Annually, we work with 15 artists in residence. All based in Austin, Texas.
Collaborating within our programs or with our partners—like The Contemporary Austin, Bumble, The Line Hotel, Pease Park, Fusebox Festival, The Museum of Human Achievement—our resident artists work with us to create everything from workshop series to custom playlists to life-size installations.
MEET 2023/24 ARTISTS.
Nikki Diaz (she/her) was born and raised in El Paso, Texas where I graduated with a B.F.A. in Painting from the University of Texas at El Paso. She is currently based in Austin, Texas, where she teaches community art classes, spending time painting and raising her son. Using symbolism and religious iconography in my paintings, I attempt to venerate people, objects, or places that seem mundane or forgotten. She particularly focuses on matriarchal figures and cultural ideas regarding women. Memories often haunt her paintings, and she strives to incorporate surreal, colorful scenarios into the narratives. The majority of her work focuses on personal experiences, family, culture and the borderland.
DJ FAIRY ARIES (she/they) is a DJ based in Austin, Texas. “Frolic with the last Austin Native. Let's keep Austin lit of our records.”
Strawberry Jams (she/her) is made up of duo Veronica Luna and Alyssa Bunting who have a collective 10 years of vinyl DJ experience. Strawberry Jams plays an array of music from country to psychedelic rock and curate music selections based off their environment and theme. Strawberry Jams does not tolerate environments of bigotry, sexism or racism and will not perform in an environment that jeopardizes the quality of our records.
HardShapes (she/they) uses a language of colors and shapes to translate the world around and inside of them. Bold, bright, and intentional, they specialize in large-scale commissions and murals.
DJ KICKIT (she/her) is an energetic open-format female DJ from Austin, Texas. Born in Mexico, DJ KICKIT has a strong-rooted background in Latino culture and pride. Her mixing style of blending classic hip-hop, funk, and Latino favorites has been recognized throughout the country. She continues performing throughout Austin, Texas including the Austin City Limits Festival, and was recently awarded a Proclamation by the City of Austin, declaring May 17th as “DJ KICKIT Day.” Lastly, DJ KICKIT launched a podcast discussing topics within the DJ community entitled Scratch Theory of Tejas. From Austin to New York & Miami, and across the globe, you can’t miss a chance to dance to KICKIT’s music selection of badass beats.
Wilted Nurture is the mental health of artist and business owner, Christopher (they/them), brought to life. They began their pottery journey back in 2021, when their childhood traumas resurfaced, as a way to channel the emotions and emptiness they felt all throughout life. It is mainly through pottery that they were able to begin healing and find solace within their past. Christopher is fully self taught, creates with intent and hand builds every piece with no mechanical wheels. They create not only for the wellness of their mental health, but to publicly share their experiences and advocate for those who may also struggle with their mental health as a reminder that it’s okay to not always feel okay.
Austin-based, Kayla Kennedy (she/her) is a self-taught abstraction artist. Born in Long Beach and raised in Portland, Kayla’s inspiration stems from all those she has encountered on her life’s journey. While pursuing a career in interior design, Kayla was inspired to begin creating art, birthing a new way of self-expression. While most of her art involves acrylic on canvas, she enjoys exploring all mediums creating texture and depth. Kayla hopes to inspire creativity and impact those in her community.
Houston-native Luya Moreno aka Hierba Malita (they/she) is a queer Latinx multi-disciplinary creative who DJs open-format style with influences ranging from Hip Hop, R&B to Baile Funk, Dembow, Soulful House, Jazzy Spiritual and more. It's about "having fun and sharing the moment with those who resonate with you."
Hierba Malita is the founder of the Latina-led creative collective Flwrpot.Co, where the goal is to build communities and nurture artists' growth, with a heavy emphasis on those who are BIPOC and Queer. Luya is also an art educator for Austin's youth, working with the Mexic-Arte Museum to teach students how to design and screen print their own shirts.YKTV! Growth, Love, Creativity, Authenticity and Community. AMEN!
Maria Kanevskaya (she/her) is a Russian-born photographer currently living and working in Austin, Texas. Her focus in photography is to capture human emotions, mostly exploring female subjects and their internal reality.
Emily Bryn (she/her) was raised in a multigenerational Mexican household in Austin, Texas and has lived here ever since. Being Mexicana, Tejana, and a queer person shapes the entirety of her work, which stretches from oil painting to screen printing and every little thing in between. Though she devotes her time to learning and expanding her creativity in freelance opportunities around the city, she also runs Emsbrynart, LLC full-time. Emily Bryn is the owner of her company where she screen prints playful drawings and slogans about queer and immigration rights onto up-cycled vintage clothing, reallocating a percentage of sales back into her two communities. Being a full-time artist at the age of 23, she can be found at markets around town, in literally any coffee shop trying to refuel herself, or taking a break to read and cool off at Deep Eddy Pool.
