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Mark your calendars! Twelve21 Gallery is kicking off the summer with an Opening Reception featuring mixed-media artist, Brandon McLean. Since 2000, Brandon has been creating unique collage pieces and installations which incorporate found objects, newspaper print, old photographs, magazine images, and anything that inspires. A whole new series of work, inspired by the “spirit of life”, will be released HERE…at our gallery, on June 1st.

Drop by Twelve21 Gallery between 7pm – 10pm to see the awesomeness that Brandon has created, mingle with your friends and sip on beverages courtesy of Laughing Samurai and Tim’s Wine Market. Its likely that we will have some tasty treats available as well!

Reminder: This event (and all the fun that comes with it) is. . . F-R-E-E.

Ready to commit…Facebook style?

Not sure how it has taken us 3 years to hear about this… but now that we’ve seen it, we can safely say it’s worth sharing!

Here’s what you’re in for: The story of 6 graffiti artists who transformed a 1970’s village (off the west coast of Scotland), into an art installation piece after 30 years of abandonment.

Follow these simple instructions: Find 10 mins (plus 11 second) and sit down to watch this inspiring documentary – The Ghostvillage Project

Bring your friends, and beverages (if you wish) and come hang with us at the gallery Thursday, May 3rd from 6pm – 8pm.

Oh, and remember the piece in the promo video? It’s been spruced up and framed…and is still for sale!

RSVP HERE!

This project took 3 weeks, 750 pairs of socks and [we’re guessing] a hell of a lot of patience! Lets all take a couple minutes to ogle at the ridiculous detail captured in her work.

Located in Austin, Texas (in a renovated fruit shack), artist Todd Sander’s creates “modern-vintage” neon signs by hand. I suppose that could be the elevator pitch for Roadhouse Relics, but there is an impressive amount of handwork and passion behind each one of these unique pieces, making it one of the top Art Gallery locations in Austin.

Many people cruise past Roadhouse Relics thinking “Wow! Someone spent a lot of time collecting those cool old signs”. Todd Sanders is often flattered by these passer-bys; as he strives to produce work that appears untouched, “if I do my job right, I don’t get any credit for it”. However, we are saddened for those in Texas who have crossed right passed Roadhouse Relics and missed out on the true wonders that fill the inside.

”Before discovering Austin in 1991, Todd pursued many different vocations including art supply salesman, paint/body work, motorcycle painter, and a short stint as a street rod/antique auto builder in San Diego, California. The skills that were acquired in these seemingly unrelated jobs are applied everyday to the glowing sculptures created by Todd at Roadhouse Relics.”

Inspired by his parents, Sander’s opened his sign shop in 1997, fusing together is mothers artistic talent and his fathers mechanic skills. Sanders noticed the quality and detail within antique road signs and knew that this was the perfect art form for him. He travels American highways taking photos of antique road signs and other roadside oddities for inspiration.

Sander’s signs have been featured in many Hollywood films. Blank Check, The Rookie and Miss Congeniality are amongst the lengthy list. His signs are custom created for both residential and commercial enjoyment and handcrafted by Sanders himself. With no more than 2 assistants on hand, Sanders produces 6-7 works a week (that’s a lot of sign making)!

Todd’s detailed process begins with a projector sketch, and through a series of patterns and tedious steps, an original, antique-modern neon sign is born.

While each sign is uniquely made, the general process includes the following steps:

First, Todd enlarges the image by sketching on gridded paper, using a projector. The image is then transferred to a paint mask and covered with several coats of paint. Once the paint has dried, the mask is peeled off revealing the white lines underneath (the paint pattern). Todd then hand sketches the neon patter using 10mm glass to guide his pencil and make accurate double lines. While he is fully aware that this lengthy process of design and pattern making could be simplified
with modern technology, Todd states, “the charm of these signs is in the human element” and has thus remained true to the old-fashion way of sign making. Drilling pilot holes and attaching the electrical units make the metal pattern necessary for adding the neon elements of the sign.

Unique weathering techniques are used on each sign in order to create that vintage feel that Todd’s work is known for. A little bit of weathering is added at a time, in a layered fashion, just as it would be if it were a 50 year old sign found on the side of the road. This technique is taken on the sign as a whole but also to every piece of hardware included on the sign. Todd’s artistic talent, passion for detail, and unique twist of sign making are what have taken Austin, Texas by storm and made Roadhouse Relics must see Gallery.

Here are a few photos we snapped on our visit…do enjoy!

Hey, look! We’re at Roadhouse Relics

Cool! Intentional Rusting

Todd Sanders “gives back to Austin” with this hand painted mural

Kiwi & Pom – Electroluminescent Wire

Rebecca Baumann – Smoke Bombs

Do Ho Suh – Little Orange Men

Gabriel Dawe – Thread

Megan Geckler – Flagging Tape

Animus – Zip Ties

Tato Architects – 30,000 Post-its

Ana Soler – Tennis Balls

Nathalie Chikhi – 3,000 Bamboo Skewers, 25 Polystyrene Balls

Peter Combe – Paint Chips

Megan Geckler – Flagging Tape

Whitevoid – Kinetic Lights

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We found this on SweetStation

We’re so stoked about our next show with artist Brice Stephens, and so excited that he let us peek into his creative process. Join us March 9th for the opening.