Y’all know how I feel about Cowparade Austin. But I have to admit, they got me: I actually like the Texas Moosician’s cow in front of the W/ACL Live. Created by Austin artist Mitch Brookman, not only is it beautifully mosaicked, but it also has comical representations of some of Texas’s most well-known musicians.

Check it:

I think I’ve got most of the musicians down, let’s see if you can figure them out:

A couple of my photos didn’t turn out, so I’ve borrowed images of the Texas Moosicians cow from its Facebook Fan Page:

(photo from the Texas Moosicians Facebook Fan Page)

(Photo from the Texas Moosicians Facebook Fan Page)

If you have to get your picture taken with only ONE Cowparade Austin cow, I recommend this one. Head over to 2nd and Lavaca and see for yourself!

SCROLL DOWN TO SEE THE ANSWERS:

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Billy Gibbons (ZZ Top), Stevie Ray Vaughn, Roy Orbison, Willie, Janis, Buddy Holly, Lyle Lovett, and Selena (see more close-ups here)

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Last week, my Monday morning bike commute was chock-full of cows. No, there wasn’t a Chisholm Trail-size herd of cattle being driven through the streets of downtown Austin; rather, my commute route was littered with bovine of the fiberglass variety: stationary and completely fake. Take a look at one of the little buggers:

"On your mark, get set, moo!" by Dale Whistler on Auditorium Shores

Once again our fair city is in the midst of a public arts project. This time, it’s called CowParade Austin. Here’s what the Austinist has to say about it:

This week, colorful cows will be taking over the streets of Austin. Roughly 100 large cow sculptures, painted by local artists, will be installed. The cow parade is the self-proclaimed largest and most recognized public art event in the world. It began in Chicago in 1999 and featured 340 cow installations. New York followed and the event has since gone global.

On October 30 the Austin cows will be auctioned off at a gala at The Driskill Hotel. Proceeds will benefit the Super Hero Kids Fund (of Dell Children’s Medical Center). Each cow is expected to bring in $7,500-$10,000. The Super Hero Kids Fund helps families of children in treatment.

Here’s how it works: Sponsors pay anywhere from $5,000 to $150,000 to participate. Sponsors then choose their cow from designs submitted by local artists. The artist creates her design on the pre-fabbed fiberglass cow. The cow goes on display. The artist gets $1000 honorarium. And at the end of the event, 50 of the best cows get auctioned off, with the proceeds (the money after the costs?) going to the Super Hero Kids Fund.

That’s cool. I’m excited the kids will get some money. And local artists can make $1000. But I don’t know how I feel about the cows.

Don’t get me wrong, some of these cows are beautiful and creative. A lot of these artists worked really hard to create their cattle creations within the short deadline. But there’s something that chaps my hide.

See, my first encounter with city-wide art like this was in Berlin in 2002. Berlin, which means ‘little bear’ in old German, created the Buddy Bear project by incorporating their mascot into 350 pieces scattered throughout the city’s centre. Following the CowParade formula, these were designed by local artists, and then auctioned off for charity. They also had a second run of the bears, featuring a ring of 140 bears designed by artists from different countries to celebrate peace. From wikipedia:

The United Buddy Bears are an international art exhibition with more than 140 two metre tall fibreglass bears. Under the motto: We have to get to know each other better, it makes us understand one another better, trust each other more, and live together more peacefully more than 140 countries acknowledged by the United Nations are represented, promoting tolerance, international understanding and the great concept of different nations and cultures living in peace and harmony. The bears stand hand in hand in a peaceful circle.

Because the bear is unique to Berlin, having a picture taken with a painted bear offers tourists a memorable experience.

This is NOT me! (Photo by Mark Scott from http://markscott.biz)

Berlin is not alone in taking the CowParade idea and making it local. Anchorage, Alaska, has salmon. Baltimore, Maryland, has crabs. Bennington, Vermont, has moose. Heck, Dallas even has the Pegasus. And Austin has guitars.

In 2006, Austin had GuitarTown. With thirty-five 10-foot tall guitars, Gibson Guitars and the sponsors raised $589,000 for The Health Alliance for Austin Musicians (HAAM); The Austin Museum of Art (AMOA); American Youth works; and the Austin Children’s Museum. Although GuitarTown also exists in Nashville, GuitarTown still manages to create a very memorable Austin experience.

