Richie Deegan: an artist’s perspective of Austin
I came to learn about Richie Deegan through my search for artists who have experienced and depicted Austin over the past decade or more. His evocative work highlights the many … Continue reading
Goodbye to the Beauty Parlor
The Beauty Parlor is a salon that used to operate on the corner of East 12th and Cedar streets, and after six years, on August 22nd, it closed its doors … Continue reading
Gentrification: A Collage Poem
Local artist Julian Johnson offers a collage poem that was inspired by East Austin gentrification. Julian M Johnson is a student at Wesleyan University and lives in Austin, TX. Past works … Continue reading
Hipster Hate and the Sabotage of Real Social Commentary
We hate hipsters don’t we? It’s probably their detached air of superiority that irks us most, but in reality, we hate it all. We detest star-spangled Toms, imperial mustaches, and … Continue reading
Documenting Austin with Matt Black
The celebrated documentary photographer Matt Black ran a weeklong photography workshop in Austin during May 2016. A collaboration between Magnum Photos and the Harry Ransom Center (and organized by the HRC Academic … Continue reading
North Lamar: Austin’s Most Cosmopolitan District
Austin’s most cosmopolitan district is growing—not in the heart of downtown—but along a two-mile stretch of North Lamar between Rundberg and Braker Lane at the northern edge of the city. … Continue reading
The Curious Case of Clarksville
It’s no secret that Austin, Texas is a growing town. Residents gripe about the weak infrastructure, how the bustling tech industry has made the city less weird, and the pains … Continue reading
How Austin Became Weird: The Story of a Slogan
Everyday, thousands of Austinites roam our city’s sidewalk-less streets, creep along its concrete highways, and ramble through the corridors of its universities and start-ups with one question burning in their … Continue reading
Austin Old-Timer and Newcomer
I. Austin is the capital of the American Renaissance of the beginning of the twenty-first century. The explosive construction of bridges, ramps, roads, buildings; the flow of creative, inventive, and … Continue reading
Interview with Geographer Eliot Tretter
What inspired you to write Shadows of a Sunbelt City? Two factors inspired me to write Shadows of a Sunbelt City. One was the very practical matter of needing to find … Continue reading
Cactus Rose Trailer Park
Cactus Rose is a trailer park located in the Monotopolis neighborhood of East Austin, an area that has been subjected to heavy changes in the past few years. I spent a few … Continue reading
Photographer John Pike on Austin Cantinas
If you look carefully you can still find a few remaining dingy, dark, loud and smokey Cantina type bars catering to a mostly Mexican and Central American crowd. These cantinas … Continue reading
Fighting for Affordable Housing in Austin: A Conversation with Mandy De Mayo, Director of HousingWorks.
Mandy De Mayo is the Executive Director of HousingWorks, a non-profit organization on the front lines of the fight for fair and affordable housing in Austin. We sat down to … Continue reading
Chicken Shit Bingo
Ginny’s Little Longhorn Saloon is an Austin institution drawing people from all over the world for Chicken Shit Bingo, cheap beer, friendly atmosphere, and a taste of Texas culture. Ginny’s … Continue reading
Plaza Saltillo
On Sundays, Plaza Saltillo is transformed from a silent concrete station into the lively HOPE community farmers’ market. In the small gazebo at the west end of the plaza, a … Continue reading