After building a Crayola-colored sex cage and creating semen art for previous shows, Joshua Saunders is now transforming Domy Books into a Bloods and Crips-themed gangsta’s paradise. Through the feuding sunsets, boogie boards, and altered Slurpee machine, Saunders encourages conversations about opposition, symbolism, and “cultural hallucination.” We caught up with Saunders during his installation to learn more about his Crip/Blood show, opening at Domy Books on Saturday. more ›

On Tuesday, The Austin Bat Cave is hosting a screening of the film Ice Storm with Rick Moody, upon whose novel the Ang Lee film is based, all of which follows a discussion of the book with Moody and Evan Smith. The event takes place at the Blanton Auditorium, will also feature cocktails, and costs fifty bucks. more ›

Tonight's an amazing night for readings. more ›

"Expletive-laden" may not describe much of the poetry you love dearly, but for the purposes of fun and sport, let's give this collection with an effer right there in the title a chance. Kings of the F**king Sea is a book of poems from Austinite Dan Boehl, a founder of the poetry press Birds LLC and an arts writer who has posited a challenge to our city's coverage of that subject in the past. His book is illustrated by Jonathan Marshall, whose work you can see here. more ›

If you were lucky enough to stop by Domy Books this past April, you probably got a chance to see some of Katy Horan’s haunting paintings. Her work is rooted in the traditions of a simpler time and her paintings often look as though they are the long lost illustrations for gypsy picture books. Working primarily in gouache, Katy adds carefully painted detail to the lace and frills that adorn her figures. Look more closely though, and behind their feminine veils you’ll often see a understated darkness - faces are obscured, black masses and limbs protrude from the figures at somewhat chaotic angles. Katy Horan is one of nearly 300 artists participating in East Austin Studio Tour this weekend and next. Stop by her studio at the ARTPOST complex (4704 E. Cesar Chavez) between 11am and 6pm on Saturday or Sunday either weekend to see her process and product. Katy talked to Austinist about where her dark imagery comes from and shared her advice for art students. more ›

There are many great art related happenings taking place all around town this weekend, here are a few of the highlights... On Saturday evening, Domy Books is celebrating yet another opening in their gallery space. This time around, local stitcher extraordinaire, Jenny Hart, is presenting a new exhibit of drawings based on year-book photos from her small town high school. The pencil line portraits are decorated with embroidery-like embellishes, suggestive of Hart's work with her company, Sublime Stitching. Saturday's reception is free and starts at 7pm. more ›

Art Alliance's Art Week Austin is in full swing with many exhibits and happenings taking place around town today. Down in the 2nd Street District, Rachel Cook and Claire Ruud have curated the multifaceted exhibit, One swallow doesn't make a summer. Taking it's name from former mayor Kirk Watson's assertion that "One swallow doesn't make a summer, and not even a dozen development projects make a Great Downtown", One swallow hopes to invigorate our developing downtown by inviting artists into unique exhibition spaces for many to enjoy. Various artists have pieces on display at 210 Guadalupe, 400 W. Cesar Chavez, 117 Lavaca, and 233 W. 2nd St. - work ranges in scope from large painted canvases to sound and video installations. One swallow's gallery spaces are open from 11am to 6pm today through Saturday with curator walking tours taking place at 12:30pm daily. more ›

There are many great art events taking place around town this weekend. Here are some of the highlights: Celebrate the East Side in the heart of the 'hood on Saturday at Domy Books from 7-9pm. Photographer Rama Tiru will be giving an artist talk and signing copies of her book, Austin East of I-35. Through interviews and vivid photographs, Tiru captures the unique culture and history of the East Side of our fair city. more ›

