Local Imprints: Stories of Place and People - Artist Talk

Local Imprints: Stories of Place and People is a combined artist talk and exhibit featuring artists Megan Hildebrandt and Malti B. Lee from the DASA (Downtown Austin Space Activation) 2024 Artist Residency Program. Together, through this exhibition, both artists explore the stories of Austin through locations and individuals seen throughout downtown. Join us on March 2 at 506 Congress to hear about the artwork and the program from the artists themselves.

Through her work, Malti B Lee captures the buildings and views in Austin that remind her of London, the city she grew up in. These paintings connect her new home with her old one, capturing how places far apart can feel similar. She hopes these works spark curiosity and wonder about the stories that unfold within these shared spaces.

The Ambassadors is a series of portraits by Megan Hildebrandt created to celebrate and honor the essential individuals that keep downtown Austin clean, safe and welcoming. As she created their portraits, the Ambassadors told her about the pride in the work that they do and shared stories about their lives. It is her hope that this collection brings further attention and dignity to the folks who do this hard work.

Malti B Lee PhD (b. London, England, 1990) is a British Indian artist based in Austin and collected internationally. Drawing on her global background, Malti explores the cities she’s experienced through her acrylic paintings. Malti’s works have been presented in solo shows and numerous group exhibits across San Francisco, Northern California and Texas. Notable works include commissions for the NHL’s San Jose Sharks and the City of San Ramon, CA.

http://maltiblee.com/

​​Megan Hildebrandt received her BFA from the Stamps School of Art & Design in 2006, and her MFA in Studio Art from the University of South Florida in 2012. Hildebrandt has exhibited nationally and internationally, including: The Painting Center, New American Paintings, The Baltimore Museum of Art, The Museum of Contemporary Craft, Arlington Arts Center, Detroit Contemporary, HEREarts Center, Latitude 53, Johns Hopkins Medical Center, the LIVESTRONG Foundation, Hyde Park Art Center, The Torpedo Factory, and Collar Works. In 2018, Hildebrandt received an Art Works grant from the National Endowment for the Arts for the Aesthetics of Health Course she developed for Interlochen Arts Academy. In 2022 Hildebrandt co-authored an article about adapting the Aesthetics of Health curriculum effectively for higher education during the pandemic in the American Medical Association Journal of Ethics. An artist, educator, and arts-in-health advocate, Hildebrandt currently lives and works in Austin, Texas, where she is Associate Professor of Practice in the Department of Art and Art History at The University of Texas.

www.meganlynnhildebrandt.com

The DASA Artist Residency Program is presented by the Downtown Austin Alliance Foundation in partnership with Tribeza.

Host or Publisher Downtown Austin Alliance