TCA Field Trip – Austin Museum of Art

by Gaye Greever McElwain, TCA Director of Marketing & Communications

American Letterpress: The Art of the Hatch Show Print

A few of us TCA staffers just returned from a short field trip over to the Austin Museum of Art, located a couple of blocks from TCA headquarters in downtown Austin. Dana Friis-Hansen was kind enough to take a few moments from his busy day to give us a quick tour of the lastest exhibition, American Letterpress: The Art of Hatch Show Print. It’s a wonderful exhibition of posters old and new. Hatch Show Print began making posters in 1879, and even the more recent posters have a real sense of nostalgia about them.

There are posters promoting everything from sporting events to movies, circuses to soft drinks. Many of the posters promote musical acts, especially country music. Images of Minnie Pearl, Eddie Arnold, Loretta Lynn and Johnny Cash fill the space. It’s a great fit with the upcoming SXSW Music Festival. AMOA’s Collection Selection exhibition also has a music theme and includes some really intriguing work.

Austin Museum of Art Logo

The New Works area at AMOA features an interactive installation piece by Luck Savisky. Sit on the couch, put on your 3D glasses and allow your eyes to take it all in. Be sure to move to new vantage points around the room so you fully experience the work.

If you are traveling to Austin for spring break and/or SXSW (or if you happen to live in Austin), be sure to enjoy the city’s many arts and cultural offerings, including this exhibition at AMOA. There is something for everyone, including young kids, to enjoy.