At the City Limits (Austin, 2010)

This painting captures a moment from the Austin City Limits festival at Zilker Park in 2010. Although the photograph was taken right before the Eagles took the stage, the painting itself was created eight years later in 2018. On that Sunday, I had the opportunity to witness performances by iconic bands such as the Flaming Lips, The National, Norah Jones, and Portugal the Man. The scorching heat and dry grass in the park kicked up a cloud of dust, enveloping the atmosphere as festival-goers moved from stage to stage. The resulting haze caused the surrounding light sources to appear blurry and diffused, making it challenging to gauge distances and depth perception. Silhouettes of people stood between me and the brilliantly illuminated stage in the distance, further distorting my perception of proximity. This surreal experience of visually witnessing a band I had grown up listening to, rather than just hearing them through a car speaker or at a local bar, was truly extraordinary.

Back in 2010, I was unsure of how to approach it stylistically. I aimed to capture the euphoric sensation that can only be attained by immersing oneself in a large crowd of like-minded individuals. Artistically, I was drawn to exploring ways to convey abstract emotions on a digital canvas. This image reflects my experimentation with detailed texturing of shapes and colors to evoke the desired effect.