SXSW: 8 Years Later

My first trip to SXSW was in 2007, nearly a decade ago.

A lot can change in a decade. I am a different woman, living within a different set of circumstances.
My location has changed, my relationship status has shifted, my perspective on life has been altered, but my love for music and photography remains tried-and-true.

I have visceral memories of my last time in Austin, Texas. A great town with even greater barbecue and an influx of art and congestion in the early Spring. I was in the infancy of my career, navigating the professional world at an outlet that trusted me enough to give me a stack of cash and a ticket to the South to produce a number of photo shoots for their upcoming issue. I made some friends, saw some live music, met Amy Winehouse, and cut my teeth in a world I was just embarking upon but, which would remain my world for the next 8 years, and the foreseeable future. Working in media can desensitize you to some of the plain old cool experiences we are fortunate enough to encounter. I try my best not to take said experiences for granted.

When I made my first stop in Austin it was on a cross-country trip. I was 19 and my big sister was pregnant, so you can imagine not a whole lot of havoc was wreaked. The next time I was with Stuff Magazine and trying my big girl pants on for size, so I was relatively professional and eager to please. This go round, I was just old. Last time I was here the sea of faces were white, and bearded. The bodies adorned with tight t-shirts and scuffed up sneakers. The population of 6th Street, growing exponentially during the music festival season, has become more Benetton and less milky white, the sponsors have grown from local venues showcasing a relatively unknown talent, to mammoth corporations flying out the latest Disney star to go viral, but I would like to believe the spirit remains the same.

I would like to believe my spirit remains the same as well.

A lot can happen in 8 years but then you find yourself back where you began. In the pit, sweaty and uncomfortable. Elbowing for room with your camera to your face and your bag weighing down heavily upon your back. Eager to get that one shot; eager to hear that one song.

Or as some of us may call it. Heaven.

#100daysofart: week 2, digging deep and making compromises

day 9 


Knowing this challenge would only become, well, more challenging traveling was only bound to add insult to injury - so to speak. With my first week under my belt I was feeling confident and seasoned and ready to take on the adventure of first, heading to Northern California, where I created the simple watercolor and pen portrait above, and next to Austin, Texas for work where I decided to use a handful of notecards I had taken from a fancy hotel several weeks back and create a DIY puzzle if you will with black felt tip pen, colored pencils, and the drag of my hand.

Day 10 brought a new medium into the mix with sewing, which I happily did with a dear friend and her daughter, using Martha Stewart as inspiration and a pile of felt and thread as our tools.

Making it a goal of mine not to only make something everyday, but make something different, maybe not everyday - but changing things up enough to not get bored with my own project, let alone anyone who might be keeping up with me, I went for duct tape wall art, a scribbled self portrait and a simple photograph of Our Lady of Angels I pause to admire each and every time I pass.

A few days in Texas with lots of work and limited access to the local Michael's I can only hope I keep an eye out for found objects and interesting opportunities to continue onto week three...

day 10 

day 11

day 12

day 13

day 14

 day 15

day 16