A little extra here. Read the interview in my column Art Valet here.
This event showcases the artists & businesses in this small cluster of warehouses, a secret little triangle just north of downtown between I-10, San Jacinto Street & I-59.This event takes place in the original, historical oldest surviving warehouse district in Houston.
The ArtCrawl Houston website has all the details including a map, venue addresses and web links: http://artcrawlhouston.com.
Chalk Crawl Houston tickets, maps and times https://www.chalkcrawl.com.
Details below the photos …
It’s that time of year again- ARTCRAWLhouston2021!
This will be the 29th year for the Original & oldest surviving ARTISTS’ warehouse district -a small cluster of neighborhood warehouses that open their studio doors free to the public. The ARTCRAWL is not an arts festival, the ARTCRWAL is not a street festival- it is simply an opening to the public of the surviving warehouses & the ARTISTS that live & work in this tucked away triangle sandwiched between I-10, San Jacinto Street & I-59.
It is an historical site also with the undulating, purple & turquoise roller- coaster designed 1932 McKee Street bridge linking the north side of Buffalo Bayou to the south side which became known as Frost Town-
the site where the Irish & German immigrants landed & settled in Houston.
Around 1984, ARTISTs became the urban pioneers that tamed & settled this unwanted & undesirable real estate that would become the first Downtown Warehouse District. Milton Howe labeled his monolithic sound stage of Houston Studios -NOHO. ROBO COP was filmed there; Beyonce has practiced there & ZZ TOP have made videos there. With time it has fallen into disrepair & is now for sale.
The ARTIST in this once secret neighborhood have seen many changes: flooding, crime, demolition & gentrification. To make something from nothing has always been an Artistic modus operandi. ARTISTS have been a wedge of gentrification for years serving as an avant-garde of unwanted urban frontiers! They are willing to RISK! They are willing to live with few amenities with the threat of eviction from City agencies. Loft style living & working began in the 50’s in NYC. ARTISTS seek large, cheap spaces of abandoned light manufacturing edifice. But, these citizen ARTISTS live under an illusion/delusion of freedom that the transformation of a neighborhood makes it “OURS!” In reality, they are just paving the way for the wave of invaders- the profiteers from their risk. The landlords, developers & rich tenants are the beneficiaries. Loft living & working for non-artists was determined by chic rather than necessity. Thus society followed with their museums, galleries & designers.
Initially, the warehouses were ARTIST run- the ARTISTS assumed all of the responsibilities of a maintaining a building full of ARTISTS. The big change came when business folks began assuming the responsibilities & “warehousing” ARTISTS in sanitized corporate style complexes.
Almost all of the buildings in the DOWNTOWN ARTISTS” WAREHOUSE DISTRICT have been sold or re-sold, changed hands or demolished. Just take a drive through “our” neighborhood- it looks like war zone to go along with the invisible COIVID-19 germ warfare attack…
One time super supporters of the ARTCRAWL such as Dawn Fudge’s LAST CONCERT CAFE were a wonderful integration of the prominent role of ARTIST in revitalizing the inner city with local businesses.
The French say: Plus c’est change, plus c’est la meme chose- the more things change the more they remain the same.
The one time ART critic for the New York Times wrote: “ARTISTS are tough as weeds & can grow in the cracks of concrete.” The ARTISTS of the ARTCRAWLhouston2021 are those ARTISTIC SURVIVORS that are tough as weeds…
NEW to the ARTCRAWL will be the introduction & collaboration with CHALK.CRAWL! Director Cori Fairchild Pierson has selected ARTISTS that will be designing & enhancing certain sidewalk areas as pART of a treasure hunt to explore the ARTCRAWL neighborhood.
Highlights of extant long time ARTCRAWL pARTicipants:
HARDY NANCE STUDIOS
Michael Morton’s Historic Fifth Ward Hotel (mARCHITECTS) will present Jeff Reese & Archie Moore’s sculptural ARTworks.
MOTHERDOGSTUDIOS , headquarters for ARTCRAWLhouston2021, is presenting a group show entitled:
FACEtoFACE-Portraits.SELF.portraits curated by John Runnels.
ARTISTS include: Earl Staley, Sharon Kopriva, Fernando Casas, George Krause, Mary Margaret Hansen/Patsy Cravens, ZoAnna DeLuz Maney, Kenneth Pierson, Lynet McDonald, Trina McIssac, Evie Browning, Kelley Devine, Beth Secor, Tanna Bennett, Steve Lesser, Charles Jones, Charlie Jean Sartwelle. One gallery is dedicated In Memoriam to Peter Dickson.
The Heights Fools on Stools trio will provide music for our event from 4pm til 8pm.