Photo by artist Gordon Jones (http://gordojo.com)

Six years later, instead of a second run of guitars, we have CowParade Austin. The complete anti-thesis of Play My I’m Yours, another global art project in Austin earlier this year, CowParade reminds me of the Hard Rock Cafe. It’s sterile and safe. You can collect a pin in every city. But when there’s one in every city, it stops being special. For crying out loud, they had the Cowparade in HOUSTON in 2001!!

Beautiful blue! "Moo-vement" by Angi Gahler in front of GSD&M

To me, CowParade is a normalized version of public art. It’s like buying a frozen pizza instead of going to Homeslice. Again, this is not an evaluation of the artists–some are really beautiful (In fact, the interactive, LED-covered BazaarVoice cow is pretty bad ass). I’m just really curious why we couldn’t do a second run of GuitarTown. Or if something new needed to be created, why not armadillos or bats–or even Lone Stars!

Then again, a lot has changed in Austin over the last 5 years. We have a flashy new skyline. We’ve got expensive condos. We’ve got noise restrictions. And we’ve lost the Enchanted Forest, the Cathedral of Junk, and soon we may lose several galleries in the East Austin Studio Tour.

Maybe CowParade is symbolic of this continued loss of city identity. If you listen closely, you can almost hear the hooves getting closer. Don’t let them trample what makes Austin unique.

Is Austin losing our edge?

Can someone serve up some (nondestructive) counter/guerilla style art in with this?

Are the cows symbolic of a bigger trend?

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There are rare moments rolling around Austin when I see something that makes me slam my brakes, pull my bike over and snap a photo.  I’m not talking about a nude cyclist, Leslie, or something similarly commonplace. It usually has to be some dope guerilla art, a ginormous cloud, or something completely out of the ordinary in the purported city of the weird.

And so it was earlier this year while cycling down South Congress, when what to my eyes should appear, but a giant alien-like sculpture surrounded by tile mosaic laying gear. Peering behind the fence, it looked like one of the magical benches from Anton Gaudí’s Parque Güelle in Barcelona.Tediously placing the tiles was Austin artist James Edward Talbot.

If you’ve ever gotten lost in South Austin, you may have stumbled across one of Talbot’s other creations, Casa Neverlandia. Completely covered in mirrors and tiles, this 3-story chalet-style house in Bouldin Creek looks like something from the set of The Adventures of Baron Munchausen. Are you sensing the whimsical trend yet?

Detail of Casa Neverlandia (photo from SacredShardMosaics.com

(Side Note: Casa Neverlandia has a whimsical story of its own)

As part of the South Congress Improvement Project, Talbot was commissioned by the city to build the structure at South Congress and Live Oak. After months of laying tile, the sculpture will soon be unveiled. Once complete, the piece will join a slew of other works by Austin-area artists as part of the Art In Public Places program, which includes Open Room (the madhatter’s table by the power plant) and the Nightwing by the bat bridge.

So now that the sculpture is mostly complete, we’ve got pics!! Sorry for the awkward angles, there’s still a boarded fence around it. Also, the colors are WAY more vibrant in person.

Rear view of the sculpture on South Congress.

From the back, it looks kind of like the underside of a lilly pad or some flower.

Detail of rear view of the sculpture on South Congress

Front view of the sculpture on South Congress

To me, the front looks kind of like an alien chair, an Aztec throne, or a giant ant.  But then again, those wheels could be chakras with the moon/halo looking thing the crown chakra, making it like a 3D Alex Grey painting. Can you look through the top hole and get your picture taken on the other side?

If you haven’t done so yet, peek over the fence!

What does the sculpture look like to you?

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A couple of months ago, I moved to Bouldin Creek, and in those 2 months, I have been severely let down by the street art in the neighborhood. Subpar at best, it usually consists of random styleless tags. Occasionally, I’ll stumble upon an old paste-up probably left by an East Sider who got lost heading back to SoCo from the 420 Spot.

