Tribeza’s November Issue Explores Art in Many Forms

“Art is coming face to face with yourself.” — Jackson Pollock

“Art is never finished, only abandoned.” — Leonardo da Vinci

“Art is to console those who are broken by life.” — Vincent  Van Gogh

“Art is what you can get away with.” — Andy Warhol

“Art is the lie that enables us to realize the truth.” — Pablo Picasso

No matter how you look at art, I think we can all agree that the art of creating, in any medium, is pure magic. In the November issue, our “Artist Eye View” series features seven local artists and their art — which comes to life through paint, plaster, paper, clay, photography, video and anything else they can get their hands on.

For B. Shawn Cox, his work is centered around vintage photographs, where he works to capture or interpret different moments throughout modern history. “I’m drawn to explore the ‘how’ and ‘why.’ Inspiration comes from the internal stories I imagine and tell myself, in an effort to understand those stories that others share and tell and the collective mythology we as a society express throughout our media, writings and art. I’m drawn to attempt to discern the underlying message or insight as well as the way that message is expressed, ” says Cox.

Taking a different approach to the creative process is Amanda Witucki. With a focus on using paper, Witucki is known for combining precision and repetition with color throughout her unique pieces. When asked what sparked the idea and passion around her paper paintings and canvas sculptures, she says, “I’ve been working in the realm of papercraft for a long time, but it took many years to come to this iteration of what I now make. I had existed in the weddings and events world for a while, creating larger installations and backdrops, and I struggled to make ends meet. A fellow artist friend recommended I create my paper modules smaller and attach them to canvas. Then it could be sold as permanent art instead of temporary installations, bringing me from the event industry into the fine art industry. That is the shortest way I’ve ever told that story, but I will say I’m forever grateful to that friend for her suggestion.”

We move away from the more traditional mediums to an entirely new canvas — skin. Our “Body of Work” series spotlights a full-body painter, a makeup and prosthetics professional, and a handpoke tattoo artist who each discuss celebrating the human form through their art.

For as long as she can remember, Anne Shackelford says she’s been painting bodies in her dreams, and she has sought out to make body art by recreating those dreams and telling stories with an image. When talking about the process with her clients, she says, “At the ‘end’ of the creation, there is a transformation, for the whole of us. This beautiful experience — that we can never capture, never recreate — we can share. It is like visiting an epic mountain scene, then trying to take a photograph to show what you see. It cannot be done. Experience alone is what brings you liberation.”

Finally, we’re taking art to the streets in “Mural Mural on the Wall.” Street art is so much more than just a backdrop for your selfies and Instagram reels. From flora to fauna and abstract to realistic, our streets are full of colorful pieces that add to the vibrancy of Austin. Check out eight local artists and their murals that grace our walls, power boxes, fences and more.

Put your creative hat on and start seeing art in a whole new light!

MORE: Discover Austin’s Best Art Galleries in Our City Guide