Blue Genie is having a busy spring working with Texas A&M on a giant class ring in bronze for their new alum center, large relief maps of Texas for the University of Texas, and the LBJ library and Museum on a space exploration retrospective they are having later this year.  Our sculpture Caterpillar, currently at the People’s Gallery at City Hall, was nominated by the Austin Critic’s Table Awards for a single work of art.

We have also launched a more fully realized Products page on our website, showcasing some of the great sculptures we enjoy creating.  On the lighter side, we launched our Texas Jackalope project, an almost 9’ tall jackalope that we book for events, parties, rallies, etc.  More information can be found at bluegenieart.com or texasjackalope.com.

David Amdur has just completed a project for Capital Metro Rail.  To award an outgoing executive – Lee Walker, who championed the new line — a two foot long sculpture of the METRORAIL was carved out of walnut.  The carving was drawn and cut by hand with razor knives and tiny chisels.  There was also some bandsawing, belt sanding and router work to create the look of the new transport. The model will sit on Mr. Walker's desk, with 3 feet of track.

Also included in the press with Arthouses, a stone column and facade in South Austin, designed and built by David Amdur . . . http://www.statesman.com/news/mediahub/
media/slideshow/index.jsp?tId=108415.

Contact: david@davidamdur.com

Eric Billig W O R K S has now expanded into tile production.  Our fellow Artisan studio Architerra is now carrying my complete and customizable tile line through their show room at the Penn Field Design Center.

Aviary Home Decor on south Lamar has several of my furniture pieces currently available.  If you haven't been, check it out.  Lots of super cool stuff focusing on sustainability, kid size furnishing and wine.

A redesigned home on Cumberland in South Austin was completed in April and features a wide array of my work including tile sinks and countertops.  The home will be a part of the cool homes tour coming later this spring.  Thanks to all the Artisans who made it out to the opening benefit and thanks to my brother Jay for doing a great job with the over all design and giving me so much creative freedom.

Its been a busy spring and getting busier with some custom counters for the new restaurant Thai Fresh going in on Mary street, an outdoor grill surround and benches for Cathy Valentine, my coolest kitchen counter job to date for G.B. Khalsa, and various other projects.
www.ericbillig.com/   512.699.2296

• We’ve been selected to participate in the 2008 Smithsonian Folklife Festival in Washington DC June 25–June 29 and July 2–6, 2008.
  http://www.folklife.si.edu/festival/2008/index.html
• Making 77 interior and exterior fixtures for Mi Familia Restaurant soon to open in Brownwood, TX
• We are doing 84 exterior wall sconces for RR on the Creek Condominium Association on Bee Caves Road
• 7 wall sconces for Aéropostale in San Clemente, CA

Clayworks has just shipped custom unit numbers for a Los Angeles area condominium project.  The tile numerals and trim tiles are mounted to concrete board, grouted and ready to install.

Wet tiles for a custom fountain in production at Clayworks are cut into a flowing design, which will be glazed in shades of blue.  The fountain was designed by Juan Cotera for the new Southwest Key Programs building in Austin.

Dana Younger's oil paintings capture moments of energy, movement and light in a language of marks that is vague but reminiscent of the natural world.

Jennifer Chenoweth plans her oil paintings digitally, selecting shapes that hold specific personal meaning, and constructs a personal symbolism in color.  These paintings reveal her inner life: the hard to pin down, the spiritual, the sensual.

The Persistence of Hope
oil on panel, 48" x 48"

In the News — the American Statesman profiled Fisterra in a Sunday feature "Arthouses" — "Forged in artistic creativity"
http://www.statesman.com/search/content/business/stories/
statesmanhomes/05/18/0518arthouses.html

CHRIS LEVACK: • chris@texassculpture.com • (512) 771-8911

At the Mueller Development, Chris Levack's sculpture "Pollen Grain" was craned into place:
featured in a photo feature 5/28/08
http://www.statesman.com/ap/mediahub/media/
slideshow/index.jsp?tId=109678
view the news video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s85mS7BEboE

PUBLIC PARK TO FEATURE LEVACK SCULPTURES

I designed Pollen Grain from a microscopic photo of a single cactus pollen.  This little grain will be represented in the form of a sphere made up of hundreds of steel rings (the cells), 14 ft. in diameter and sitting 24 feet high.  The legs holding it up straddle over one of the park trails so the public can walk right under it.  Adding to this is a layer of climbing, deciduous ivy that will grow over it.  This will add a seasonal effect, giving the sculpture four looks per year.