And thus was my bleak existence–until 3 weeks ago when I saw this at the corner of S 1st and Mary:

Tied to the walk button, it’s a wooden square with stenciling and free hand airbrushing. Part of me thinks this is a reminder that our time on this planet is short-lived–or maybe he’s the god of work. In the end, I like to pretend he is watching over all the peds and bikers that don’t get run over by the speeders on South First.

And now, it looks like our guerilla artist has struck again. On my ride in to work this morning, I saw this at the corner of Bouldin and Barton Springs:

Hanging from a branch of a tree, this little guy almost whacked me in the head. Not sure of the symbolism, but it kind of reminds me of Atlas, Ayn Rand and a little bit of lotus blossom.  Maybe he just did some yoga and feels like he has the whole universe in his hands.

Thank YOU, unknown guerilla artist, for brightening my day and upping the game off South First.

Have you seen any more pieces by this artist?

Is this Austin’s next Banksy or  Shepard Fairey?

BONUS: Pic of some creepy choir boy next to an old Big Chief paste-up across from Roadhouse Relics:

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This past Saturday, we checked out one of my favorite Austin events of the year, the Austin Modern Home Tour.  This tour gives you access to some of the most amazing modern homes the city has to offer.  From million dollar mansions to $300,000 bungalows, you get to see the biggest trends in modern architecture and interior design.  Unfortunately most of our budgets don’t allow us to buy one of the amazing homes, but walking through them can give you plenty of ideas on how to make your home feel a bit more modern without breaking the bank.

Here are five trends from this year’s tour that you could easily bring into your own home.

1.  Paint your walls white–and let your accessories do the talking.

White walls help frame and spotlight your artwork, furniture and accessories. Add splashes of color using vibrant rugs, throw pillows, lamps or other accessories to really make a statement. This also helps you easily change the feel of the room with each new season or design trend by just trading out the accessories.

2.  Glossy glass tiles EVERYWHERE!

On the tour, kitchens and bathrooms gleamed with glossy glass tiles.  Some were just clear glass,  while others were subtly tinted. Still others were bright with blues and bold reds. Glass tile is also making appearances in unexpected places, like around fireplaces and trimming staircases.

3.  Become a bookworm.

Obviously modern home owners are readers (or they want you to think they are) because every home on the tour used books in the decor.  Stack your books in a single column,on low vintage bookcases, or on a coffee table–just about everywhere there’s a flat surface.

Show off your books with a unique bookcase

4.  Get rid of your grass and put in rocks instead.

Let’s face it: You hate mowing the lawn–so why not create a modern entrance by replacing the traditional grass with rocks?  To add a more dramatic effect, combine both light and dark rocks.

Yards composed of light and dark rocks

5.  Salvage some old wood.

Sometimes modern homes can seem cold and stark, and this year designers are warming up interiors with salvaged wood.  From floors to tables and bookcases, salvaged wood creates a sense of history in places that don’t have any.

Both the desk and floor are made from salvaged wood

What was your favorite modern design trend on the tour this year?

Check out more pictures from the tour below.  All photos by Doug Naugle.

A bookcase made from salvaged wood and bricks

A milk bottle chandelier

A see-through ceiling above this staircase is a quirky feature

The white walls of the staircase offer a stunning contrast to the blue wall below

Some old skateboard wheels make a unique accessory

Freaking awesome bathroom

Polished concrete floors are still in

Make sure you leave with the right pair!

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We've all heard the phrase "Man Up" too much this 2010 election cycle. JT says it's time for us all to "Metal Up".

“Everything that has transpired has done so according to my design…”

- Lord Emperor Palpatine, Return of the Jedi

I was a few Lone Star tall boys deep in a very smoky Red Eyed Fly when I first met the self proclaimed “Lord Emperor” of Altercation Magazine (issue #25 out now), JT Habersaat. The Misfits were blaring out of the jukebox over the loud clicks of billiard balls and the rumbling din of raucous bar room conversations. JT and his wife Donna (dubbed Altercation’s “Barbarian Queen” and all around visual and design guru) were out and about, on the magazine beat, interviewing bands and chasing stories. You only have to spend a few minutes chit-chatting (AKA: screaming back and forth) in a deafening rock bar to realize that the Habersaats are good people. As with almost anyone covering the local scene, I walked away impressed with their work ethic and dedication… but I had no idea…

It was some time later that I stumbled upon the depth of Emperor JT’s vast influence. Looking through the Austin Chronicle I noticed, listed among a few bands on a local show, something called The Altercation Punk Comedy Tour. I did a double take. This Habersaat guy does comedy too? Yeah, The Dark Lord also runs a local punk rock record label Altercation Records which features Red River District favs Say Hello to the Angels and Born to Lose. And now for the obligatory understatement: If anything can be said about JT Habersaat these days, it’s that he’s a very busy man… but aren’t all emperors?

