![]() ![]() Artwork was also available for purchase as well.Įvents like this are common around Austin. ![]() While they worked, hundreds of people stopped by and watched the show, enjoying the live DJ and free drinks. Each was given a section of the exterior and the freedom to create whatever they desired. The highlight of this evening was about a half dozen artists who used a blank building wall as their canvas. As the name implies, their specialty is in aerosol art. One such collective is SprATX (pronounced “spray-T-X”) and I had the pleasure of attending one of their events over one weekend. Recently, local artists have also united in a variety of niche art communities. (Hint: Two of my personal favorites are Guadalupe and South Congress, there is art everywhere!) If that’s not enough then all it takes is a brief walk or drive around downtown to discover countless additional examples of unique street art. The artists’ market itself also has a variety of art, jewelry, apparel and more for sale. Two other great aerosol art collections are downtown along 5th Street near Yellow Jacket Social Club and 23rd & Guadalupe, at the 23rd Street Artists’ Market. A great place to stay while visiting is the W Austin. The area has become so popular that nowadays it’s not uncommon to see the artists at work during the day. Also known as Castle Hill, this abandoned lot of cement slabs downtown is an ever-changing glimpse at Austin’s artistic soul, one that has been embraced by the local residents. ![]() However there is one amazing scene that many people miss out on: the burgeoning art movement, especially street art.įor years, graffiti artists practiced their art under the cover of darkness, most notably by the Baylor Street Art Wall. Nearly 20 million visitors a year are drawn to the capital city thanks to such iconic notables as their food trucks and ever-growing music/movie industry. The coaster is going to take its rightful place on my desk at work so there is always a visible reminder in front of me.Given it’s slogan “Keep Austin Weird” it should be no surprise that this Texas city is famous for a lot of things besides just being the live music capital of the world. We have the chance to carry this mantra forward and no longer settle into the traditional approaches which are worn out. I’d also love to see HR embrace its weirdness to breathe life, empathy, grace and a people-first approach in all we do. I’d rather see how I could encourage them to amplify their strengths and see how their approach and perspectives bring new angles to the work we have in front of us. I’d rather learn how each employee I work with is unique. HR spends too much time trying to confine, control and conform, and it’s exhausting. We’ve made this assumption for far too long and it’s never been right. It’s not something they create, it’s how they live. We need to understand that every person is wonderfully different and unique. We view those who express themselves openly as someone we have to “deal with.” If someone was trying to “keep things weird,” we’d take steps to get them back into the fold. That may sound harsh, but if you step back and review the majority of actions that HR takes, it’s not built to encourage individuality. We often state that we want people to bring their whole selves to work. You see, I feel this reminder helps with how you can practice HR. I found out from a friend who is a resident that the slogan came about as local shops were trying to keep big box stores from coming in to crimp the cool Austin culture as well as put them under. You see, one of Austin’s slogans as a city is “Keep Austin Weird.” It is everywhere you look. The message resonated the moment I read it. It wasn’t only the tie-dye pattern which would have been enough. As we wandered into our first small, local shop a coaster instantly caught my eye and I picked it up without hesitation. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |