AUSTIN ART TALK - Anne Mourier - Mother-Nature

Anne Mourier is a conceptual artist who was born in France and is now splitting her time between the east coast and Italy. We met many years ago in NYC and during my travels I made a point to visit her and sit down for an interview.

Some of the themes she explores in her artworks are the feminine archetype, motherhood, quiet simplicity and beauty, home and the chores of domestic life, and maybe most importantly the environment and respect for life and nature. I’m so impressed with her wisdom, groundedness, her dedication to research and a commitment and openness to using any medium which might best communicate what she is trying to say with her work.

She also has a series of separate performances called Taking Care were she prepared meals for people, washed and item of clothing, and washed their feet. Of the work she states “I strongly believe that “Taking Care” is important and may possibly be the only way to mend our broken society:  Taking Care of our planet, Taking Care of things instead of replacing them, Taking Care of each other…”

As she says so well on her website her goal is “A harmonious future, free of its dualistic and antagonistic visions; a holistic future that would acknowledge the fluidity of the masculine and the feminine principle living in harmony within each of us, in nature, in art, in everything we touch, smell, and see.”

“We are fed with this idea that we have to be so much. And of course it’s not true because each of us has a specific talent or specific things we are good at. I finally feel at this place of my life that I’m enough. I’m tying to do my best with the little corner of what I know how to do. So my goal is to keep passing this message and hoping that it’s going to effect the life or the way of thinking of certain people.””
— Anne Mourier

Austin Enneagram - Ep19 - Instincts - Self Preservation, Sexual, & Social

Check out this new episode I produced for Elizabeth Chapin and Leigh Jackson’s Austin Enneagram podcast. Helping people capture and create their podcast is fun but it’s extra nice when I get to learn something that I can apply to my life in the process!

In this episode podcast hosts Elizabeth Chapin and Leigh Jackson delve into the three Instincts; Self preservation, Sexual, and Social. The goal is balance, awareness, and your relationship with all three, and typically there is one instinct that is more dominant, one more in the middle, and one that is a blind spot.

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Each Instinct is also broken down into three even more specific zones. By surveying a broad range of teachings and by attempting to integrate their own realizations, challenges, and how they personally relate to this level of work, Elizabeth and Leigh are able to expand and elaborate on this deeper aspect of the Enneagram that is separate from the types.

Elizabeth and Leigh have been apprentices of Enneagram master Suzanne Stabile. Their goal is to share this practical and transformational tool with others in a way that is narrative, inclusive and accessible. Have a listen to Episode 1-10 if you haven’t, to get an introduction to the 9 types and overview of the Enneagram.

  • An introduction to Instincts and their relative dominance

  • Self Preservation specifics and zones - 14:20

  • Sexual specifics and zones - 27:21

  • Social specifics and zones - 44:33

  • Closing comments - 1.00.10

AUSTIN ART TALK - Gladys Poorte - Nuevo Mundo

This week's podcast guest is Gladys Poorte. Her work for many people appears to be very otherworldly and fantastical, maybe even sci-fi inspired, but in fact, it is all based on real-life objects and 3D models that she creates in her studio to draw and paint from while controlling the light and mood to ultimately create space and depth. The inspiration often comes from observing, processing, and reacting to real-life events that have happened in the world, and concerns about the future.

I’m very impressed with Gladys' willingness to keep pushing herself to learn new skills and gain knowledge to enhance and evolve her artwork over time. We talk about her life growing up in Argentina, working as an educator, transitioning to living in the US, and her many years of diverse art classes and schooling to evolve her style and craft to where it is today.

Nuevo Mundo
Gladys Poorte At The Davis Gallery
May 1st - June 12th
Davis Gallery & Framing
837 West 12th Street
Austin, TX 78701
512-477-4929

Gladys Poorte's "Nuevo Mundo" debuts at the Davis Gallery. Exploring the new settings wherein which we find ourselves during an unprecedented time, Poorte helps us transition into seemingly foreign yet familiar landscapes within her interpretation and style.