Want a couple more random facts? Habersaat has shared the stage with Henry Rollins and appeared in Troma’s Toxic Avenger 4. Yeah, that’s right. The one with Ron Jeremy and Corey Feldman. Can I get an “eff yes”?

"Metal Up Live" - The Altercation Punk Comedy Tour's latest CD.

I caught up with the Sith Laugh-Master himself at this year’s Fun Fun Fun Fest which Chris Apollo calls “…Austin’s little secret music festival,” but the 2-and-a-half-day blowout has become so much more. Stand-up comedy and other various acts really make Fun Fun Fun Fest just a little different and maybe just a tad bit cooler than its contemporaries. JT and the Altercation gang of comics bring a bit of the dark side to the fun fun fun. Emperor Habersaat’s set was funny, referencing Black Flag, Pet Sematary, and Clash of the Titans. I even saw members from one of my favorite bands, The Bronx, guffawing it up in the crowd. But you don’t have to be a punk or a rocker to get the joke. JT’s humor is universal, if not dark.

I snagged a quick video interview. In the 4 minutes of fun, we jabbered about his most commonly asked question (what makes comedy “punk”), FunFunFun Fest, Henry Rollins, The Altercation Empire and more.

So, Metal Up! Because, as the Emporer says: “It is unavoidable. It is your destiny. You, like your father, are now mine!”

Boy, it’s a good time to be a fan of festivals and fairs in Austin, Texas!

Up this week is the Austin Film Festival, which kicks off today through next Thursday, October 28th.

Our friends at Slackerwood have already covered the best reasons to grab a film pass, and while you’re gearing up for a week of awesome movie screenings, we figured we’d get in on the party.

This past Sunday at the Texas Book Festival, we had the pleasure of talking with author Alison Macor, author of Chainsaws, Slackers and Spykids: 30 Years of Filmmaking in Austin, Texas. A former film critic for both the Austin Chronicle and the Austin American-Statesman, she’s seen the film industry boom in the city over the last 30 years. In her book, Alison traces the roots of this movement from the “it takes a village” production of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre to the Hollywood-like production of Spy Kids.

In our interview, Alison shares a little more about her love of Austin film and tells us her favorite Austin movie.

If you’re heading to the Austin Film Festival in the next few days, be sure to smuggle yourself in to two panels that Alison will be moderating:

Saturday, 10/23, 10:45 am
LUNA Panel: Telling Women’s Stories through Film
Driskill Hotel, Maximilian Room
Women filmmakers who choose to tell women’s stories through film. This panel is sponsored by LUNA.
Maggie Biggar, Diane Drake, Jennifer Salt

Sunday, 10/24, 11:30 am
Writing for Kids
Driskill Hotel, Hogg Room
Whether writing for young children, teens, or the whole family, conceiving a quality script is a challenge. It has to be (somewhat) innocent, topical, entertaining and interesting. Writing for teens or the whole family can also be a great and lucrative way to start – or re-start – your career.
Tim McCanlies, Rita Hsiao, Pamela Ribon

What’s YOUR favorite Austin movie?

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On a chilly Sunday after SXSW, Ari and I rolled out of bed and hit 2nd Street for brunch. Walking back to the car, we stumbled upon a super dope plastic throne just chillin on the street outside of IF+D. Always looking for new Facebook profile pics, we snapped these photos:

Further investigation inside the store led to the discovery of some of the most kick-a decorations and furniture. Seriously, for the first time in my life, I walked into a furniture store and didn’t have the urge to get the eff out as fast as possible (via IKEA). In fact, the more I looked around, the more I fell in love. With hands jutting out from the walls, golden pigs and pink gorillas, I kinda felt like I was in some sort of tripped-out designer’s head.

