Creative Stretching

Cool Austin art gallery starts each week with new yoga series

RichesArt Gallery is known for its events, and it's added a new weekly yoga series.

Austin has some great art galleries, but few rival RichesArt Gallery when it comes to involvement with the public. The community-minded space, known for its events, is turning the intensity down for a new weekly wellness series called Sunday Service. The first class was held on July 21.

Each 70-minute class is held in three parts. First is 20 minutes of breathwork led by artist and healer Haley Landcaster, and fittingly, these sessions aren't just about slowing the heart rate. One of Landcaster's goals is "encouraging creative flow," to in turn lead to personal and creative growth.

Next up is a 40-minute yoga session led by Veronica Li, focusing on accessibility and inclusivity. This Sunday morning movement will be gentle, followed by a 10-minute sound bath, Li's specialty. She'll use crystal bowls, gongs, and more to play a series of sounds meant to relax the listener and lead to emotional release.

Some scientific studies have found real results in healing and stress reduction from sound treatments, but even skeptics can enjoy a few minutes of lying down amid pleasant sounds.

"We are thrilled to introduce Sunday Service as a dedicated time for our community to reset and recharge through the transformative power of breathwork, yoga, and sound healing," said gallery owner Richard Samuel. "This weekly offering reflects our commitment to fostering holistic wellness and artistic expression."

Yoga at any art gallery would likely be a popular idea, but hosting the practice at RichesArt Gallery could go a long way toward inviting in Austinites who feel out of place in most galleries and yoga studios. The Black-owned gallery — a rarity in Austin as well as Texas as a whole — focuses heavily on Black artists and history, and is always hosting events that welcome in musicians, poets, and anyone who just wants a space to hang out.

Samuel himself embodies the connection of physical movement and art, or at least the ability to hold both experiences. The college and international football player-turned-visual artist represents two experiences that are often divorced in mainstream stories.

The next session ($30) takes place Sunday, July 28, from 11 am to 12:30 pm at RichesArt Gallery (2511 E 6th Street, Unit A). Guests are asked to bring their own mats. Member discounts are available depending on the tier. More events at RichesArt Gallery can be found at richesart.com.

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."

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