Behind the Studio Doors

Art lovers go behind the scenes in the city-wide Austin Studio Tour

The Austin Studio tour is back for another year of peeking behind the scenes.

For two weekends each November, Austin's creative spaces throw open their doors, inviting curious minds to peek behind the curtain of the city's art scene. The free Austin Studio Tour, which has grown from a modest gathering of 28 studios to a citywide celebration featuring more than 400 artists, returns starting November 9.

What began as a grassroots effort to connect artists with their community has evolved into one of Texas's largest self-guided art experiences, drawing more than 60,000 visitors each year. The Big Medium-organized, self-guided tour splits Austin along IH-35, with west side locations welcoming visitors during Weekend 1 and east side spaces following during Weekend 2.

Among the tour's stops are several cornerstone art spaces. Women & Their Work has championed women artists since 1978, while the Mexic-Arte Museum celebrates Mexican, Latino, and Latin American expression through its programming. Artist-run spaces like ICOSA Collective and Cloud Tree Studios offer glimpses into working artists' environments, and the established Wally Workman Gallery showcases some of the city's most collected talent.

Some Kind of Feeling ICOSA Collective A work in the Some Kind of Feeling exhibit that will be on display at ICOSA Collective during the studio tour.ICOSA Collective/Instagram

Beyond traditional gallery exhibitions, the tour showcases art in nearly every medium. Visitors can experience everything from video installations and performance pieces, to interactive sculptures and collaborative murals. The tour also provides a chance to explore Austin's public art, from sprawling murals to permanent installations that have become city landmarks.

How people experience these works varies as much as the art itself. Some gather at intimate spaces, like last year's backyard celebration at Carly Weaver's studio with live music and hands-on art-making; while others join curated journeys like the Almost Real Things bus tour.

Each stop reveals different creative viewpoints through each artist's work: Valerie Fowler's intricate nature-inspired works, Karen Maness' theatrical scenic art, Keith Kreeger's celebrated ceramics. In spaces like Adrian Whipp's Lumiere Tintype studio, traditional photography techniques meet contemporary vision, while printmaker Dan Grissom's illustrated works capture Austin's independent spirit.

Adrian Whipp's traveling studio will be part of the tour.Adrian Whipp's Lumiere Tintype studio/lumieretintype.com

Even better than the varied works is the chance to meet the artists, who are usually on hand to talk about their process and inspiration. Sometimes they'll even be working on pieces, or they'll have works in progress on display. This makes it more than just a gallery tour, and explains why Austinites love this interactive peek behind the scenes.

Austin Studio Tour will take place November 9-10 and 16-17 from noon to 6 pm each weekend. More information is available at austinstudiotour.org. A map is available here. No RSVP needed.

galleries visual art tours

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

Behind the Studio Doors

Art lovers go behind the scenes in the city-wide Austin Studio Tour

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