One of my favorite things about working on a college campus are the gems (art, music, dance,…read moretheatre) that are available to enjoy.who knows if the arts can withstand the tide that is currently decimating our history so I won't take it for granted and will experience as much of it as I can. The contemporary, modern and Latin collections in the Blanton, along with the art pieces at Rowling Hall are my favorites.

Blantons is great break from the sun, and a small taste of a variety of classical and contemporary…read moreart. The staff were super friendly. Griffin was a fantastic behind the desk guy. Samantha and Abby were nice docents. Each said hello, were welcoming, and shared their favorite pieces, and spoke competently about the art they were watching over. I got the opportunity to see various immersive works. Ellesworth Kelly has his own building of stained glass images, black and white tiles, and a male totem. My favorite work was in the modern section, but it looked like a classical piece. Pilgrims by Coronel. It looked like a bunch of guys in big hats collaged together - but it's just folks walking by each other. It was a good mix of various eras and modes of art. The light was warm, but not overpowering. And the A/C is working. In the middle of the summer, that last point is a must. As one of the Blue Star Museums, it sponsors a service member and up to 5 other folks entrance into the museum to see the exhibits. It's easily a great hideout from the heat and free for military during the summer. Recommend.

Free day? I'll take it…read more My experience here was nice. The staff was helpful and I was able to check in easily. The art exhibit was cool and it make a statement. The gallery was busy, but spacious. I loved the view upstairs and got really good photos. I want to attend more events here. The bathroom was clean.

One of two locations (Laguna Gloria on West 35th Street is the other), The Contemporary Austin --…read moreJones Center offers a stunning exterior mural ("Man Who Fell to Earth" by Manik Raj Nakra) but not much inside. Though it spans two floors, it's a small museum with little content. The few exhibits included lacked breadth: one consisted of variations of the same work. While the $10 admission does cover both locations, it definitely isn't worth it for Jones Center alone.

A friend of mine was stabbed to death by her ex-boyfriend and he then committed suicide. Today my…read morefriend's family had a celebration of life ceremony for her. This celebration of life ceremony was a deeply moving and beautifully planned tribute to her life well-lived. The ceremony took place in UMLAUF Sculpture Garden + Museum. The grounds are serene and peaceful with art sculptures sprinkled throughout the garden. UMLAUF is strategically hidden behind Zilker Park in Austin, TX. The garden was a perfect place for my friend's celebration of life. She would have loved the tree canopy, small ponds, and the bronze and stone works in the garden. My friends passing caused me to think about life, death and the dash in between the two. The commentary today came from her younger brother, two friends and her aunt. Their glowing remarks intertwined with snippets of humor helped to soften the moment. One of the comments from her brother is that you need to keep in touch with family and friends, tell them you love them and do not miss those very important moments. Those thoughts resonated with me. Sometimes in this microwaveable society, we do not make time to be intentional and spend uninterrupted time with family and friends. I committed today to be more intentional from this day forward. When my mom and sister passed, I was selected by our family to do the eulogy, which is one the hardest things you can possibly do in life. How can you capture one's life in 15-20 minutes? What topics are most salient to discuss? Inevitably, my mind drifted to gratitude. I am so grateful for my family who loves me unconditionally. I am grateful to all my friends and especially those friends who have been riding with me for 25+ years. "The purpose of life, after all, is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience." Eleanor Roosevelt

We loved our visit. I didn't know anything about the art before coming here but was very pleasantly…read moresurprised. I'm drawn to classically influenced, figurative sculpture, rather than highly abstract contemporary styles. Umlauf's work was precisely that -- it focused on the human form primarily and touched upon themes of religion, war, love, beauty. There were some pieces that took my breath away, particularly the refugee mother and baby pieces. The garden itself is small (you'll likely spend an hour here, at most) but very pleasant to stroll around. The trees were bare when we visited but I can see it being even lovelier in spring/summer. Very reasonable admission fee ($8 per adult). Children 0-4 are free. Super friendly staff. The woman working the front desk was very kind to us and made our family feel so welcome (we brought our two small children). Small parking area but it wasn't crowded when we came (despite it being a weekend afternoon). If you're visiting Austin and you like classical and figurative sculptural work, make sure you add this spot to your itinerary.

