Austin Gems: Artists We Love
In this iteration of "Austin Gems," we've put together a list of some of our favorite artists. We hope they encourage you to keep creating, the same way they've motivated us to throw two fucks to the wind and hone our crafts with shameless abandon.
Art by Roshi K. via bumperactive.com
When it comes to the skilled #bossbabes in Austin, we've got a long list of women we'd love to collaborate with, women we'd love to feature and women we can't wait to hang with.
Our girl crushes are intense and rightfully so. We're starting a series called "Austin Gems," which is a chance for us to touch on some of the babes we've found inspiring over the last couple of months (don't worry, "One of the Babes," our weekly Q&As, will also continue). Keep in mind that this list is not exclusive; we plan to feature more of our local jewels as time goes on.
In this iteration of "Austin Gems," we've put together a list of some of our favorite artists. We hope they encourage you to keep creating, the same way they've motivated us to throw two cares to the wind and hone our crafts with shameless abandon.
First up, KATY HIRSCHFELD.
Art by Katy Hirschfeld via collage-garage.com
Art by Katy Hirschfeld via collage-garage.com
Art by Katy Hirschfeld via collage-garage.com
Our team first came across this artist because our founder J helps run an art blog for the media collective Raw Paw, called PLOG. Hirschfeld had submitted some of her collages for a feature, and we fell for the harsh femininity of her designs. You can check out more of Hirschfeld's work at collage-garage.com or via her Instagram, @katyilana.
Next, LAURA LEWIS.
Art by Laura Lewis via lorhs.tumblr.com
Art by Laura Lewis via lorhs.tumblr.com
Art by Laura Lewis via lorhs.tumblr.com
Lewis submitted to be featured in our September gallery a couple of weeks back, and we were completely captivated by the playful self-portraits on her Tumblr. If you'd like to see more of her illustrations, visit her website lorhs.tumblr.com, or check her out on Instagram, @lorhsdraws. (Also, spoiler alert, she's taking over @thebabegang for four days tomorrow.)
Next, VIRGINIA BETH BROWN.
Art by Virginia Beth Brown via novusflorae.tumblr.com
Art by Virginia Beth Brown via novusflorae.tumblr.com
Art by Virginia Beth Brown via novusflorae.tumblr.com
Brown submitted her work to us via email, too. We love the vivid colors in her photography, as well as her manipulation of the mundane for composition. You can look at more of Brown's shots at novusflorae.tumblr.com, or peep her Instagram, @novusflorae.
Next, ROSHI K.
Art by Roshi K. via bumperactive.com
Art by Roshi K. via bumperactive.com
Art by Roshi K. via bumperactive.com
Roshi's art stopped us on the street about three years ago, a small slap sticker pasted to the side of Urban Outfitter's entrance on Guadalupe St. Since then, we've seen her art all over the City. Roshi is an illustrator, painter and street artist. Get a feel for her work at colormeroshi.com, or head over to her Instagram, @roshi_k.
Last but not least, FAITH CHONKO.
Art by Faith Chonko
Art by Faith Chonko
Art by Faith Chonko
Chonko is also a collage artist based in Austin, TX. She submitted her work to us via email a few weeks back, too, and we fell hard for the crisp and clean ambiance portrayed in her pieces. Can't wait to get some of these prints for our future office space! For more of Chonko's art, visit her Instagram, @faithchonko.
Keep your eyes peeled for our next round of "Austin Gems." (We're not done with babe artists, either.)
If you'd like to be considered, please email thebabes@bossbabes.org with the subject title "AUSTIN GEM."
One of the Babes: eythink
Meet Lindsay Eyth, the founder of the lettering and T-shirt brand, Eythink. She'll be vending at our June meet!
Lettering by Ashlee J. Pryor, Photo by Amanda Stosz for Got a Girl Crush magazine
Meet Lindsay Eyth, the founder of the lettering and T-shirt brand, eythink. She'll be vending at our June meet!
Q: What inspired you to start eythink?
A: Eythink was initially just a punny URL for my freelance design portfolio site! I started an Etsy shop under that name maybe 5 years ago, with very low ambitions really—I just wanted a place to put random, little experiments out into the world. I've always been interested in lettering, but in 2012 or so, I started pushing myself to develop my skills further. Then in 2013, I did a Valentine project based on the Magnetic Fields album "69 Love Songs," and the shop grew a little then. In the summer of 2014, I made the first version of the I Don't Fucking Care If U Like It shirt, which took off, wholly unexpectedly. Now, running the shop is a big part of my day.
Q: Do you have any tidbits of advice for people with passion projects?
A: Oh gee, passion projects can be so different, depending on the person and their life's circumstances. So much of what works for one person may not work for another. I would just say: You deserve the chance to discover what you're capable of. Do your best to avoid spending time with people who make you feel like you're not enough. If you can, spend as much time as possible connecting with people who encourage/support/motivate you, people who make you feel smarter and more creative.
Q: How do you stay inspired?
