Jennifer Perkins' Shopping Guide to the Blue Genie Art Bazaar in Austin

If you live in Austin and have a love of handmade goods, then you have heard of the Blue Genie Art Bazaar. This year is extra special because it is the 10 year anniversary of the bazaar.  My name is Jennifer Perkins of Naughty Secretary Club and I will be your host for today's post about Blue Genie and let's go ahead and get the fact that I am biased towards the show out of the way right up front.

Sure I realize not everyone's taste is as eclectic as the kitschy wreaths, cat heads and tin can robots you can find in my booth at the show - but I promise there is something for almost everyone.  Sure there are lots of the things you would expect to find at a "craft show".  Handmade jewelry, T-shirts, baby onesies, soaps - you know the drill.  The things you will also find that you might not have been expecting are ceramics (cool ones), living wall art made from plants, paintings, prints and even giant pieces of sushi.

Blue Genie is a juried show selecting only the best artists in Austin.  Locals might recognize names like Chia, Darla Teagarden, Mark Joiner, Amy Barber, Moxie, Ornamental Things, Baby Bolt, Hot Pink Pistol and of course the Blue Genie guys themselves.  You can't take a driving tour through Austin without spotting a Rory Skagen mural or a large piece of sculpture that the guys did sitting atop a business.  I happen to be the proud owner of one of their larger than life glitter covered popsicles.

The show runs through Christmas Eve so you still have a chance to go and get your shop on.  7 days a week you can bask in the glory of a kitschy Christmas.  Head down to Marchesa Hall at Lincoln Village (6226 Middle Fiskville Rd. Austin, TX 78732) 10am daily.  Be sure to tell em' Naughty Secretary Club and Design Crisis sent ya.

Heads and Holgas

Something really bizarre is happening this week:  I'm starting to develop this thing that most people call "a life."  Between the outing with our blog buddies, the book reading Monday and the art show I'm attending this evening, one may be fooled into thinking that I do more than work and watch America's Next Top Model.  (I'm a master at smiling with my eyes BTW) Are you in Austin?  Perhaps you would like to play my new favorite game, have a life, as well.  Here's how:  Head south to Austin Art Garage tonight to check out the latest work from two of my favorite ladies, Cory Ryan and Hope Perkins at their show, Heads and Holgas.

Austin Art Garage is located at 2200 S. Lamar Blvd.  Not in Texas?  Here's a peek at what you'll be missing.  Sorry, I don't have any photographs of free booze.

A few of Hope's older pieces.  The bobcat on the bottom right started it all.  Her name is Tanya, she wears a tierra.  I happen to know from my many trips to Round Top with Hope that Tanya has since gained a sister, Zatarans McGillicutty, who's just as cute as a stuffed button.

The piece on the left is "So you DO know Betty Blackwell?" If you live in Austin and have ever found yourself watching tv past 11:00 at night, you will know that this is the funniest title for a neon pink taxidermied deer with a telephone ever in the history of the planet.  I'm not sure what the one on the right is called, but, knowing Hope, I'm sure it's hilarious. 

It should be noted that I tried to find a video clip of the Betty Blackwell commercial to share with you all, but it doesn't exist online.

Cory will be displaying photographs from her extensive Holga portfolio.  She's spent the last year obsessively shooting Austin from angles I've never seen (normally I can name almost any street corner in an Austin shot, but most of these leave me guessing).  

I'm not sure if I should be beaming with pride over having such talented friends or spending my energy commanding that you hit the show this evening... perhaps a bit of both.

Pracilio is the Dealio

Following the story on The New Antiquarians in The New York Times that Karly blogged about here, there remains little question that taxidermy is hot. Of course, that be old news around these parts (see here and here). In fact, it's hard to remember way back to the time when taxidermy was seen as belonging exclusively to the domain of rednecks and long expired Victorian arcana. Now that taxidermy is trendily displayed by hipsters and preppies everywhere, many clever mutations of the original stuffed animals have been spawned -- for example, the works of Rachel Denny and our pal Hope Perkins. Well, the newest dead heads on the block from the Swarovski Safari series by Peter Pracilio are pretty fierce. Check it:

So I'm thinking this stuffed deer, courtesy of famous French taxidermist Deyrolle,

Plus this diamond studded skull by Brit brat pack artist Damien Hirst,

Equals this crystal encrusted deer mount by Peter Pracilio.

Agreed? Since we're already grazing on the wild Savannas of Fifth Avenue, let's bust out our binoculars and view some of Pracilio's other gems that I've hunted down for you.

Swarovski unicorn: uptown version of the jackelope?

via theashenledger (check out her cool prints, too)

So, what do you dudes think? Would these fine specimens be at home on the Hovey sister's walls?

And what would you choose: flash or fur?