STUDIO SHIFT

New Austin studio's summer artists pass torch to first 6-month residents

Estudiosix, known as e6, recently hosted its first exhibition of its resident artists.

Photo by Robert Lerma

An inaugural set of summer residents are passing the torch to an incoming class at Austin's new Estudiosix, a peer-led residency and creative workspace within the Old Sixth redevelopment of Austin’s historic downtown Sixth Street district. The program gives artists time and studio space to pursue research, experimentation, and independent work.

Estudiosix, stylized as e6, opened its downtown studios to the public for the first time August 23. The event featured works in progress by nine resident artists, a gallery exhibition, and site-specific installations.

The first fall and spring residency cycle begins September 1, when 14 artists will move into the studios at 612 E. Sixth St. for six months — a longer span than the summer session.

Founded by artist Mark Hilton and directed by gallery director Jordan Nelsen, e6 was created in partnership with the Old Sixth redevelopment. Residents pay $250 per month for dedicated studio space and round-the-clock access to shared equipment, an exhibition space, a communal kitchen, and common areas.

The broader Old Sixth project, led by Stream Realty Partners, is restoring 31 historic properties along East Sixth Street between I-35 and Brazos Street while bringing new restaurant, retail, music, and arts tenants to the downtown corridor.

Artists maintain control of their work while participating in monthly critiques, peer mentorship, visits from artists and curators, and public programs and exhibitions. During e6’s first season, nine Austin artists used the studios to develop work spanning sculpture, photography, painting, public art, installation, and new media.

Here are the nine summer residents ready to bring what they learned to the broader Austin art scene:

Anahita “Ani” Bradberry

Iranian American artist and writer Ani Bradberry creates sculptural installations using plasma light. Her illuminated forms explore cultural memory, shifting identities, and alienation.

A visitor takes in Ani Bradberry’s light-based installation. Bradberry's work in both art and sound is currently being presented in a solo show Spectral Field at DiverseWorks in Houston. Photo by Christian Pugh

Ariana Gomez

Ariana Gomez works primarily in photography and installation. Combining photography, video, and sound, she explores place, family relationships to land, and memory.

A visitor explores Ariana Gomez’s layered mixed-media installation. Her works have been represented in the permanent collection of the Mexic-Arte Museum in Austin.Photo by Christian Pugh

Jamal Hussain

New media artist Jamal Hussain works at the intersection of technology and science. He uses light and patterns drawn from ecosystems to blur physical and digital space.

Blue light transforms the gallery space in an installation by Jamal Hussain. Hassain is preparing his third solo show for Georgetown Arts Center.Photo by Robert Lerma

Manik Raj Nakra

Painter Manik Raj Nakra reimagines the ancient world as an extension of contemporary life. His work combines Indian iconography, colonial relics, and mythology.

Manik Raj Nakra Examples of Nakra's work in his studio space at e6. Nakra was one of four artists commissioned to paint the facade of The Contemporary Art Museum in Downtown Austin. Photo by Robert Lerma

Matt Rebholz

Artist, educator, and graphic novelist Matt Rebholz creates landscape paintings based on personally meaningful film stills. His work considers cinematic language and interior dreamscapes.

Visitors gather among Matt Rebholz’s brightly colored paintings. Rebholz, pictured here, will continue with his work at another internship. Photo by Christian Pugh

Sean Ripple

Sean Ripple draws on social media and internet culture to create intuitive, impulsive works. He uses suggestion and intentionally awkward texts to point toward the ideas behind them.

Clothing and other objects form part of Sean Ripple’s installation. Ripple has also participated in the Fusebox Festival.Photo by Robert Lerma

Alexandra Robinson

Alexandra Robinson examines identity, place, and belonging. Drawing on her military upbringing, she uses Morse code, flag semaphore, and flag forms to question American exceptionalism.

A portion of Alexandra Robinson's display that experiments with the symbolism of flags. Robinson is a professor of art at St Edward's University.Photo by Robert Lerma

Agustina Rodriguez

Visual artist, designer, and architect Agustina Rodriguez explores relationships between people and places through architecture and public art. Her background includes painting, glassblowing, installation, and civic design.

Agustina Rodriguez Rodriguez with a visitor to her gallery space at e6. Rodriguez is a lecturer in interior design in the University of Texas' School of Architecture. Photo by Robert Lerma

Leah Shirley

Interdisciplinary artist Leah Shirley works in sculpture, mosaic, and time-based media. Her practice connects light and materials with planetary cycles, everyday technologies, and Western Hellenistic astrology.