Supermcn4sty, privately known as Dante (he/they), is an open format DJ and producer based in Austin, Texas. Dante began perfecting his craft in 2017 within a few years time his experience has expanded to spinning at the hottest bars and nightclubs throughout Texas, weddings, private events, holding radio and club residencies such as Love Theory (2023), SZR (2022-2023), and Slow Jams Sunday (2021). To debuting in 2022 at Boiler Room in Houston, Texas, playing at music festivals such as SXSW in 2019, 2022, 2023, and 2024 as an official artist and organizing successful benefit events for local/national non profits such as Creative Action ATX, Communities United Against Police Brutality, and Austin Black Pride. With Supermcn4sty as your sound selector—whether it’s variations of underground club music, house, dance, hip hop, r&b, dancehall, variations of latin or any genre—expect precision, musical exploration, and an unbeatable energy/sound.
Liz Moskowitz (she/her) is a documentary photographer and filmmaker. Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York she has lived in Austin, Texas for over fifteen years. Her work aims to honor the dignity and nuance of people, places, and issues. She approaches each individual and community that she photographs with intentionality and an open-mind. Her films have won the Judge’s Choice Winner at the SXSW Faces of Austin Film Premiere, been a Vimeo Staff Pick, broadcast on the PBS "Frame of Mind" series, and shown at Woodstock Film Festival, AFI Fest, Dallas International Film Festival, and Sedona International Film Festival. She has been awarded grants from the Dallas Museum of Art, Henry Luce Foundation, and Austin Film Society, has several photos in The Wittliff Collections at Texas State University, and is a member of Women Photograph.
Violeta Új aka Resident Psychic (she/her) is an artist from Cancun, Mexico, who—inspired by everything from Björk to Ivy Queen—believes music is a conduit for creation and a tool for self-discovery.
Outside of DJing, she also works freelance as an Art Director and Set Designer.
Gianna aka Gia aka knstalgia (she/they) is Bay Area born-and-raised, currently based in Austin, Texas. Growing up in the Bay Area, they were blessed from a young age to be surrounded by R&B, West Coast Hip-Hop, Rap, as well as Electronic/House music from her family, friends and culture around me. She has a deep love for music, community, expression and blending different worlds together and making sure everyone in the room feels empowered with one another.
find RESIDENT ARTISTS AT EVENTS.
PREVIOUS artist ROSTERS:
2022/23
✰ Lavender Thug
✰ Aisha Lewis (Dreamchild)
✰ Mikaela Rodriguez ( DJ Veneer)
✰ DJ Dreams
✰ Camila Restrepo (DJ Clancy Jones)
✰ Tanya Zal (Heart of Goo)
✰ Calder Kamin
✰ Steph Granillo
✰ Darcie Book
✰ Tumi Adeleye
✰ Chantal Lesley
✰ Anahita (Ani) Bradberry
2020/21
✰ Paloma Mayorga
✰ Aimée M. Everett
✰ Juanita Segovia
✰ Andie Flores
✰ Catie Lewis
✰ Lina Zuluaga
✰ Natalia Rocafuerte
✰ Mireydi
✰ DJ La Moon
✰ Whitney Batres
✰ Sonya M. Gonzales
✰ DJ Arlini Martini
✰ Bragglights
✰ Megan T. Baker
✰ Misa Yamamoto
2019
✰ Edith Valle
✰ Tsz Kam and Nat Bradford
✰ Ericka Herod
✰ Jinni J
✰ Karen Navarro
✰ Eileen Wu
✰ Double Trouble (Erin Gentry and Lynn Metcalf)
✰ Cassie Shankman
✰ Maribel Falcón
✰ DJ Shani
✰ Amanda Vaughn
✰ DJ Dama Nilz
✰ Laurel Barickman
✰ Leika
2018
✰ Alie Jackson
✰ Kwanzaa Edwards
✰ Cindy Popp
✰ Deborah Valcin
✰ Amada Claire Miller
✰ Katy Horan
✰ Jasmine Brooks
✰ DJ Mahealani
✰ DJ Jeska
✰ Mosaico Experiencia
✰ DJ Lolo
✰ DJ Ella Ella
✰ Chulita Vinyl Club: Austin
✰ DJ Boyfriend
2017
✰ Ashton Guy
✰ Claudia Aparicio-Gamundi
✰ Dawn Okoro
✰ Xochi Solis
✰ Vy Ngo
✰ DJ Mahealani
✰ Marianna Pasaret