deb Soromenho will also be featured with her distinctive mixed media pieces. With limited curation, the Cloud Tree Summer Salon offers visitors a chance to discover fresh perspectives from Austin's burgeoning art scene.

ICOSA Collective

Darcie Book & Vy Ngo: "Borderless" — August 17 through September 16
"Borderless" offers viewers the opportunity to immerse themselves in an abstract landscape and discover the surprising connections that emerge through world-building. Book and Ngo "remove barriers separating humans from land and humans from each other." Book uses commonplace materials like acrylic house paint and metal leaf to push the limits of their intended use, while Ngo draws inspiration from her life as a Vietnamese-American, physician, mother, and activist to create works that prompt introspection about identity, culture, political issues, memories, and the human experience.

Yuliya Lanina: "Mother/Land" — August 24th through November 31
New York-based interdisciplinary artist Yuliya Lanina unveils a poignant new body of work titled "Mother/Land" that reflects on the trauma and grief caused by the war in Ukraine. Through animation, sculpture, and installation, Lanina offers an intimate look into the pain and loss she has experienced from afar as the conflict continues in her homeland. As a secular Jew born in Moscow to parents of Ukrainian descent, Lanina's complex relationship to the war runs deep. In her characteristically poetic visual language, she unpacks themes of displacement, maternal bonds, and the scars of violence.

Photo courtesy of Art for the People Gallery

Art for the People Gallery presents "Vibrance of Summer." Pictured: “Montañas” by Laura Thomas.

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State of the Arts

7 Austin art exhibits breaking boundaries this December

Courtesy of Davis Gallery

B Shawn Cox blends western imagery with floral motifs and bold graphics at the Davis Gallery Holiday Show.

From experimental ceramics to multimedia installations incorporating found materials, Austin's early winter exhibitions showcase artists who are pushing the boundaries of their mediums while exploring themes of heritage, identity, and our relationship with nature.

Across seven venues, from the Blanton Museum to intimate gallery spaces like the Wally Workman Gallery, these exhibitions showcase both established and emerging artists. Their works invite viewers to experience familiar subjects through fresh perspectives, creating opportunities for both curiosity and education.

Dimmitt Contemporary

Michael Dines: Echoes of Tonalism — through December 13
Dines creates haunting works that transcend traditional landscape painting, using the natural world as a foundation for exploring deeper artistic elements. The artist creates a compelling tension between surface and depth, inviting viewers into mysterious, otherworldly scenes while simultaneously emphasizing their separation from these spaces. The resulting works feel like portals into an alternate reality, where familiar natural forms merge with abstract elements to create something entirely new.

Wally Workman Gallery

Will Klemm:Elevations — December 7-29
Klemm presents a collection of ethereal landscapes that capture nature's most evocative moments, from emerging sunsets to dusky forest scenes. A nationally recognized artist with more than 40 solo exhibitions across major U.S. cities, Klemm demonstrates his mastery of both pastel and oil in large-scale works that poetically interpret Southwestern landscapes from Texas to California.

Lora Reynolds Gallery

Tony Marsh: On the Clouds of Magellan — through January 1
Created over the past year, Marsh’s new sculptural works explore human torso forms and, for the first time in his career, wall-mounted pieces. The exhibition demonstrates his evolving approach to surface treatment, alternating between smooth and heavily textured surfaces, with experimental glazing techniques that include building with large chunks of glaze. Named after his father's poem about Magellan's explorations, the show marks a shift toward more personal and emotional expression in Marsh's work.

Blanton Museum of Art

Group Exhibition:Native America: In Translation — through January 5
This exhibition brings together nine Indigenous artists who explore contemporary Native identity through photography and multimedia works. The exhibition challenges historical photographic representations of Native Americans while presenting new narratives about Indigenous life today. Featured artists including Rebecca Belmore, Martine Gutierrez, and Kimowan Metchewais use various mediums — from Polaroids to video installations — to examine themes of memory, language, landscape, and beauty.

Group Exhibition: Long Live Surrealism! 1924-Today— through January 12
This multi-artist exhibition marks 100 years since Surrealism emerged as an artistic movement, changing modern perspectives by delving into dreams and the subconscious mind. The show includes pieces by key Surrealist figures such as Bellmer, Carrington, Ernst, Lam, and Ray, plus works by later artists like Kusama and Hood who were shaped by the movement's ideas.

Austin Public Library

Suzy González: Plantcestors — through January 12
González creates distinctive portraits that blend conventional oil painting with actual organic materials like pecans and seeds. Each work depicts members of local creative and social justice communities, with natural elements chosen to reflect each subject's background. The artist combines photography, gardening, gathering of materials, and preservation methods to produce layered compositions sealed in resin. These earth-toned works explore themes of cultural roots and heritage while physically incorporating elements from nature.

Davis Gallery

Group Exhibition: Breathe — through January 18
Davis Gallery’s 26th annual holiday show displays diverse works from 12 artists working across multiple mediums. The show features B Shawn Cox's vibrant acrylic paintings on fabric, which blend portraits with western themes, mixing feminine and masculine elements through unexpected color combinations and patterns. John Sager contributes mixed media assemblages crafted from found objects like printer's blocks, steel, and piano parts, while Lisa Beaman presents serene animal portraits depicting birds, rabbits, and cows in their natural settings.

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Courtesy of Davis Gallery

B Shawn Cox blends western imagery with floral motifs and bold graphics at the Davis Gallery Holiday Show.

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