A visitor examines Leah Shirley’s wall-mounted work and surrounding photographs. Shirley has an MFA in Sculpture & Extended Media from the University of Texas - Austin.Photo by Christian Pugh

The incoming cohort includes Juan Cisneros, Eli Decker, Jeffrey From, Michael Anthony García, Terra Goolsby, Rowan Howe, Elizabeth Maria Hudson, Payton McGowen, Britt Wilder Moseley, Alexandre Pépin, Matt Rebholz, Carlos Rosales-Silva, Ana Treviño, and Alex Trippe. Rebholz is the only returning resident.

Sixth Street regulars may remember Estudiosix as the former home of Daruma Ramen, which closed in 2020 after seven years. The building’s office space later housed Draper Startup House, a coworking hub for entrepreneurs.

visual art artists residency

Holding the Torch

Community space for Black women writers opens in North Austin

Photo by Larry Choyce

The Torch Center is open to anyone who wants to stop by.

Black women have a new creative hub in Austin. Torch Literary Arts, a nonprofit that supports Black women writers and amplifies their work, has opened the Torch Center at 6406 N. I-35 Frontage Rd., Suite 1807, part of The Linc shopping center.

The Torch Center serves several purposes, from selling books by diverse authors to offering space for visitors to practice their craft together.

First and foremost, the center allows Torch to continue hosting events, which it has for the past 20 years at various partner spaces around town and online. The press release that originally announced that the center explained that the new space would enable Torch to host more in-person events.

Another big part of the center is a retail store called the Torch Lit Shop. The majority of the authors whose works fill the shelves are Black women, but among them are also intersectional and queer writers. Children's books will be available for sale and somewhere down the line, the Torch Center will host monthly story time by writers from the community. Visitors will also be able to pick up games and Torch merch.

Guests don't need to buy something to enjoy some reading, as the center offers a free library for on-site use.

"It's how we are preserving works by the Black women writers that we feature in Torch Magazine and at our events, as well as books by our foremothers and the larger Black woman writing community across the diaspora," says Torch founder and executive director Amanda Johnston.

Finally, the center will be available for daily use by the community, including as a coworking space during regular hours, as well as rented event space. It is open to anyone who wants to visit.

Johnston said she created Torch simply because she needed something like it. The center extends that dream to more people; now, instead of having to wait for events, community members will be able to stop by during predictable times and through the retail store, they can even bring some of the experience with them when they leave.

Torch Literary Arts executive director Amanda Johnston Amanda Johnston created the space she needed.Photo by Cindy Elizabeth

"Having space that is created with intention and love for Black women and Black women writers, specifically, is rare to almost non-existent," says Johnston, "not just in Central Texas, but in our country and around the world. ... Access is important, and unfortunately, with all of the growth happening in Austin and Central Texas, there's actually a decline of accessible spaces for creatives in this area."

Although Austin is always growing overall, the city's Black population by percentage has fallen. In 2014, Austin was the only city experiencing double-digit population growth that experienced a net loss of Black residents. By 2024, the Black population dipped under 7 percent. Creatives across demographics are also being priced out of the city, a particular cause of concern for musicians and the people who see them as integral to the city's character.

Torch, which was founded in 2006, works against that trend. Johnston counts more than 300 writers featured so far, and thousands who attendeed events over the years. She says thanks to word-of-mouth, the community — whether it's writers or supporters — is "growing daily."

In addition to founding Torch, Johnston stands out as the 61st Texas Poet Laureate and the first Black woman to gain the title. Austin introduced its own poet laureate program in 2025, starting with Zell Miller III, whose term ends in 2027. Responding to a question about Austin's next poet laureate, Johnston says she'd like to see someone who is "a champion for poetry and poets."

Austin poet laureate Zell Miller III at the Torch Center's grand opening event.Photo by Larry Choyce

"They are making bridges for the work that the poets create," says Johnston. "... I think the poet laureate's job is to show [everyone] there's a place for them, and that they can receive and enjoy the work, and help amplify poetry across the region."

The Torch Center is open to walk-in visitors Tuesdays through Thursdays, from noon to 6 pm. Inquiries about renting the space can be made here.

Community members can find out about special events (like Black Bookstore Day on August 29) on Torch's online calendar. Torch will be celebrating its 20th anniversary at the Austin Central Library from September 25-27. The three-day, conference-style event is ticketed to support the organization, and registration ends Monday, August 31.

openings books bookstores diversity writers