houston llew

the story of an artist in the heart of atl.

[houstonllew]

we get funny looks.

We tend to get strange looks while on the train going to the studio.  Hair messy, old tennis shoes, shorts, backpacks.  I was convinced people thought I was still in school, until one day it was confirmed.  The train operator looked at me, sweat beading on my face in the middle of May, and said, "You know school's out, right?"

[houstonllew]

We released a summer Limited Edition piece, for the first time ever!  Pretty cool.  It's 139 'Our Land' and written on the sides: "You belong where you feel free." - Tom Petty

[houstonllew]

BROKE - even bums dismiss me The other day I was on bicycle leaving the store near my studio when a homeless man creeps up behind me.

I turn around and he says, “pardon me sir do you… oh nevermind. You look poor too.”

I reply, “Excuse me?”

“I was going to ask you for a dollar for the train, but YOU look poor too.” he scoffs.

I shoot back, “The train costs two-fifty.” And peddle off into the sunset.

[houstonllew]

Some days your printer really should take your mental state into account before giving you an error message.

[houstonllew]

Family studio lunch and it was Matt's turn!  Hammy deliciousness...

[houstonllew]

South Park train @ the Metropolitan.

[houstonllew]

the good, bad, and ugly graffiti

Matt started as our "save-the-money" (read bookkeeping) person at the studio last month, and part of his initiation requires that he spray paint his office.  We have a feeling the good, bad, and ugly theme will show up on budget reports... 

don't worry, we'll turn him into an artist yet!

[houstonllew]

pollen... everywhere... must get out... 

[houstonllew]

Studio lunch today!  On the menu:  Roasted tomato soup and grilled cheese.  om nom nom.

[houstonllew]

Some of our studio (and friends) got together and conquered the Spartan Race this month - it was fun, it was cold, it was extremely muddy, but definitely worth it!  (And now the race is on to train for next year...)

[houstonllew]

Chico.

There used to live an older lady here at the Metropolitan who had two dogs.  I don't think she had a job, she always walked around the complex with her little yippy dogs at random times during the day.  And you always knew when she was out and about, because one of her dogs was named Chico.  

She would go sit down on the corner of our building and let her chihuahuas run loose, almost get run over by passing cars, while she smoked a pack or two.  One of her dogs behaved, didn't bark all that much, and no one knew its name.  But Chico?

"Chico!"  Pause. "CHICO!" Shorter pause. "CHICO!!!" And on and on it would go.

That dog became infamous to those of us on the corner of this building.  Every time you heard the little "dingdingding" of its dog collar, you knew what was coming, and you started saying it to yourself, quietly in your head, until the moment she yelled.....

[houstonllew]

Climbing trains to leave work. #bestpartsofart

[houstonllew]

Yin-Yang Ice-sickle, Breckenridge

[houstonllew]

"I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul."

William Ernest Henley

[houstonllew]

There were two things that would like through nuclear fallout: cockroaches, and twinkies. until now.

[houstonllew]

The sketchy-awesome happening outside...

[houstonllew]

occasionally.

We're a pretty lucky bunch.  The luckiest, I'd say.  We work in the West End ghetto just south of the "big buildings" in Atlanta.  We bike, skateboard, walk or crawl to marta, get off at the station, and cross over train tracks to get to the studio.  And occasionally? There's a stopped train, and we can pretend we're hobos, just for a little while.