Yard Dog Gallery

By Spike Gillespie

February 03, 2010 at 12:00 PM

Fourteen years ago, long before South Congress Avenue started going by the moniker SoCo, and before the neighborhood became, arguably, the hippest strip in town, Randy Franklin and Jann Baskett opened Yard Dog Gallery (get directions) to share their love of folk and outsider art with Austinites and the visitors who mob their place, particularly during the South by Southwest Music Festival.

Though the original focus of the collection drew mainly from the Deep South, they have since expanded, continuing to show and sell pieces from the south, but also offering contemporary folk art from a broader geographic swath.

Storied Art, Many Mediums

The pieces you'll find at Yard Dog Gallery run the gamut from paintings to textile art to metalwork. Funky is the thread running through the collection, with most work featuring some quirky feature or another.

Franklin describes the continuously updated collection as "maximalist" — bold colors, deep details, and sometimes a busyness that manages to charm without feeling cluttered. While many of the pieces (and their creators) come with curious back stories, others provide the delight of mystery — in some instances no background information exists, not even the artist's name, leaving viewers to guess at the history and inspiration of the art.

Don't Miss it on First Thursday or During SXSW

Walk into Yard Dog Gallery, and you'll know in an instant it exists to celebrate life's rich tapestry. The color, the warmth, the excitement, and the fullness combine to provide an irresistible magnetism. Even if art collecting doesn't fit your budget, the gallery should land on your must-visit list. Besides all the wonderful opportunities for eye stimulation, Yard Dog provides a place to meet likeminded people who think differently. Visit on a First Thursday or during the aforementioned South by Southwest annual music blowout, and you'll surely find something super fun happening at at Yard Dog Gallery.