Very unique! If you are going to Austin, make arrangements for a tour. This house has been…read morefeatured in a lot of different books and magazines.

Keep Austin Weird is one of those phrases that is synonymous with Austin (in addition to barbecue)…read more There is so much interesting art here in Austin that you should consider looking into when visiting Austin, with Casa Neverlandia being one of them. Casa Neverlandia is a three story, colorful home located behind Goodwill Baptist Church, that was created by James Talbot, or as he referred to himself as "Talbot" when we met him for a private tour of his home. Casa Neverlandia originally started out as a one story home built in the early 1900's. Mr. Talbot purchased this home and started to transform it into what you see now in my photos and what you find online. According to Mr. Talbot, he grew up in a military family, traveling all around the world and living in some unusual places that includes a treehouse in Honduras. He has a college degree in architecture and has always been fascinated with building things, as you can see with his home today. To him, he builds this home for himself to reflect upon his spiritual side but also include some unique things for his physical needs, as he lives rather a green lifestyle. My husband and I, along with our little girl dog (yes Mr. Talbot allowed for us to bring our little dog with us) met Mr. Talbot outside of his home on a Sunday afternoon. We were lucky to be the only couple, as another couple was supposed to come but was told the date just didn't work with their schedule. Please note that it cost $15 per person for this tour and you can contact Mr. Talbot via phone or email to schedule a tour. At the front entrance of his home are numerous of doorbells, xylophones and bells. I believe there is over 40 of these things but Mr. Talbot says he can never have enough. He describes the mosaic tiles outside of the home, the snake, the outdoor patio seating area with the clouds element and so forth. Then inside, we see his living room with a beautiful and inviting fireplace and pit to help radiate heat for the first floor, indoor seating area that is meant to be an air alter with cool colors of green and a unique bookcase. We see some current artwork that he has for sale (no obligation to buy) that includes gorgeous hand beaded work and other things and then make our way to the small music room. Next, the kitchen has a lot of function to it more so than just design. Then we make our way up stairs. On the 2nd floor is a room that has a Thai like theme with the bamboo wall panels and red lacquered beams. This room has high ceilings and utilizes natural lighting since there is no lights in this room. Mr. Talbot says this is the room for parties and entertainment for guests. Then up one more floor is Mr. Talbot's room, which was featured on numerous of TV shows, magazines and books. From his bedroom, that has a safari theme to it, you can see a glimpse of downtown Austin. We were then lead to his bathroom where he is currently working on a bath tub with some kind of ocean wave like theme. Being that he has a background in architecture, he is able to create the structure of things the way he wants it. From his bedroom, we walk across a narrow plank bridge to his tree house or a tower. Climb a very narrow ladder and we are on the top of that tower and see great views of Austin. We eventually take a few narrow ladders down to the bottom, now in his backyard. From here, he takes us into his studio (built in the early 90's) and shows us what he is currently working on, which looks like a large clam shell. He uses soda cans that he has collected around Austin to decorate the shell. He also shows us this ocean like mural that will go with this clam shell. Then we eventually make our way outside. He tells us that he saves the rain water in large barrels, as he considers himself camping in his own home. He dresses up or down according to the weather and has a very low electric bill each month and water bill. Mr. Talbots has told us on the tour that he doesn't consider himself to be done with Case Neverlandia, as he is always building and changing things. And said that Casa Neverlandia may be different the next time we come back to Austin for another tour. Our tour lasted about 75 minutes, but we did make small talk with Mr. Talbot throughout. It was well worth our time to come out here and check out Casa Neverlandia and hope you will consider it too, especially if you are looking for something off the beaten path. You can see some of Mr. Talbot's artworks around Austin and a few other things in other states. Casa Neverlandia truly was a highlight of our visit to Austin and am so glad we were able to get a tour. Again as mentioned, it cost $15 per person for a tour and you can call Mr. Talbot at (512) 442-7613 or email him at talbot@talbotworld.com to inquire for a tour.