AUSTIN ART TALK - Tom Jean Webb - Being Here

Artist Tom Jean Webb grew up in England but knew from an early age he wanted to live in America. His mother and grandfather helped to inspire his creativity and if not for a chance visit to a contemporary art gallery as an adult, he would not have realized that what he wanted to say with his own art was valid and possible. After many trips and back and forth from the United States to England he finally committed to fulfill his dream and made the US his home.

The work he creates is heavily inspired by the colorful and rocky desert landscapes of the southwest and are explorations of space and his own personal reality. As he consistently strives to create his distinctive artwork he prioritizes being open and present, staying playful, having fun, and letting go of control and preconceived ideas.

“As much as art is about creating an object, it’s also about learning about yourself. My art has always been this tool for which I decipher the world, and my place in it, or who I am and how I learn and what I see. It’s the medium through which I decipher everything.”
— Tom Jean Webb

Here are some images I made when I was visiting Tom Jean’s studio to record the interview.

AUSTIN ART TALK - Chris Rogers - Unconditional

“That’s my ultimate goal. When I’m done here I want to have temples built in a lot of people’s hearts. Not, oh Chris was so awesome. But because I gave them something. Because I meant something to them. Because I gave them a piece of my heart”
— Chris Rogers

Wow! Can’t believe we’ve made it to 100 episodes. I could not imagine a better guest to celebrate this milestone. Chris Rogers is an artist who specializes in portraits that capture a person's true essence, live painting sessions at events, and large and colorful murals that adorn many walls around Austin with their inviting and galvanizing truths. All of this work hopefully leads to conversations, connections, and a realization as Chris says in the interview, the cure is us.

How can we heal our fractured system and relationships, let go of control and give over to the moment, and find our way to truth, honesty with ourselves, and learn to speak from the heart?

Chris really brought the vulnerability and bares all as we talk about his lifelong artistic practice, alcoholism and recovery, and the huge impact his late mother continues to have on his life. This conversation was so moving and inspiring to me as I hope it will be to you.

Here are some images of murals here in Austin that Chris painted at 12th & Chicon and at Native Hostel.

Cande Aguilar | It’s only barrioPOP but I like it @ grayDUCK Gallery

I’m so impressed by Cande’s work and it was fun to help capture and produce an interview with him and then photograph the exhibition for Jill the owner of grayDUCK. I love having a regular gig working with artists and capturing exhibitions!

Text by artist/writer Noe Hinojosa for Cultbytes

What is Cande Aguilar’s barrioPOP? In the United States, when you place the word "barrio" in front of anything, it acts as a filter. It filters whatever words follow through a Mexican American context down to a common denominator: the neighborhood. If I say I can play barrio tennis, it means I may not have the fancy equipment or clothes, and my strokes may not be refined, but I do know the rules, and I can play. I might have to jump a fence to get to some tennis courts, but that just reinforces the point that "barrio" anything is being of, or pertaining to, the common folk of the barrio where people are accustomed to less access of all kinds for basic socio-economic reasons. Read more…

Exhibition Dates: April 9 – May 23, 2021

AUSTIN ART TALK - Manik Raj Nakra

Manik Raj Nakra is an Austin Based Artist who creates colorful and mythic-looking artworks influenced by his extensive research of cultures, ancient art, and architecture from all over the world. All that he absorbs through books, travel, and online research gets melded and transformed into his own unique but somehow universal visual language.

I’m impressed with Manik’s boldness and commitment to his art practice and willingness to spend years out of view to refine his subject matter, experiment, and learn and improve his creative techniques, taking the quality of what he is producing to the next level, and then back into the world. Please enjoy this interesting and often humorous conversation with Manik and be sure to check out his Big Medium exhibition this month.

“Out of the million brush strokes on this painting, I like his brushstroke. So it was worth the 20 hours I spent on it to learn this one stroke. Then I would take that stroke into the next piece. Then that piece didn’t feel right but there was a second brush stroke also that I liked. And then eventually I got to the point where I liked all the brush strokes on the canvas. That’s when I’m like OK, now I can start making art.”
— Manik Raj Nakra

AUSTIN ART TALK - Brian Daly - Part 2 - Recovery

"I used to think I had all the answers. I believed it. I don’t believe that at all anymore. I have all the questions. I’ve got all of them. And I don’t really need answers anymore. I’m in it for the questions. And that pretty much rules my day, every day. Just endless questions."

