Bolm Studios

David Wagner _{on Google}

Sep 5th, 2021

Paid $175 in July to be part of Studio Tour. Have left voicemail and sent email to understand the process and timeline for selection. No one has replied. No ability to prepare given I still don't know whether I'm a part of the tour. Not okay when they take people's money.

Janet MacDonald _{on Google}

Sep 8th, 2021

Big Medium - the powerhouse of Austin art. They run the premier event of the year - twice. Third and fourth weekends in November, E.A.S.T. - East Austin Studio Tour; and the same in May for all the West Austin artists. We're talking hundreds of artists in every medium. Very dedicated and professional group, who find new artists and I've noticed a wider range of styles and mediums with more seriously high-end work.
Throughout the year you check the weekly free Austin Chronicle every Thursday (also online of course, but holding the paper you get a richer experience, finding much more in this great if imperfect city). If you visit between November 24 and December 24, Blue Genie Art Bazaar, an old warehouse filled with accessible art and useful crafted items. Even I buy when I go, and on my income that's saying anyone can pick up a gift or two. Accessible: things regular people actually want to see in their homes, stuff that makes you smile, that you can easily afford. Often cheerfully colorful, some traditional paintings of things you can recognize, items mostly sized to fit in your (or your child's) UT dorm room, for that person who "has everything".
I've lived here 32 years and when we came in 1989 went to the last studio tour by a group, 99 artists. We were hooked - art is a bright thread running through Austin life, tying it together. With the physical "alternative weekly" you're browsing, finding after Arts is Community, filled with local makers. Alongside artists you find local craft breweries, artisans, fairs and pop-up markets with the live music, local handmade and vintage you'll find nowhere else. Often benefitting local animal rescue groups, always fun.
Then the Food section always has people and new food combos in it Micro-farms here in the city. Urban farms with fresh food harvested here on the east side vs. shipped thousands of miles from agribusiness, picked unripe so it'll last, who knows what sprayed on it. Here,just one is Boggy Creek farm, where a couple lives and works on a few acres and local people have the jobs.
Yes, mission creep - you were looking for art. Start there with umbrella group Big Medium. Now add the artisans - to start we have fine furniture crafted of sustainable wood, as our east side mills look for trees that have come down locally. Local craft sawmills/woodworkers to go with our craft breweries, vintage dealers, musicians, writers, filmmakers; originality everywhere. The live music, street fairs, farmer's markets. that barbecue and wild profusion of every cuisine now crossing into new fusions, dozens of food trucks. Black's barbecue is good, easy stop at food truck on South Lamar.
On the east side, where a person gravitates for art, drink, food, live music and the "Keep Austin Weird vibe, there's Kinda Tropical, for relaxing in a backyard with good drinks and food, music enlivening & soothing at once, mellow place anyone can feel welcome. Wait till I go to an eating place again & at least food will be the topic du jour. Just replaced my Explorer - with a bigger Ford truck of course, this is Texas! And paid home insurance, bought solar/crank/battery flashlights for next power outage. So next month I'll be back out, and we'll explore more of Austin.

Mary Magsamen _{on Google}

Jan 2nd, 2021

Wonderful art space!