Sunday, May 12, 2013

Famous Artists in Austin

By Rachelle Moere


This emerging metropolis which invites folk from all areas of life to enjoy its extremely unique culture. Artists of all types flock to Austin to find shelter from the common-or-garden, the tried-and-true, and the cubicle. It has its share of internationally famous artists who have discovered that the Austin area has everything somebody could need without the pretense or fanfare of the big city. Even household names have moved to Austin to "keep it real" and very definitely weird. Austin famous artists, unusual or not, know there's no place like home.

Todd Sanders

Todd Sanders, a self-described "urban archaologist" makes neon signs paying homage to those made in the 1930s and 1940s that lit the way all of the way across Route 66. Calls himself an "urban archaologist" concentrating on neon signs primarily based on designs by sign makers from the 1930s and 1940s. Researching the methods used by mid 20th Century workers, he gets his inspiration from snapping cultural relics and taking country drives. Sanders ' business, Roadhouse Relics, recently was commissioned to make 2 neon works for Blake Shelton and Miranda Kerr's marriage. His pieces bring back nostalgia for Route 66, drive-ins, diners, Las Vegas a far simpler time. Sanders is among the famous artists in Austin who draw other artists to the town in mobs.

Richard Linklater

His film, "Slackers" (with Winona Ryder, Ethan Hawke and Janeane Garofalo) was to Generation X'ers what "Breakfast Club" was to a generation before. Linklater, originally from Houston, studied at Sam Houston State University, but left early to take a job on an off-shore oil rig in the Gulf. Long hours on the ocean meant masses of reading and watching movies. It was in this time that he made a decision he would have liked to be a filmmaker. Linklater bought himself a Super-8 camera, modifying gear and a projector and moved to the Austin area. He began to attend Austin Community University to study theatre. In 1985 he founded the Austin Film Society to draw in famous artists from Austin and is credited for being accountable for making Austin the hub of independent film making. The budding artist made Slackers for only $23,000. The filmmaker also updated "Waking Life", "Before Sunrise" and "Bad News Bears", again employing Ethan Hawke. He's nick-named "St. Richard of Austin" and is a major force of Austin famous artists.

Matthew McConaughey

Movie star Matthew McConaughey was born in 1969 in Uvalde, Texas, and grew up in Longview, where he graduated from high-school. Rather than dig in the oil business like his father and siblings, he took a year off in Australia before returning to the U.S. And attending U.T. Austin. He changed his major from and began acting in TV commercials and student films. The actor was introduced to Richard Linklater at a bar in Austin, and Linklater cast McConaughey in the film "Daze and Confused". Originally he was due to be in three scenes but the task expanded to 300 lines once McConaughey did some improvisations. He also appeared in "Texas Chainsaw Massare: The New Generation" with fellow Texan Renee Zellweger. The sudden in-flow of film offers pushed him to move to L. A. , where he filmed "Contact", "Amistad", "Lone Star", "A Time to Kill" and "The Newton Boys". More latest films have included "The Wedding Planner", "Reign of Fire" and "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days". Famous artists in Austin like McConaughey have put the city on the map.

Famous artists from Austin have selected to live in Texas because it's equidistant to both coasts, they feel grounded and secure in the Hill Country and they know the town is on its way to mega stardom itself. The inventive community in Austin is grounded and thousands-strong, and the "Keep Austin Weird" crowd is ready for Austin to have its close-up. Austin famous artists make their town a real destination point.




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