Category Archives: Art

This Weekend: “Mortified” at The North Door

Mortified

Let’s be honest: adolescence was never a fantastic time for anyone, really. And therein lies the genius in “Mortified,” an event that bills itself as being equal parts comedy, theater and therapy. Participants lead a show-and-tell of sorts, reminiscing over memorabilia from eras gone by and even reading passages aloud from their childhood and teenage journals, spilling their secrets about illicit crushes, misguided dreams and all the ever-so-embarrassing gaffes that come part and parcel with pre-teen inexperience.  Just think: for a mere $12, you can pack in all sorts of psychotherapy from the simple realization that no matter how strange, awkward and out of place you may have felt since grade school, you’re gloriously not alone, and actually, you never were in the first place.

The North Door, 501 Brushy Street
Friday, April 12 and Saturday, April 13, 8 pm both nights

Buy tickets online for $12 per person

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Filed under Art, Events, Weekend Activity Ideas

This Weekend: Art Night Austin

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Second perhaps only to music and food, Austin is starting to take its art pretty seriously.  While the eastside has long been a bastion for artists enjoying cheap studio rent and the untouched inspiration of diversity, decay and renewal, the local arts scene has been geographically expanding and  picking up the pace in recent years; as a result, a burgeoning creative culture is emerging. To celebrate that, Art Night Austin  kicks off its tenth year this Saturday, offering a studio crawl complete with complimentary shuttles and local food and sound pairings at each showcase. Individual tickets are $75; the evening begins at grayDUCK Gallery at West Monroe Street and South First.

grayDUCK Gallery, 608 West Monroe Street, Suite C
Art Night Austin runs 7 to 9:30 pm Saturday, February 23 (tickets)
Afterparty at Vuka Co-op begins at 9:30 pm (party tickets are $25)

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Filed under Annual Events, Art, Weekend Activity Ideas

This Weekend: The Architects of Air “Exxopolis” Luminarium

Around this time last year, a stunning spectacle presented itself on the lawn of the Long Center, temporarily changing the scape of the downtown skyline and making it look like something straight out of the future. Architects of Air brought a luminarium called “Mirazozo” that caught the imaginations of everyone who entered the airlocked interactive artscape filled with calming lights and echo chambers, and lines stretched around the block once word got out of its awesomeness. This year, a different structure from the series — this one’s called Exxopolis– takes up residence on the south shore of Town Lake, giving visitors a similarly transcendent experience. Get your tickets and hop in line early; the wait may be a little long, but the coolness of your time spent inside will be totally worth it.

January 19-27, 2012 from 11 am until sunset each day
The Long Center lawn, 701 West Riverside Drive
Tickets $10 at the door (not available online); get the full scoop here

Photo by Peter Tsai

More photos of luminarium here.

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This Weekend: Ballet Austin Presents The Nutcracker

Not only is The Nutcracker a holiday tradition, but this year, it also holds a special designation here in town; it’s the 50th consecutive year in which Ballet Austin has presented the Tchaikovsky classic to local culture seekers.  A number of celebratory surprises are planned to accompany the season of commemorative events, including a massive cast party including every individual who’s ever been involved in the production over the past five decades.  But for those just looking for a fun and festive seasonal indulgence for the kiddos (or maybe just a date night), this year’s performances are still sure to please.  The ballet runs December 14-16 and 19-23, including evening and matinee shows. Tickets range from $12 to $72.

Michael & Susan Dell Hall at The Long Center, 701 W Riverside Dr.
December 14-16 and 19-23 at 2:00 pm and 7:30 pm
Buy tickets here

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This Weekend: Christmas in July with East Side Glass Studio

East Side Glass Studio is exactly what it sounds like: a professional hot glass studio on Austin’s eastside.  Known as much for its cool monthly demonstrations (which are free and open to the public) as it is for the actual art it produces, these artisans seriously know what they’re doing.  This Saturday, though, the studio opens its doors for a special Christmas in July event, where guests can get hands-on and create their own works of art with guidance from the experts.  Craft a holiday ornament or create a solid glass “space rock” and enjoy on-site brews from hops&grain and yummy bites from Yume Burger while you stand back and admire your artistic prowess; portions of the day’s proceeds will go to Community Glass House to benefit disadvantaged youth in the arts.

 

$30 per person, Saturday, July 28, 3-6 pm
507 Calles Street, on the eastside
Learn more about the studio here

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Filed under Art, Cool Spots, Events, Weekend Activity Ideas