They’ve also got some pretty bomb housewares. I want this street art-inspired dish set. And these Topochico glasses were made in-store from old Topochico bottles. LEGIT!

One of the coolest things in the store is the life-sized wooden human decoy. Made from Catalpa Wood (the same wood used for duck decoys), this dude was made by  Jamie Botlant. She used a chainsaw and a lot of sandpaper to make it.

Not the artist, this is store owner Kristen Bolling. I think this photo of her making out with the decoy is very representative of her idea behind the store: playful and fun.

Part of her vision was to showcase more items from Austin and Texas artists. In fact, 98% of the art and accessories are local. Here are some art pieces from Austin artists:

And any place with a Johnny Cash deal gets mad props in my book.

Stop by IF+D tonight from 6P-10P for “Death, DRUGS, and Hotdogs! Mark McGinnis’ new work: Alphabet Series!” I think the flyer speaks for itself:

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• EXPERIENCE: “Death, DRUGS, and Hotdogs! Mark McGinnis’ new work: Alphabet Series!” (September 9th, 2010); IF+D (208 Colorado, 78701); 6P-10P; FREE Facebook Event

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This past weekend I got to attend the Keep Austin Beautiful Fashion Show. Environmental non-profit Keep Austin Beautiful provided the designers with recycled materials like plastic bags, innertubes, vinyl banners and straws.

Check out some of the designs they made with the found objects:

Made from rubber and plastic

Looks like yarn? It's actually computer wire!

Recycled black dresses, designed to create one dress - photo credit Emily Barclay

Incredible metal dress with bow accents. Photo credit Emily Barclay

Wedding dress made entirely out of bags

One such inspiring designer was Rene Geneva, winner of Austin Fashion Week 2009′s Critic’s Choice for Best Overall Designer.

Designer Rene Geneva at her home studio in between her initial designs for her AFW display.

Her ready-to-wear eco-fashion line included romantic detailing mixed with modern structures made from “green” textiles, such as hemp, silk, bamboo and tencel, a biodegradable fabric made of wood cellulose .

 

Rene's bridal dress with a plant train and solar installation that used the sun to water the plants.

Passionate for the world around her, Rene is committed to making a positive impact on the environment through the use of organic materials and fair trade labor. For Rene, being environmentally conscious goes beyond fashion. Her super-women feats include working with a fair wage, fair trade women’s textile cooperative in Central America and organizing the Sun Power Project to help facilitate solar electricity for communities in need. In her spare time, she also enjoys motivational speaking, working on a baby line with Whole Foods and teaching belly dance boot camp at Black Swan Yoga.

The initial start to her AFW solar bridal installation

In person, Rene is super humble, nice and very approachable–a little surprising since her bridal line has been featured on WE TV’s show Wedding Masters, and she’s also shown in Mercedes Benz and New York Fashion Weeks. After the awards ceremony at the end of this week, she’s jetting off to Vienna to show her 2011 Collection.

Who are some of your favorite green designers?

Where do you shop for recycled fashions?

Is eco-clothing a trend or is it here to stay?

Did y’all know that Austin is home of the longest running Gay and Lesbian Film Festivals in the Southwest? Yup. AGLIFF (Austin Gay and Lesbian Independent Film Festival) celebrates its 23rd anniversary this year. And while the festival itself isn’t until this fall, queers and friends can help raise money for the nonprofit this FRIDAY night at the BLOOM party.

Touted as a celebration of groundbreaking artists, the Bloom party promises to “challenge the status quo and buck tradition across all mediums including digital, canvas, performance, photography, theatre, dance, sculpture, film and mixed media.” With your admission, you’ll also receive live musical performances and FREE BOOZE! See the full list of artists and performers here.

And if you buy your ticket online, it will only cost $30, $15 less than the price for entry if you buy tickets at the door.

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EXPERIENCE:“BLOOM” (FRIDAY, 07.23.10); Action Figure Studios (3000 E. Cesar Chavez, 78702); 8P-MID; $30 online/$45 at the door Facebook Event

One of the artists showing his work at BLOOM is David Sweeney.  David also happens to be President of AGLIFF. To get us hyped for BLOOM, he shares 13 pictures of the evolution of a painting as it blooms from idea to final painting.

If you’ve ever been interested in how artists do it, here ya go:

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