Austin's 23rd Street Artists' Market features a
wide variety of handcrafted items for sale by local artisans,
including jewelry, original art, apparel, candles, leather goods
and whimsical items. Listed in the New York Times as
a "Place to Visit in Austin" and on Citysearch.com
as the "Best Offbeat Find of 2001," the market offers a truly
unique shopping experience where you'll find one-of-a-kind handmade
items.
The market is nestled in the heart of the University
of Texas community and within walking distance
of many of Austin's most renowned attractions, including the U.T. Tower,
the Harry Ransom Center, the LBJ Library, and the Bob
Bullock
Texas
State
History
Museum. Guadalupe Street itself features many unique shops and restaurants.
The market has been a mecca for local artisans
since the early 1970s. Many well known central Texas artists began
their careers at the market, and it continues to provide a foundation
for beginning artists. It began as a free form sidewalk gathering
of artisans and evolved into a landscaped plaza maintained by
the City of Austin. It is the only continuously operated open-air
Arts and Crafts market in the United States. Today's market artisans
sell only handmade wares and are licensed by the Renaissance
Market Commission.
The market mural, the brainchild of Kerry Awn, Rick Turner and Tom Baumand was begun around Christmas of 1974. The mural was painted by local artists, including contributions by Michael Priest and Jim Franklin. The mural offers a humorous pictoral view of the strange and wonderful
people and places that are the cultural history of Austin. Refurbished
in 2002, the mural has been updated to include caricatures of more recent
celebrities, including a certain computer mogul selling computers on
the sidewalk and a famous actor running naked through the streets with
his bongo drums.
So whether you're looking for the perfect gift or just
want to enjoy a pleasant day in the heart of a thriving community, a
visit to the Renassiance Artist's market is well worth the trip.
