Austin Famous Artists Keep It Weird

By Rachelle Moere


This emerging metropolis which invites people from all areas of life to enjoy its very unique culture. Artists of all kinds flock to Austin to seek refuge from the mundane, the tried-and-true, and the cubicle. It has its share of world famous artists who've revealed that the city of Austin has everything someone could want without the fanfare or pretense of the big city. Even household names have moved to Austin to "keep it real" and definitely weird. Austin famous artists, unusual or not, know there's no place as good as home.

Todd Sanders

Todd Sanders, a self-described "urban archaologist" makes neon signs harking back to those made in the 1930s and 1940s that lit the way all of the way across Route 66. Calls himself an "urban archaologist" focusing on neon signs based totally 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, latterly was commissioned to make 2 neon works for Blake Shelton and Miranda Kerr's wedding. His pieces evoke nostalgia for Route 66, drive-ins, diners, Vegas a simpler time. Sanders is probably one of 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. Interminable hours at sea meant heaps of reading and films. It was during this time that the filmmaker decided 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 School to study cinema. In 1985 he founded the Austin Film Society to draw in famous artists from Austin and is credited for being responsible for making Austin the central hub of independent film making. Linklater made Slackers for only $23,000. Linklater also remade "Waking Life", "Before Sunrise" and "Bad News Bears", again employing Ethan Hawke. He's nick-named "St. Richard of Austin" and is a founding 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 highschool. Rather than delve in the oil business like his pa and brothers, he took a year off in Australia prior to going back to the U.S. And attending U.T. Austin. He changed his major from and started acting in Television commercials and student films. The actor was introduced to Richard Linklater at a bar in Austin, and Linklater cast McConaughey in the flick "Daze and Confused". Originally he was supposed to be in 3 scenes but the job expanded to 300 lines once McConaughey did some improvisations. He also appeared in "Texas Chainsaw Massare: The Next Generation" with fellow Texan Renee Zellweger. The sudden influx of film offers prompted him to go to Los Angeles, where he filmed "A Time to Kill", "Contact", "Amistad", "Lone Star" 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 town 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 super stardom itself. The inventive community in Austin is firmly grounded and thousands-strong, and the "Keep Austin Weird" crowd is prepared for Austin to have its close-up any moment now. Austin famous artists make their town a real destination point.




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