This is part two of my interview with artist Brian Daly. If you haven’t heard Part One I would recommend going back and starting with Episode 97 where we cover his epic life story before he got sober 19 months ago.

Part Two goes more in-depth into his current life and practice as an artist.

AUSTIN ART TALK - Brian Daly - Part 1 - Rendered

Sometimes it can take a lot to ask for help. Artist Brian Daly realized nineteen months ago that even though he had already survived hitting bottom a few times before, this time might be his last. Through years of ups and downs, Brian acquired the skills to create almost anything as a fabricator while also from a young age continuing to further his drafting and artistic talents.

In this first part of two episodes, he shares in vivid detail, reminiscent of his drawings, the epic and tumultuous journey he has been on, up until getting clean and sober and focusing his energy and recovery into his art. The paper and ink drawings he creates as a literal meditation, are beautiful and precise in their rendering, allowing him to share a glimpse of his inner world, imagination, and lifelong fascination with tools and the mechanics of objects.

The second part of our conversation, Episode 98, goes into more detail about his current life and artistic practice.

AUSTIN ART TALK | Nick Schnitzer - Creating Our Future

Nick Schnitzer is very passionate about art and helping artists thrive. That's in addition to his love of architecture, woodworking, teaching and mentoring young people, travel, his family, and most of all living an aware, considerate, humble, and generative life. He's a talented and capable craftsperson who can design and create almost anything he puts his mind and body into doing.

His public art and exhibitions often highlight environmental and political challenges and strive to build community and connect people and ideas, all towards the very important goal of improving lives and raising the awareness of issues in our culture and society that need more energy and attention. Important work!

I love Nick's energy, focus, integrity, and the way he strives to improve himself and those around him. He has a big heart and it's very obvious in the interview. Please enjoy!

“Let’s continue to make beautiful things. Let’s respect ourselves and think about the future. Let’s make some money. Let’s be generous with our money. Let’s protect ourselves and the planet. Let’s be more responsible. Let’s be more grateful.”
— Nick Schnitzer

AUSTIN ART TALK | Joyce Howell - Expressing The Abstract

As an adult, after working many jobs in the business world and raising her daughters' artist Joyce Howell decided to go back to school to study art and eventually achieved her master's degree. She started out painting in a very representational style but in graduate school found the encouragement and a strong desire to create abstract works that expressed more of her internal reality and how she processed everything in her world.

For the last almost 25 years Joyce has been committed to her studio practice and has participated in many solo and group exhibitions. She creates colorful and often atmospheric abstract paintings that without a doubt contribute to the joy and beauty experienced through art that we all need in our lives and our homes.

Mujer Pintada, 2021, oil on canvas, 42x42 inches

Mujer Pintada, 2021, oil on canvas, 42x42 inches

She has been represented in Austin by Wally Workman Gallery for over 10 years! Be sure to make an appointment and see her work in person.

Joyce Howell: Solo Show
March 6-27, 2021

Wally Workman Gallery

"Howell’s palette is informed by nature and its flux between calm and chaos. She describes it as an ongoing conversation. Each color and the mark by which it is applied to the canvas informs the next. Colors give the impression of physical weight. Colors become instruments, much as in a musical composition. As the work progresses, the painting becomes a collaborative, a dialogue between Howell and the canvas. This is her 8th solo show with the gallery."

Bucky Miller | Slow Season @ grayDUCK Gallery

What a joy it was to meet Bucky Miller when I went to grayDUCK Gallery this week to record an interview with him and Jill the gallery owner, and also photograph the exhibition. He is a delightfully charming and interesting person and I really like his photography. Some of the images remind me of my own work and there are also images I would never have thought to capture that are really beautiful. Have a listen to the short conversation and then make an appointment and have a look for yourself!

