AUSTIN, Texas — Around 30 Austinites beat the heat early by cruising on two wheels and checking out recently installed temporary art exhibitions near Lady Bird Lake.
The Trail Conservancy and Sunday Cruise ATX put on the free 8-mile bike ride on Sunday. Riders started in East Austin and stopped at three temporary art exhibitions along the Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail, hearing from the artists.
The installations are part of the TEMPO on the Trail program from The Trail Conservancy and the city of Austin’s Economic Development Department. Each artist received $25,000 to design, fabricate and install their temporary artwork between March and June.
According to The Trail Conservancy’s website, “TEMPO aims to cultivate curiosity, spark imagination and encourage exploration of the vibrant city of Austin through temporary art installations.”
Selected artists for the TEMPO program and their locations and social media handles are:
- Adrian Landon Brooks – mural under the Drake Bridge (@adrianlandonbrooks)
- Chroma Collective – mural under the Interstate 35 Bridge (@chromaatx)
- Raul Buitrago – wheat paper mural at the Seaholm Amenities Pavilion (@raul_b)
- Diego Miro-Rivera – lawn art at International Shores (@gogomiro)
- Johnny Walker – sculpture at Auditorium Shores (@johnnywalkerart)
- Juliet Whitsett – sculpture at Holly Lakefront Trail (@juliet_whitsett_art)
- Ani Bradberry – light art displayed through the Seaholm Intake Building (@ani.data)
- Darcie Book – sculpture at Lakeshore Park (@darcie.book)
“Johnny Walker’s art, specifically, is a bunch of benches, and it’s an opportunity encouraging folks that are along the trail to stop and have a conversation, and that’s a big thing,” said Valerie Ruiz, an organizer with Sunday Cruise ATX. “My passions are … bikes, photography and bringing people together and so, when I saw that it just seemed like the perfect opportunity.”
Ruiz and officials with The Trail Conservancy say more free community rides are happening soon.
“Everyone is welcome to join,” Ruiz said. “It’s a very beginner-friendly ride, and that ride happens regularly. Bike Story Night happens quarterly. But I encourage everyone to get on their bikes. This is a great city.”