A: To be honest? I don't! In my experience, inspiration is fleeting, and that's okay. I'm a human being, not a machine, you know? I try to fill my life with as much of what's important to me as possible—ranging from dear friends to my favorite rappers to social justice stuff to bubble baths (I'm serious)—and to keep my hands busy, so that when inspiration shows up, I'm ready to do something with it.
Photo by Amanda Stosz for Got a Girl Crush magazine
Q: What have been your favorite moments of creativity (possibly a time when a burst of creative energy produced something you could have never expected, etc.)?
A: The origin of the IDFCIYLI shirt is a perfect example of the type of moment you're describing. I read this essay on a Friday, and it summed up a lot of what I was feeling after a lifetime of living under the patriarchy. That Saturday, a dude I'd been on a few dates with turned out to be wildly condescending and out of line, and I spent Sunday afternoon doing some aimless lettering practice, while both the essay and that guy's behavior bounced around in my head. I drew up the IDFCIYLI design that day and had it on a T-shirt the next day (thanks, Fine Southern Gentlemen). Within a week, Ann Friedman had endorsed it in her newsletter, and I was suddenly very busy. I definitely never expected all that.
Q: When you're discouraged, what do you run to or away from?
A: Regular discouraged? A bubble bath or a hot tub, with a beer. If it's REALLY BAD? The Grand Canyon.
Your favorite band: Nicki Minaj
Current read: "Some Sing, Some Cry" by Ntozake Shange & Ifa Bayeza.
Your local Austin gem: Go get the coconut macaroon from Thai Fresh's dessert case. Also, bring me one. Thanks.
Your social media handles: eythink on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Tumblr. (It's pronounced the same as "I think.")
One of the Babes: Sound Dessert
Meet Gillian Driscoll, the babe behind the Austin-based music blog, Sound Dessert. Driscoll has curated the playlist for the June meet!
Photo by Nicola Lyon, Editing by Ashlee J. Pryor
Meet Gillian Driscoll, the babe behind the Austin-based music blog, Sound Dessert. Driscoll has curated the playlist for the June meet! Learn more about her in the Q&A below, and be sure to sneak-peek her selected tunes at the end of this piece.
Q: What inspired you to start Sound Dessert?
A: Ever since I was a kid, I’ve always loved music. As I got older and met new people, I started discovering the vastness and variety of music that existed outside of what the radio played and what my family listened to in the house. Thus began a hunger for unearthing incredible, chill-inducing music that hasn’t stopped. In college, I decide to start my own blog for fun as a way to keep track of what I was listening to and also share with my friends who were always asking me for new band recommendations.
Fast forward a couple years, and I decided I wanted Sound Dessert to be more than a hobby. I’m building Sound Dessert to be a platform for supporting and exposing artists that deserve to be heard, and to be a trusted source for music fans to enjoy a carefully curated archive of unforgettable talent.
Q: Do you have any tidbits of advice for people with passion projects?
A: My advice is to be as clear and specific as possible about what you want to achieve, as it makes reaching your goals, big or small, a lot easier. Being unclear can often lead to being in limbo, and nobody wants to be in limbo.
Sometimes, starting is the hardest part. Be easy on yourself and begin with bite-sized pieces: jot down ideas and sketches, talk things out with a trusted friend, etc. until you feel ready to take the next steps.
Q: How do you stay inspired?
A: Meeting courageous, creative people keeps me inspired—impromptu, energizing conversations that last hours, pulling off things I wasn’t sure I could do.
And art that stops me in my tracks; be it a song, concert, photograph, painting, documentary or book.
Q: What have been your favorite moments of creativity (possibly a time when a burst of creative energy produced something you could have never expected, etc.)?
A: For me, my favorite moments have been moments of clarity. When I’m really specific about something I want, the universe seems to step in and help things fall into place in strangely serendipitous ways.
Q: What have been the most challenging moments in your blogging career thus far?
A: The biggest challenge has been overcoming self-doubt. When I first started the blog I didn’t tell a soul it existed because I was concerned everyone would think it was dumb, that my writing was bad, etc. Eventually I got over that and have received such encouraging feedback in the process. There are still moments when I waver, but receiving those accolades goes a long way in re-affirming that I’m doing something right.
Doing everything myself also has it challenges since there’s only so much I can get done in a day, but I remind myself to be patient. I know I will get there in time, even if it’s not always within the timeline I intended.
Q: When you're discouraged, what do you run to or away from?
A: When I’m discouraged I talk things out with close friends and family to get some fresh perspectives. I also spend time with myself, usually going for a long walk, to reflect on what I’m trying to achieve and reassess. That and a good night of dancing can prove to be very cathartic sometimes.
Your favorite band(s): Alvvays, Sol Cat, Unknown Mortal Orchestra (listen to them all in the playlist)
Your favorite book: I’m currently reading Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!: The Story of Pop Music from Bill Haley to Beyoncé by Bob Stanley. It’s a good read for a history book and really puts into context how radical certain music was when it was first released. Music that we view as tame today.
Your local Austin gem (can be a product, place, etc.): Stay Gold for drinks, Cheer Up Charlies for live music, End of an Ear for records
Your social media handles:
facebook.com/sounddessert
twitter.com/sounddessert
instagram.com/sounddessert