While the musical component of this year's Homegrown Festival reaches out beyond our region's hemming, its arts vendors remain decidedly local. Frock flippers, silk screeners, painters and gadget-benders round-out the day's visual flair. Here's a few reasons to be psyched.
Local artist and all-around supporter of talent Frank Campagna is front and center at the affair, painting a live mural. He doesn't want to reveal what's in store, he'd rather you be surprised. He's teasingly leaked only this: His mural will balance a bit of structured planning with free-flowing onsite inventiveness, dressed onto an 8'X12' piece on plywood. Pop by during its various stages of evolution and visit the man who helps keep Kettle Art brewing.
Yes, the silkscreen you affixed to your Converse is rad. (You really captured that scorpion's verve!) But our very finest DIY renderings cannot compete with the thoughtful, professional execution done by Denton artist Nevada Hill. There won't be onsite printing (those machines are cumbersome, yo); instead Hill will use his booth to replicate a "mini Flatstock." Flip through the stacks of his poster art and ogle an explosive world where music is visually retold.
Bonus: Darcy Neal, Denton's experimental gadget wizard, will post-up at Hill's booth and sell her new oscillating kits, "All-Seeing Eyes." Circuit bending is is rooted in nostalgia and Neal uses a sharp-tuned vision to celebrate that. Her synthesizers and noise-tweaking creations don't look like they stemmed from a tinker's garage, they're works of art rooted in brilliant design. If her new device is half as cool as her Victorian Synthesizer, you'll blow your student loan payment at this booth.
Humano Art Collective -- This Dallas collective is riding the explosive thrust of its recent opening at the brand new Nerv Gallery and presenting work at Homegrown. The group will sell pieces that have already been created but will also trigger your brain's processing regions as its members paint onsite. You'll see the fluidity of artistic process and can pick their brains about why they choose to do what they do. Add in your mild sun-stroke and this should seem extra trippy.
Dowdy Studio: They've got the trailer polished up and ready to roll! The Dowdy duo says they'll bring their finest music-themed clothing for you to rock out to, but they'll also pack it load full of jewelry, art tees, messenger bags and these super cute racer back tanks that we'll all have changed into by the day's end.
Sugar Derby is going to be there and the sweetheart trailer has invited its equally charming pals along to satisfy your vintage clothing and jewelry craving. We got a tip that Dear Holly is going to have selections from her accessory collection on hand, but she's also getting frisky with the revamps. This treasure harvester acquired an enviable mountain of money clips and then engraved them with rap lyrics about cash flow. A personal favorite? "C.R.E.A.M." -- (Cash Rules Everything Around Me) via Wu Tang.
STRUT -- Listen up you guys: The day I realized Dallas had a STRUT is the day I finally exhaled. This store is a must-visit for shoes and fun dresses, and now they've got a delivery vehicle. Check 'em out, and start lobbying them for 40% off on the first Thursday of every month; it's an Austin shopping staple that hasn't yet caught on at the Dallas branch.