Those of us struggling to make our livings following our creative passions have been hit especially hard by the economic downturn. Luckily, here in Austin, we're in good company - surrounded by countless talented artists, we have people to turn to for advice, collaboration, and most of all support. In that spirit, Domy Books has teamed up with Chicago based Temporary Services to present Art Work: A National Conversation about Art, Labor, and Economics. Art Work is a newspaper and website consisting of writing by artists, academics, and activists responding to the recession and discussing how it has affected the creative process and artistic compensation. Domy will act as the Austin distribution hub for the publication and is hosting tonight's discussion which is being organized by Claire Ruud, editor of ...mightbegood, and artist Kate Watson. The 32-page paper will be distributed throughout the country and in Puerto Rico and includes pieces from New York Time Art Critic Holland Cotter, author Julia Bryan-Wilson, and many visual artists. more ›

There are many spooky art events being held around town this weekend - here's a rundown of the highlights: Domy Books's 4th annual Monster Show opens with a reception on Saturday from 7-9pm. The packed group show will include the monstrous work of Sterling Allen, the Sumi Ink Club, Jenny Hart, Michael Sieben, and many others. Fair warning for the squeamish, Domy's Project Space will feature an installation by Dave Allen that will bring to life the crime scene of Jack the Ripper's final murder. If you'll be haunting Houston for the weekend, Domy's Westheimer store will also be holding their Monster Show opening on Saturday. more ›

There are lots of great art events taking place around town this weekend (especially on Saturday!). Here's a rundown of a few of the highlights... Domy Books is celebrating new exhibits in their gallery and project space. Head over to the store on Saturday from 7-9pm to see the debut of Your Heart is Not a Museum, new work by Levi Dugat and Leah DeVun. The pair's second collaborative show, Your Heart includes kitsch-meets-hipster portraits by Dugat and amazingly intricate drawings of diamonds done by DeVun. Over in the project space, Jade Walker has put together an installation that reflects themes of sports, gender, the human body, and injury. more ›

Don't miss the great art related events taking place this weekend! Here's a rundown of some of the highlights: This is the last weekend to see the Blanton's The Birth of the Cool exhibit. The museum is offering public tours of the Midcentury show (on Saturday at 2pm, and on Sunday at 2pm and 3pm) and is extending hours on Saturday until 8pm. The Blanton will also be screening the film Visual Acoustics a documentary study that follows architectural photographer Julius Shulman. Filmmaker Eric Bricker will be on hand to give a Q&A. more ›

Whether it makes you think of your drinking buddies or Matthew Perry and Courtney Cox, the word "friends" carries some positive connotations (and may have just put that "I'll Be There For You" song in your head for the rest of the afternoon). It's a good enough word that visual artist/musician/all-around creative badass Tim Kerr used it for the title of his new exhibition at Domy Books, which opens tonight and features the work of Kerr and four of his pals - Bill Daniel, Cynthia Connolly, Rich Jacobs, and Michael Sieben. more ›

On Sunday, Domy Books joined other Kidrobot retailers nationwide to host a Munny decorating party. The simple, unadulterated vinyl toy provided the perfect blank canvas for eager designers. more ›

Domy Books, our favorite little bookstore/gallery with a focus on contemporary art and culture, is celebrating the opening of two new shows this Saturday. Over in Domy's gallery space, illustrator Nicole Eriko Smith will be exhibiting new work in Consent to Play. Smith's suggestive black and white drawings focus on three human-like characters and her work combines elements of both Japanese and Louisianan culture with themes of fetishism. Saturday's opening reception will also celebrate the premier of Domy's Project Space, an additional exhibit room at the back of the store. The first show in the space will be We Stopped Fighting for This? a collaborative installation by artists Lauren Cardenas, Carling Hale, and Alison Kuo. more ›

Before heading to your final party destination this Halloween night, stop by Domy Books to celebrate the timely opening of their latest exhibit, Monster Show 3. The mixed media group show is being billed as a "compendium of awesome monster drawings" and a similar show has run at Domy's Houston store for the past few years. Artists who have submitted their devilish doodles include Okay Mountain co-founder Sterling Allen, and queen of embroidery Jenny Hart. Cody Ledvina and Justin Goldwater, two artists who have recently had solo exhibits at the Domy gallery space, will be back with their best ghoulish depictions. more ›