The Last Paint Day at HOPE Outdoor Gallery

The last paint day as in today, Jan 1st 2019, is the last day in the HOPE Outdoor Galleries lifespan that artists from all over Austin and from out of town will get together one last time to paint the walls of HOPE

This is the first photo I took at HOPE Outdoor Gallery in early March of 2017 We arrived around 1-2pm and the grounds were packed with people! Artists were selling their artwork in vendor set ups, there was a live band performing, mud everywhere, and at least 100 artists painting nearly every wall of the place 3 levels up one of my favorite people in Austin, the swiss army knife of the arts, Mr. Miles Starkey was already beginning his section of the wall he held down for us

One of the things that made HOPE Outdoor Gallery an incredible place is that it encourages collaboration between artists. There are very few places on this planet where artists who work on this large of a scale can go and paint a wall together without threat of the law. The only threat to their creative process is the damn meter maid dishing out parking tickets.

Throughout my time here I have collaborated with over 30 different artists of all skill and style range. Among them was one individual who was the yang of my paint slinging yin and he goes by the name Jomau. Everything feels natural when combining forces with this French assassin and our styles complement each other in both form and approach. It would not have felt like a proper goodbye to HOPE Outdoor Gallery if I werent to spend the last paint day collaborating with Jomau aka Vin Easel aka The Happy Panda

As usual with our collaborations we start with no plan. One of us attack the wall and the other follows suit playing off of whatever card the other is dealing. Being so high up in the gallery walls I wanted to start with a few basic shapes that were big, bold, and stand out from the bottom level of the park..

Miles Starkey finishing up his eyes

Mario throwback by Will Teran

Slow progress on this painting. One of the positives of not sleeping last night is I am not suffering from any hangover or loss of energy like many of the heavy headed artists here today have been. Instead of spending our time here working away on our mural we are bouncing around talking with the other artists that many of us can trace our friendship right back to this location. It is a giant farewell party and just like last night, I was documenting less and living in the moment more. Above all else this is a search of how to expand a minute to its full length. The sun sets early this time of year and once the lights go out the artists move out..

Award for most wall space covered in one hour goes to our friend Grito

I like this photo because it shows how much perspective plays a role in life. From the perspective of the women in the photo she is having an elegant photo taken of herself with the capitol skyline shimmering behind her in the glow of the moon.. from my perspective this girl is posing for a photograph at an art park standing atop a sign that says Art Hoe. Perfect.

Grito is still going, who cares if you can barely see the wall

The end photo of collaboration between Jomau and I

And just like that.. in one cold, rainy, dreary day hundreds if not thousands of people came to spend one last day at the HOPE Outdoor Gallery. The park doesnt officially close until tomorrow evening but, it feels like today is the end. Today all the artists said goodbye. This place helped me grow into the artist and person I am today. It introduced me to many great new friends and led me on adventures I never would have otherwise found myself on. To everyone and anyone who helped run and operate the HOPE Outdoor Gallery I thank you from the bottom of my empty paint cans. You have helped give me much joy in Texas and in life