Browsing the well-curated garden shop at Barton Springs Nursery recently, I stopped to admire a dozen framed graphic prints of cacti, butterflies, snakes, salamanders, and other Texas flora and fauna. The artist behind these joyful works is Austinite Juliet Whitsett, and they are part of her “Threatened Texas” fine art prints featuring Texas plants and animals on the threatened and endangered species list.
I visited Juliet at her home not long after, where she introduced me to another of her projects, Really Small Museum ATX. Together she and fellow artist Marianne Newsom installed two micro-museum displays in each of their front yards. Reminiscent of a Little Free Library, each RSM is a white cube atop a post, with a plexiglass window displaying a teeny tiny artwork by a local artist. The art on display, curated by Juliet and Marianne, changes every month or so, giving passersby an ongoing opportunity to appreciate new art and learn about the artists.
Juliet and Marianne dubbed each RSM with a name that plays off a well-known Austin art museum. The 14th Corner Contemporary, aka The 14th — with a humorous nod to The Contemporary Austin — greets visitors at 1311 Harvey Street. The Banton Road Museum of Art, aka The Banton — hat tip to The Blanton Museum of Art — can be viewed at 3509 Banton Road.
When Juliet and Marianne launched the Really Small Museum ATX installation, they expected to end it after a year, in November 2022. But its popularity keeps it going. I visited The 14th — the more ecologically focused of the two — in early March 2023, when a work by Tammy West called Ghost Seeds — Prayer for Our Trees was on display. From @reallysmallmuseum_atx, here’s a description of her work:
“Ice storms, extreme heat and drought are stressing our trees. As the climate warms it will eventually be too hot and dry for some trees. Older trees, especially in the West, are producing less seeds and some mature forests aren’t regenerating after fires. Tammy’s installation speaks to this concept with fragile and thin ghost mesquite beans made out of white clay, arranged on drought ridden cracked earth. Pine trees have had a hard time nation-wide due to drought and beetle infestation. Our Loblolly pines in Bastrop have been able to adapt to 30% less water than their eastern cousins, and avoid beetles so far, but will they continue to do so? To address this; prayer flags, made out of pines needles, send wishes to our trees.
You’re invited to help replace our fallen trees from the recent ice storm. In the boxes below, please take some tree seeds and plant them in your yard or on public land, as well as leaving seeds for others.”
In a small box on the ground, mesh jewelry bags contain tree seeds, offered for free in the hope of replacing trees felled by Austin’s February ice storm.
I’m always wowed by the creativity of Austin’s artists (see my recent post about Shawn Smith’s “Ommatidium”), who are moved by the beauty and fragility of our world and compelled to share that understanding with others. Check out Juliet’s personal work and her co-curated Really Small Museum ATX to immerse yourself in an artistic vision.
Read more about Really Small Museum ATX at Glasstire.
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Digging Deeper
Shop for native Texas plants at the Wildflower Center’s spring Native Plant Sale. Held on Fridays through Sundays, March 24 to May 7, from 9 am to 1 pm. The first weekend is just for Wildflower Center members, so join to enjoy this perk, plus get free admission all year and more.
Tour season kicks off with the new Austin Home’s Great Outdoors Tour on March 25 from 11 am to 4 pm. Visit 7 designer landscapes for $20, and gather ideas for your own outdoor living space.
Experience the Surreal Garden at Zilker Botanical Garden, an enchanting neon-art display throughout the gardens, with food and drink, music and dancing, surreal performers, and interactive art sculptures. Surreal costumes encouraged! 25% of event proceeds benefit the Zilker Botanical Garden Conservancy. Runs April 6 (VIP Night), April 7-8, and April 13-15, from 6:30 pm to 11 pm.
Add to your succulent collection at the Austin Cactus & Succulent Society Spring Show & Sale on April 15 and 16, from 10 am to 5 pm, at Zilker Botanical Garden. Come enjoy the plant show, shop for unique plants and pottery, and participate in a silent auction and raffles. Free with paid admission to Zilker Botanical Garden.
Tour 9 designer landscapes on the 2023 Austin Outdoor Living Tour on May 6. Designers and builders will be on hand to answer your questions. Cost is $33.85 for adults and $17.85 for kids aged 12 to 17. For safety, no one under 12 years of age except for carried infants.
Come learn about garden design from the experts at Garden Spark! I organize in-person talks by inspiring designers, landscape architects, and authors a few times a year in Austin. These are limited-attendance events that sell out quickly, so join the Garden Spark email list to be notified in advance. Simply click this link and ask to be added. Season 7 starts in August. Stay tuned for the lineup!
All material © 2023 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.
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