Exhibition Dates: February 26 – March 28, 2021

“Bucky Miller is an artist, writer, and a recipient of the Aaron Siskind Foundation Individual Photographer’s Fellowship. His work has been shown in solo exhibitions at spaces such as the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston as well as in numerous group exhibitions. His first self-published book, The Picture of the Afghan Hound, was selected as one of Photo-eye’s best photobooks of 2016. Miller’s work has also been featured in publications like n+1, Der Greif, The Believer, and Glasstire. He has an MFA from the University of Texas at Austin and a BFA from Arizona State University. He also resided in London as part of an exchange with the Royal College of Art program in sculpture. In 2018 he attended the Recycled Artist in Residency program in Philadelphia, PA. Bucky is from Phoenix, AZ but currently lives in Houston, TX.”

Austin Enneagram - Virtues

Check out this new episode I produced for Elizabeth Chapin and Leigh Jackson’s Austin Enneagram podcast. Helping people capture and create their podcast is fun but it’s extra nice when I get to learn something that I can apply to my life in the process!

This one-on-one with hosts Elizabeth Chapin and Leigh Jackson goes in-depth to explore and help us understand the specific virtue of each Enneagram type. They share and combine perspectives from many resources while relating their own realizations and personal experiences to paint a picture of the higher nature and essence of each type.

Elizabeth and Leigh have been apprentices of Enneagram master Suzanne Stabile. Their goal is to share this practical and transformational tool with others in a way that is narrative, inclusive, and accessible. Have a listen to Episode 1-10 if you haven’t, to get an introduction to the 9 types and an overview of the Enneagram.

  • Type 6 specifics - 42:50

  • Type 7 specifics - 52:09

  • Type 8 specifics - 1:02:18

  • Type 9 specifics - 1:08:44

  • Type 1 specifics - 1:17:26

  • What are virtues?

  • Type 2 specifics - 09:21

  • Type 3 specifics - 19:46

  • Type 4 specifics - 25:22

  • Type 5 specifics - 32:58

“I think it’s kind of our essence or when we are present. When we do the work and personality stands down in a way. That space where we live into what is really true. ”
— Leigh

AUSTIN ART TALK | Valerie Chaussonnet - The Joy Of Life & Art

The podcast guest this week has had such an interesting and diverse life. Artist Valerie Chaussonnet now works full time as an artist and teacher but previously spent a big part of her life as an anthropologist, studying Russian, and raising her two sons. Now her two primary mediums are watercolor and sculptures made from raw pieces of welded steel. A lifetime of influences in the realm of art and many diverse cultures all culminates now in the stories she tells with her colorful paintings and spirited sculptures. I love the joy Valerie brings to life and I’m inspired by her adventurous, playful, and rich way of life. Please enjoy this very fun interview!

“For us, as artists, the pandemic certainly economically was hard for many people but I think we are probably better equipped because can we invent something that has not been done before. If somebody is used to having a routine and a certain structure and not used to inventing their life it’s harder when something like this hits. For us it’s like OK, it’s this, let’s see what we can do with it. Let’s learn something new and create something different.”
— Valerie Chaussonnet

AUSTIN ART TALK | Lauren Hunt - Glass Work

Lauren Hunt is one of the rare artists who works with glass, and she has been at it for over 10 years. After college she worked for 7 of those years at the Corning Museum of Glass in New York with the Hot Glass Show, on land and traveling all over the world on cruise ships doing live and educational demonstrations. Eventually she made it to Austin where she has continued her practice making functional, whimsical, and sometimes purely artistic works of beauty out of molten glass. Lauren is a hoot and we had such a fun conversation. I’ve always wanted to learn more about glass blowing and what it’s all about and Lauren did not disappoint. Check out the shop on her website laurenhuntglass.com and see if there isn’t something there that strikes your fancy. Support local artists and fill your house with beautiful handmade objects by people you know!

Have a listen to our conversation in the player above or wherever you listen to podcasts! And take a look at the photos I made of Lauren and her assistant making glassware a few days after the interview. It was fun to watch, learn, and photograph the process.

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Lauren and her trusty assistant Ryan working the heat at Ghost Pepper Glass.

