WEST (West Austin Studio Tour) is happening over the first two weekends in May. This is the companion spring event to the fall’s EAST (East Austin Studio Tour). As would be logical, EAST took place east of I-35, while WEST covers a much larger geographic area, with boundaries of I-35, Ben White/290, Mopac, and 183. Both EAST and WEST are organized by local arts non-profit, Big Medium.

Over 240 artists, studios, and exhibitions are participating in WEST this month. That’s too many places to visit, even assuming two weekends and that you can read the tiny print on the map. I decided to visit the WEST locations that were within easy walking distance of our downtown apartment, going north on Saturday and then west on Sunday. Since most artists don’t permit photographs of their work, I took pictures of the buildings that I visited, which were almost as interesting and unique as the artwork inside…

Beautiful abstract landscapes by Rebecca Bennett and Karen Maness are displayed in the second-floor offices of dwg.Urban Landscape Architecture on Congress Avenue.

Artist Betsy Murphy educated me on encaustic painting techniques at the upstairs gallery in The Old Bakery and Emporium.

A unique exhibit called Peppermint Doorstop by Matthew John Winters is at N Space on Congress Avenue near the State Capitol.

Csilla Somogyi creates handmade dresses at her shop on Congress Avenue.

The Halcyon coffee shop on Fourth Street is displaying small pieces by a variety of artists.

 I loved this old house-turned-office on Rose Street and enjoyed talking to artist Dwain Kellley about his work.

Metalworker Craig Kolavo told me that he cleaned out his garage in the alley between Fifth and Sixth Streets just for WEST. He also gave me a bottle of water.

I’ve wanted to visit the galleries on West Sixth Street anyhow, so I looked around two adjacent businesses, Capital Fine Art and Artworks.

I ended a wonderful WEST weekend at the Wally Workman Gallery on Sixth Street.

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