Surreal Gardens Art Exhibit

Zilker Botanical Gardens in Austin, Texas, held an Instagram-able art exhibit called Surreal Gardens with neon lights and sculptures. I was very interested in attending this event because I have a special attachment to the gardens visiting with my grandmother, and the event looked really intriguing.

Ion Art is excited to announce our next Surreal event with the debut of The Surreal Garden at the Zilker Botanical Garden! The Surreal series is an annual interactive art experience full of fantastical neon pieces created by Sharon Keshishian and the Ion Art team. By integrating the exhibit into the serene setting of the enchanting botanical gardens, the already stunning art event becomes a phenomenal experience and a wonderful way to benefit The Garden.

— Ion Art’s Surreal Garden Webpage

I arrived early so I could see the art during the daylight hours first. The walk through the Gardens was nice. I found the Cretacious Gardens the most interesting with the featured sculptures.

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Austin Trip – Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center

Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center and The Veloway Park

While in Austin, my grandma recommended we go see the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. My dad had taken my little brother and I years ago, but I can’t remember that visit – so I felt like it was the first time going to the center, especially with all the funding, improvements and expansions within the past several years.

“The University of Texas at Austin Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is the official state botanic garden and arboretum of Texas. The Center promotes its mission to inspire the conservation of native plants through its internationally recognized sustainable gardens, education and outreach programs, research projects, and consulting work.” — LBJWC Webpage

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Austin Trip – Zilker Park

Austin’s Zilker Botanical Garden Tour

The second week while I was in Austin, my grandparents returned home, so I went on excursions with my grandma. Our first planned stop was Zilker Botanical Garden (ZBG)in Austin’s Zilker Park!

My grandma took my adopted cousin there a few weeks beforehand to see the Woodland Faerie Trail, a seasonal feature built by residents and children along some of the garden paths, so grandma didn’t get to see the entire garden grounds and was excited to go with another one of her grandkids!

Below is a picture of the main offices, event space and visitor’s center for the garden grounds.

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Austin Trip – Austin Central Library Talk & Tour

Austin Central Library – Library Design Talk and Full Tour

I returned to the Austin Central Library for another “Talk Green to Me” seminar about the sustainable design and features of the library, only this time I brought my grandma who wanted to see the new library and and city hall.

The seminar we attended was called, “A Deep Green Building Within a Green Neighborhood: presented by Lucia Athens, Chief Sustainability Officer for the City of Austin; Jonathan Smith, Associate Partner at Lake|Flato Architects; and Kathy Zarsky, the LEED Consultant for the new Austin Central Library.” — Austin Public Library Webpage

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Austin Tour – CMPBS

Center for Maximum Potential Building Systems Site

I was really looking forward to visiting the Center for Maximum Potential Building Systems (CMPBS) after I met Pliny Fisk III a couple of years ago at the CMPBS booth during EarthX Expo 2017 in Dallas, Texas!

“The Center for Maximum Potential Building Systems, established in 1975, is a non-profit education, research, and demonstration organization specializing in life cycle planning and design. We undertake projects based on their potential contribution to site, regional and global sustainability and human health, and actively pursue collaborations with associate organizations, businesses and professional firms.

Projects emphasize regional contexts as bases for responsible resource use relative to materials, energy, water, waste, food, and meaningful employment. Our expertise is accessible through green planning and design services, conference presentations, public lectures, and published papers.” — CMPBS Webpage

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Austin Tour – Mueller Park

Mueller Park

I stumbled on Mueller Park looking for a coffee shop with free WiFi while I killed some time before my next stop of the day. I initially pulled over at the food truck park, which I stopped at years ago if I remember correctly, but wanted somewhere that I could actually sit down, so I drove into the heart of Mueller Park!

“Located just three miles from downtown Austin and the Texas State Capitol and two miles from The University of Texas at Austin, Mueller is perfectly positioned to become an energetic new hub for central Austin.
The ambitious effort to redevelop Robert Mueller Municipal Airport into a mixed-use urban village in the heart of the city has helped Austin chart new directions. Mueller is envisioned as a sustainable community that is meeting extensive goals in housing and economic development. The award-winning Mueller Master Plan and the ambitious Master Development Agreement with Catellus Development Group and the City of Austin are the culmination of decades of community planning efforts from visionary neighbors and active citizens.” — Mueller Austin Webpage

 

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