Attended an event here. The building is beautiful. I loved the windows and all the natural light…read more The bathroom was immaculate and lovely. The ceiling height and openness of the venue lends itself to many possibilities. I adore this space.

The Cathedral is a great place to see local art, rent a workspace or hold an event! Monica and her…read moreteam are great to work with and if you have a caterer coming in they have ample space in their kitchen area that they can work with.

What a fantastic fun time! This type of Art Exhibit is so enjoyable that they did a really nice job…read moreon this one and the staff was helpful and took some photos for us as well. We got a ton of really fun pictures but I'm only sharing the one that does not have one of either my wife or Iin it.

This exhibit is for small children only. The ads are very misleading. We were through in 15…read moreminutes and very disappointed. It's for kindergarten kids or younger.

While visiting Austin, we stopped by the Mexic-Arte Museum because it was within walking distance…read moreof another museum we had planned to visit. It is a small, one story museum that focuses on Mexican culture, history, textiles, and wearable art. The current exhibit featured nearly 90 textile and wearable art pieces created by master artisans from 16 Mexican states, along with documentary photographs highlighting Austin's historic Our Lady of Guadalupe community. The museum also includes informative panels in both English and Spanish, making the exhibits easy to understand regardless of which language you speak. The museum itself is fairly dark, creating an intimate atmosphere that complements many of the exhibits. There were several beautiful traditional garments and textiles on display, and I enjoyed learning more about the craftsmanship and cultural significance behind them. My favorite part of the visit was actually the gift shop. It had a wonderful selection of unique souvenirs, artwork, and locally inspired gifts that were much more interesting than the typical tourist items. The only downside was the size of the museum. I was surprised at how quickly we reached the end. Even taking our time to read the exhibits, we were finished in about 30 minutes. While I enjoyed the experience, it felt a bit underwhelming given how small it was. Overall, it is an interesting museum that is worth visiting if you are already exploring downtown Austin or have an interest in Mexican art, history, and textiles. Just be aware that it is a relatively small museum, so plan your visit accordingly.

In route to the Austin Visitor Center (just a few feet away), I noticed Mexic-Arte Museum…read moreespecially the neon depiction of Guadalupe in the window. It was a place on my bucket list, but never really had time to visit. With a bit of time off this week, I decided to take a peek in. The heavy doors open with a strong push, and you feel transported to a completely different space and time. The museum is quiet, solemn and reverent. The museum is located at the intersection of Congress and 5th. I literally have walked by this museum hundreds of times and not gone in...it is easy to miss if you're rushing by. The museum is dedicated to Mexican, Mexican American, and Latin American art. Rosas y Revelaciones, the current exhibit, celebrates one of Mexico's most enduring spiritual and cultural icons. Featuring wearable and textile works by artists from 16 states across Mexico, the exhibition showcases devotion and innovation through garments inspired by La Virgen de Guadalupe (virgin of Guadalupe.) The galleries are small and intimate. Each gallery appears to have a specific purpose. In addition, after your stroll through the museum, you have the opportunity to purchase some items in their gift shop. It was quiet yet immersive experience.

This is the coolest place! We visited while we were in town. My childhood friend participated in…read moretheir weekend studio tour and invited us to stop by. As soon as we approached the building, I knew I'd love it. The space is so colorful and vibrant, with amazing murals outside that are the perfect backdrop for pictures. There's a space in front of the building where some vendors set up. As soon as you walk in, your eyes are assaulted with so many options of where to look at. Every wall and corner is full of art waiting to be admired. If you decide to start on the left side, there's a space that's set up more like a gift shop, with visual art, prints, sculptures, handmade art, cards, and so many things other to buy. If you walk to the right side, you realize the building is a lot bigger than you expected. There's so many rooms that seem to be used by individual artists, all showcasing their art. We ran out of time before exploring it all but will definitely come back. There was one room that was all dark with black lights and had bright neon art, it was the coolest thing! I looked up their website and learned that they're the largest artist and creative complex in Texas, housing around 130 multidisciplinary artists, including painters, photographers, filmmakers, tech artists and more. They offer studio spaces available for rent, events, coworking, and lots of programming to invite the community to support the artists. Every city should have a place like this!