I love this work soooooo much. This wonderful neon sculpture was created by Taveres Strachan. His other awesome works can be found at https://www.facebook.com/TavaresStrachan/

I had the privilege of working with The Blanton Museum to take photos of their AWESOME event, SoundSpace: Refugees. The event featured "works written by, performed by, or depicting the experience of refugees. These performances occur throughout the museum in galleries featuring art that touch on refugee themes." It was just gorgeous. People were wonderful, so much diversity in ages and people, and beautiful art in motion and sound on display.

For those that haven't been to The Blanton, it is this succulent jewel of a building on the fringes of the University of Texas at Austin's campus. After you pass through the arches that border the outside entry way, you proceed past the ticket desk (after buying your ticket, duh), and then you're enveloped by this spectacular main hall (you can see it in the background behind my two well-behaved kids). The tile is this rich, marbelized turquoise that reminds me of a flattened bowling ball. And above you hangs a massive ceramic chandelier that looks like a mixture of human organs, plants, and intestines (picture below). My description makes it sound awful and I'm not doing the Blanton or the artist any favors, but I promise it comes from a place of awe and happiness. It's spectacular!

One of the spectacular dancers with a full choir in the background

So, imagine this exceptional space (so poorly described above) filled with all the vibrancy of artists, musicians, dancers, and singers who are posted-up throughout the Blanton's rooms with their performances bringing static art to life. If there's a better, more child-friendly way of getting kids and families into fine art museums I'd love to hear about it! You can find all of the Blanton's upcoming events here.

Brent Baldwin performing with the backing of a full choir

SoundSpace: Refugees is just one performance in a series that The Blanton puts on every couple months. The next SoundSpace event is happening in just two weeks (September September 24, 2017) reflecting on the life of Alice Coltrane Turiyasangitanda. I'll be there with my kids taking photos, so if you see us definitely say "hi"!

Enjoy!

Cotton Bowl Speedway from the sky. You can see the pit in the top-right (which is absolutely amazing), the race support crew can be found in the middle of the track, and you can see the main grand stands and concession stand to the center-right.

It's important for me to be clear right from the first paragraph: I understand very, very little about dirt track racing. Like, I get that there's a winner and multiple losers. I get that there are different classes of cars, and that there are different skill-levels of drivers. But, beyond that, I don't understand why there are multiple races in the same night. I don't understand how points are measured. I don't get why some tires are best for dry dirt versus wet dirt, or how one track is different from another. So, please, don't hold me accountable for anything said below that offends your far greater knowledge of the sport, but feel free to comment and help me understand this badass sport more! This blog post is an extend photo appreciation of the amazing sprint cars, drivers, and spectators on display.

In the way that most people who live in or near the country go to sleep in the summer to the sound of cicadas, growing-up in Bloomington, Indiana, on Saturday nights in the summer we would try (unsucessfully) to go to sleep to the sound of sprint cars racing the Bloomington Speedway. Our home was close-enough to the track that the engine noises came through our closed windows giving the sense that the races were in our back yard. I didn't necessarily "like" the speedway and I definitely didn't appreciate it. Just as browning leaves indicate the coming fall, in our household summertime officially began when the races shook our windows.

Profile view of spectators watching from the stands

It was only when I got to college that I realized how awesome Bloomington Speedway was. It was when a couple friends and I went and hung out in the Bloomington Speedway parking lot and waited long-enough until admission was free and we could walk in.

It took a while to understand but it became clear that getting a race car to the track was a family and friend affair. It's this beautiful weekend warrior pursuit for a lot of older drivers, and for the younger drivers it often seems to be a rite of passage. Cars regularly trade hands between drivers and families. For some, car racing is just the next step after dirt bike racing. Tires and fuel are bought and traded in the pit. Repairs, engine rebuilds, welding, everything is handled in the pit between sprints. And, almost all expenses are covered out of pocket. It's truly a labor of love.

Cotton Bowl Speedway stands as seen from a drone

After a bit of research I found this fantastic dirt track that has racing nearly all summer long and it's just an hour east of Austin. It's a magical little race track in Paige, Texas, called Cotton Bowl Speedway. My love of racing that was sparked in college 12 years ago was instantly rekindled in just the first couple of moments at the track when the engine noises made my heart vibrate and dirt got kicked up into my contacts.

I just love it and I love being around it. Even on the sidelines, 50 yards away from the track, you can feel the engine noises in your chest. You get hit by dirt and it messes-up your contact lenses (and your camera lenses). If you purchase the "Pit Pass" you even get to see all the last-minute repairs up close. You see kids pumping gas and rolling tires, drivers joking with other drivers about putting a screwdriver into their tires, and drivers getting a hot dog before their next race.

It's just magic and I couldn't recommend a trip to the Cotton Bowl Speedway more!

The leaderboard during a sprint

A son helping his elders prep the car

Sunset, ATVs, and cowboys jerseys

Cars going down the straight-away

A car exiting the race track after a sprint

Cars as seen from the front heading down the straight-away

Spectator watches another fan waving the checkered flag

Pit manager (I'm sure that's not his real title) managing how cars exit the track

"It's just a flesh wound!!" I love this car

View of cars banking around the track

I'm also available for hire. Just fill out my contact form and we will kick off the process!

If you are an awesome non-profit or company doing good in and for the Central Texas area I’m eager to work with you! Head over to the contact page and let’s get something started!