If you've ever seen that mustache seesaw at El Chilito, then you've seen The Pay Phone Revival Project. This project, which converts abandoned pay phone booths into public art installations, was originally organized and created by Bridget Quinn in 2010. The second round of installations debuts this month as part of the Fusebox Festival. We caught up with Quinn to learn more about her project. more ›

Local artist and metal worker Ann Armstrong has been busy butterfly bombing Austin. While her butterfly murals and installations have appeared all over downtown, Armstrong’s latest work in progress is located on East 6th Street at Navasota, across the street from Rio Rita Café y Cantina. This installation consists of butterflies cut from ironed beer cans and nailed to a wooden fence and a tree. The butterfly colonies will include “generic silver colonies,” Shiner Bock colonies, and Lone Star colonies. more ›

With cuts in education funding taking much of our public educational system out at the knee, Mann's guerilla approach to teaching a core subject just might be the remedy needed to help engage students struggling to keep up. more ›

Opening with the crooning strains of Richard Hawley's "Tonight The Streets Are Ours" over a montage of clips featuring artists wheat pasting work, tagging walls, climbing buildings and running from the cops, Exit Through the Gift Shop immediately draws us into the world of street art, specifically the tale of Thierry Guetta's rise from fashion store owner to successful street artist, Mr. Brainwash. Billed as a Banksy film, we didn't realize until after the screening that there has been some minor speculation that the entire film itself may be another well-executed prank by the elusive street artist, who is famous for works displayed in locations spanning from post-hurricane New Orleans to the separation barrier on the Palestinian West Bank. Even if Exit Through the Gift Shop is an elaborate hoax, it feels very real and doesn't necessarily have to be fact for us to gain wisdom and insight into this niche community. more ›

One of the more talked about films from last year's SXSW, Beautiful Losers, is coming back to town for a few screenings at the Drafthouse. The documentary follows director Aaron Rose and his artistic cohorts, who have in large part defined the world of American street art and continue to make significant contributions to contemporary pop art. Rose founded Alleged Gallery in New York in the early 1990's and helped to establish legitimacy for the DIY ethos with art that was highly influenced by graffiti, hip hop, punk rock, and skateboarding. more ›

*Editor's Note: Every Wednesday, we will be bringing you a set of photographs taken by our photo essay staff. Any opinions conveyed via the photographs or commentary are those of the essayist and are not representative of Austinist as a whole.* more ›

A walk through any Austin neighborhood, the sidewalks and street corners will reflect an underground movement of street artists who try to express themselves through anything they can get their hands on. more ›

Crave's vegan and vegetarian-friendly menu features a large variety of Japanese cuisine (sushi, tempura, miso soup), Thai favorites (pad thai, curries), and pan-Asian stir-fries at reasonable prices. more ›

You don’t see graffiti tags popping out of ornate frames very often, but Pieced Together, on exhibit at Gallery Lombardi through July 5, showcases a vibrant collision of fine art and street art. more ›

Image credit: Nature abhors a vacuum more ›

From the tallest skyscraper in the City of Brotherly Love to Canadian tourism copywriting brilliance, here's what you should know from our -ist cities: This week, Phillyist took a gleeful listen to the White Stripes' exciting new release, watched in awe as their new tallest skyscraper was finally completed, found a cheaper way to get to Gothamist, invented a tasty new dessert, and brought back their Craigslist Round-Up feature with a bang. Bostonist watches... more ›

As 2006 ends and 2007 begins, the -ists look back not at the past week, but at the past year. So here it is, your Best of 2006 Spectacular. And from all of us at the -ists, happy New Year! Austinist was all about controversy as new construction to increase urban density ran rampant in 2006, as did threats to the city's image from gigantic corporations looking to set up shop in town, leading... more ›

As we mentioned earlier, there are several fun block parties going on this weekend. The most art-filled one will most likely be the 2nd Annual South First Art Walk. This year, each of the 30 participating shops, salons, galleries and restaurants will have their own unique way to celebrate, hosting art from local artists, craft booths, music and more. And to benefit Animal Trustees of Austin, each location will hold its own raffle or fundraiser. more ›