The Practice by Seth Godin

“To be of service. Isn’t that what we are here to do. To do work we are proud of. To put ourselves on the hook. To find the contribution we are capable of. The only way to be on this journey is to begin. But there isn’t a guarantee. In fact, most of what we seek to do will not work. But our intent, the intent of being of service, of making things better, of building something that matters, is an essential part of the pattern.”
— Seth Godin - The Practice

Seth Godin’s new book The Practice: Shipping Creative Work is just chock-full of his style of wisdom and unique take on the world. As one reviewer on Amazon stated, it’s Seth’s magnum opus on the subject of creativity. Even though it is not a long book it feels massive in the scope of its inspiring offering. The book is separated into 11 sections containing a total of 219 individual maxims. My main take away is no matter what, I need to maintain a consistent creative practice without fixating on the outcome. Create, be of service, and keep moving forward.

Trying to listen to the whole book straight through had my head swimming and I definitely lost track a couple of times. It’s a lot to take in and I would recommend splitting it up or if you have the physical book even better. Maybe digest one rule at a time and give yourself a chance to absorb it. I might even try reading one every day.

I’ve included in this post an interview he did for the book with Jordan Harbinger which I really enjoyed. And I’d like to share some of the quotes from the book that resonated with me most at this point in my life.

“Better is possible, but not if we continue to settle, continue to hide, and continue to scurry along the same paths. We have more to do. We need your contribution. But it can’t happen, and won’t happen if we can’t figure out how to trust ourselves enough to do the work. ”
— Seth Godin - The Practice
“The creativity you put into your work is an opportunity for better. It opens doors and turns on lights. It connects the disconnected and creates the bonds of culture. Art transforms the recipient even as it allows individuals to become us. Art is the human act of doing something that might not work and causing change to happen. Work that matters, for people who care. Not for applause, not for money. But because we can. ”
— Seth Godin - The Practice
“The story we tell ourselves leads to the actions we take. If you want to change your story change your actions first. When we choose to act a certain way our mind can’t help but rework our narrative to make those actions become coherent. We become what we do.”
— Seth Godin - The Practice

AUSTIN ART TALK | Kevin Ivester-The Art Of The Gallery

What does it take to open an art gallery and frame shop in Austin during a pandemic? A lot. For Kevin Ivester, owner of Ivester Contemporary and Eastside Picture Framing, these businesses are the culmination of a long-term dream and years of working in all aspects of the art world including, galleries, auction houses, restoration, conservation, handling, framing, and appraisal. Now with the potential of both endeavors and his well-rounded years of experience, Kevin wants to help artists further their careers, sell their work, and raise the profile of Austin as a town where you can buy great art and from any of the numerous talented people that call it home. We talk about what it took for him to get to this point and his intentions going forward. He’s genuinely interested in adding value and helping to further the awareness and understanding of visual art and the artists he represents. What a great mission and now he has the means to see it through.

Have a listen to our conversation in the player above or wherever you listen to podcasts!

East Side Picture Framing
916 Springdale Rd,
Bldg 4, Suite 105
Austin Texas 78702
(512) 520 8031

Ivester Contemporary
916 Springdale Rd
Bldg 2, Suite 107
Austin, TX 78702
(737) 209-0379

Make An Appointment!

About The Gallery

Ivester Contemporary is an Austin-based contemporary fine art gallery committed to connecting people with leading local and regional artists and ideas. Rotating exhibitions are focused on creating a context for contemplation, deepening appreciation for the visual arts, and facilitating a dialog between the artist and their viewers. Ivester Contemporary is located within the Canopy Creative Complex in East Austin, a central hub for artists, gallerists, and other creative types.

Making Up Stories

Tim Ferriss mentioned on a recent podcast episode, a communication technique that he learned from his girlfriend, that I think could be valuable. He also mentioned Nonviolent Communication and the audio program I’ve included in this post is an excellent introduction.

The way I understood it, if you are feeling some tension in a relationship and you want to share your anxious thoughts and feelings without putting the other person on the defensive you could say, “The story I am making up in my head is_____, and when I believe that thought I feel_____.”

This seems like a smart way to express the often negative and paranoid interpretations we all have of events and people’s actions, without going as far as accusing someone of something that could all be in your head. I find that the majority of the stories I create about others in relation to me are completely off base and are in the end a waste of energy. If you can hold off on making assumptions and get more info before forming a judgment and somehow avoid getting triggered that is even better.