Pollen Grain has two local, Texas twists: one that it will be figuratively the world's largest pollen in our allegy-laden capital, and two that the cells are represented by slices of refinery pipe found in the oil industry.

The second sculpture is called "Wigwam" and will be a 17 ft. high structure that sits in the center of a labyrinth of high, native grasses.  Wigwam is a tall, curvaceous sculpture that will act as a shady focal point and destination within the labyrinth.  The labyrinth is designed by the landscape design company, RVI.  I designed this sculpture to integrate with the labyrinth, effectively growing out of the center of this greenscape.  Wigwam is constructed of a steel skeleton and a wooden skin clad to it. Top section of sculpture will be a large, spiraling helix crown, borrowing from organic and geological phenomenon in our area.

Thomas Studio has recently completed two entry doors and a garage gate for a new Don Crowell/Paul Lamb AIA house on Lake Austin.  The 2" x 8' x 8' front entry door is fabricated of bronze with stained glass by Renaissance Glass.  Thomas produced custom bronze hinges and an internal bronze dead bolt and keyed bronze lock assembly plus a hinged access panel in one of the two side lights.

The 3-0 x 8' rear entry door features hand-carved flutes from 3" thick riff-sawn white oak with custom bronze hinges and a custom hand-made internal deadbolt with bronze keyed locks and a semi-circlular white oak stained glass transom. Hand-made custom cast bronze medallions, wrought bronze door pulls and deadbolt embellish the door.

The garage gate is from recycled cypress with custom wrought bronze hinges and strapping and custom wrought bronze internal deadbolt with cast bronze medallions, dulpicating those on the rear entry door.  Thomas will start another 5' x 9' copper entry door this summer for another Don Crowell/Miro Rivera AIA Lake Austin home, followed by another 8' x 8' bronze entry door for a Hamptons, New York home.

Thomas Studio also made the February cover of the Texas Longhorn Journal with a six-page story covering the Texas Longhorn Marketing Alliance commission for him to produce 180 small longhorn cast bronze sculptures as auction awards for the TLMA.  The group also commssioned three cast bronze limited edition tabletop longhorn bronzes on mesquite bases as auction items.

Brian will be featured in a piece for the Summer edition of LUXE Magazine.
http://www.luxemagazine.com/

Set to begin a wayfinding kiosk for the entry of Flatbed Press and Gallery, Brian is working with with CF Architecture who came up with the original design concept.

Wells Mason
Ironwood Industries
204 N Commerce St
Coupland, Texas 78615
Main Ph 512.466.9577
Shop Ph 512.856.1186
Shop Fax 512.856.2186

Ironwood Industries is currently working for several different clients in the Austin area, including multiple projects in an historic house in Hyde Park, along with some way cool projects in the downtown area at the Hilton and Austin City Lofts.  Below is a drawing of an Art Nouveau fireplace screen that's in progress for a client.

In March, Interior Design magazine featured "Big White Little Red" from Ironwood Industries!  These compact tables have bold, sculptural qualities and tops that rotate 360 degrees.  They're part of The BigLittle Series, a new series that's designed and built by Ironwood Industries. Below shows a detail of their "Big White Little Red" tables.

This summer, Wells Mason of Ironwood Industries is showing several pieces from The Umasi Collection at the Center for Contemporary Craft in Houston's Museum District.  His work is part of an exhibition that's on display from May 24 through August 17.

In April, Wells Mason of Ironwood Industries was awarded "Best Overall Design" for The BigLittle Series!  This award recognizes excellent, sustainable design as part of the "Modern+Design+Function 2008" Exhibit sponsored by Design Within Reach in downtown Austin.

This spring, Ironwood Industries took part in fundraisers to benefit several important non-profit organizations, including La Pena in Austin, the Breast Cancer Resource Center in Austin, the Smithsonian Women's Committee in Washington, D.C., and Arthouse at the Jones Center for Contemporary Art.

Life After Art was commissioned by Jenkins Home Builders to create a 4' wide by 5' high stained and formed glass mosaic to be the dramatic focus feature in the master bathroom of their award winning, Parade of Homes, showcase home.  The use of textured opalescent stained glass and cast glass allowed for a realistic sculptural element to this impressionistic interpretation of a Hill Country/Lake View landscape.

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©  2008  AArC  (Architectural Artisans Collaborative)  Austin, Texas