Late last year, The Austonian released an art catalog featuring the approximately 110 works in its collection. The self-published catalog, which may also be viewed online is the only one of its kind among local, high-rise condos. The catalog was created not only to provide residents with information on the art exhibited throughout The Austonian, but also to celebrate the artists whose work enhances residents' daily lives.

The building-owned collection includes pieces by 67 renowned artists, many of whose work can be found in local galleries and in the permanent collections of highly regarded museums, cultural institutions and corporate collections throughout the country. The Austonian's extensive collection includes a variety of media: painting, sculpture, mixed media, glass, ceramic, photography and works on paper. Though each piece is contemporary, stylistically, the art ranges from representational to abstract.

Selected by San Antonio art consultant Karen Calvert, in conjunction with The Austonian development team, the art is by primarily Austin artists and those with strong Texas roots. All parties involved in  the collection were in agreement that, individually and as a whole, the works needed to reflect Austin's unique down-to-earth sensibility, its cosmopolitan and creative spirit, and its prominence as a cultural epicenter. 

Of course, there were other factors in the decision-making process. The assemblage needed to emobdy The Austonian's commitment to elegance, aesthetic sophistication and green living. Most importantly, it needed to appeal to -- and engage -- its main audience. 

"I wanted the work to feel like a natural expression of the collections in the private homes," says Calvert. They needed to be pieces with which residents would want to develop meaningful and long-standing relationships."

The catalyst for Calvert's inspiration was the Roi James painting located in The Austonian lobby. James explains his diptych (two, side-by-side panels) as a dialogue between two images: a traditional landscape on one side, and an abstract impression on the other. As disparate as the images are, there's a harmony between the two panels, in much the same way there's a quiet rapport between all of the works in the collection. Also on view in the lobby are works by three other prominent Austin artists: Lance Letscher, Sydney Yeager and Beverly Penn.

The Austonian Art Collection Catalog is perfect-bound and printed on high-quality paper. It's gifted to all residents of The Austonian and to each of the artists represented in the collection. The catalog will also be on display in a number of local galleries and at Arthouse at the Jones Center.