“All violence is the result of people tricking themselves into believing that their pain derives from other people and that consequently, those people deserve to be punished.”
— Marshall B. Rosenberg, Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life

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Deborah Roberts At The Contemporary Austin

This post commemorates the great achievement of Austin-based artist Deborah Roberts with her first solo Texas museum exhibition. She has been on my podcast twice and we covered her early life and the progression of her career from humble beginnings until just over a year ago. I’m thinking about asking if she would come on a third time to get updated with this new phase her career. Very exciting! She inspires a lot of artists and those two interviews are definitely ones that people positively comment to me about the most. Have a listen here or anywhere you listen to the podcasts and be sure to buy a ticket to see her exhibition if you will be in Austin before August 15, 2021. It has been a long time coming and I’m so happy for her and her success. If you want to read further there are quite a few great articles about her new show that I will link to at the end of this post.

“I’ve always dedicated my life to the work, and whatever the work needed that’s what I did.”
— Deborah Roberts - Episode 19

Text from Episode 19 summary- March 2018

It has been an incredible year for Austin based artist Deborah Roberts. But after decades of hard work and scholarship, it’s not really a surprise. She was already an established artist long before deciding to go back to school to get her MFA in 2014, to study and find the language and direction for her new work. Her imagery started out in a very romantic Americana style but after a time that didn’t completely match the reality of what she was feeling and seeing in the world. The work needed to change. After finishing school she gave herself two years to succeed in art before having to give up once and for all. Then she received a grant from the Pollock-Krasner Foundation in 2016. For the first time, she could spend a whole year completely focused on her art full time and create without fear. What has followed is sold out shows all over the country and lots of press praising the work and giving her credit which was overdue.

With a focus on collage, painting, mixed media/installation, and text, Roberts is best known for creating portraits of young black girls, aged 8-10, that ask the viewer to consider how their beauty has been imagined: by art history, pop culture, American history, and black culture. And when and why do these young vulnerable girls have to put on their gloves and start fighting battles? It's important work and it resonates with a lot of people.

Deborah is a delight to be around and the interview was a lot of fun. We go all the way back to her beginnings in art and work our way to the present. She then dissects the meaning and language of the work and talks about the future and her newfound fame.

“I’m going to continue to push my work forward. The work has always come first. It has to be the work because it’s no good if it’s not. That’s my philosophy. I don’t push that on anyone else. That’s just always been my thing. That the work has to do what it needs to do.”
— Deborah Roberts - Episode 71

Text from Episode 71 summary - Oct 2019

In this highly anticipated follow-up to my first interview with Deborah from March of 2018, we sit down to talk about all of the wonderful and sometimes challenging aspects of her amazing career over the last year and a half since we last spoke. From grants to residencies to gallery representation in Los Angeles and London, it has been a wild ride. But don’t think she is an overnight success. Her work ethic and passion have carried her through over four decades of pursuing art to where she is now. As they say, luck is when opportunity meets preparation.

Deborah shares how her work has been evolving and where it is headed, her studio practice, as well as giving us a peek into some ideas for her upcoming one women show at The Contemporary Austin a year from now. I think Deborah proves that hard work, integrity, and persistence can change your life and the lives of others in a positive way. She is even planning to start a foundation to help other artists get the help that she so dearly needed to grow her career early on. If you haven’t heard our first conversation that covers the history of her life and career before last year, have a listen to Episode 19.

New DUCKblind Podcast Episode

Renee and Jill recording the interview.

Renee and Jill recording the interview.

In addition to producing a show for Austin Enneagram, I also every month or so, record an interview for Jill at grayDUCK Gallery, here in Austin, TX. The episodes are to help promote the current exhibition and give people who have already seen the show or who want to visit the gallery, some extra context, and info about the art and artists. As with the other shows I produce, I capture the interview, edit and add music, write and organize the descriptions, and make sure it is published correctly to all platforms. With both shows, I also created the cover art and take pictures during the recordings for social media promotion.

This interview is with artist Renee Lai, talking about her exhibition A Study Of Fences. Have a listen with the player above, and be sure to make an appointment to see the exhibition in person if you are in Austin!

Renee Lai | A Study of Fences

  • grayDUCK Gallery

  • Exhibition dates: January 8 - February 7, 2021

  • Gallery Hours by appointment