23RD STREET MURAL EXPERIENCE

50 years ago, Kerry Awn, Rick Turner and Tommy Bee painted Austin’s first mural. The year was 1973. The location was the side of the UT Co-op in the heart of The Drag. The people and places they painted were a mirror reflecting the cultural street scene of the time. Some you know, some you don’t. Many are now long gone. We don’t want them to be forgotten.

On the 50th anniversary of this historic art-ifact we have taken the oldest and most important mural in Austin, online. www.23rdstreetmural.com We’ve embedded within this virtual canvas 10 original short documentaries and a dozen other stories. Short films about Willie, Stevie Ray Vaughn and Johnny Winter explain why Austin was such a fertile place for groundbreaking musicians. Docs about armadillos, Oat Willie’s and peyote aren’t just absurdly hilarious but show what an entire community can create when they are all on the same trip.   Taken together, these films preserve the people and the magical place known as Groovers Paradise – aka Austin, TX, 1973.

Today we are asking for sponsors and donations to add another series of films to the site. Because the 23rd Street Mural has so many more stories to tell. 

Here is a taste of the stories percolating in the pipeline: Roe V Wade: The women of The Rag (Austin’s first alt newspaper) set in motion the legal proceeding that brought Roe V. Wade to the Supreme Court. Roky Erickson, Doug Sahm, and The Fabulous Freak Brothers are all on the mural. And the moontowers around town – famous not just because of Dazed and Confused but because they were put up to keep away serial killers! 

All donations go directly to filming, editing, and embedding new content into the site. Help us keep the site free for all! Thank you for your support.

About the Filmmakers

MIKE WOOLF (DIRECTOR)

Director Mike Woolf has been making award winning creative content through Beef and Pie Productions for the past 20+ years. He’s explored the kitchy corners of Texas in short docs like “Growin a Beard” the “The 72oz Steak,” and “Something’s Brewin’ in Shiner.” In his feature “Man on a Mission: Richard Garriott’s Road to the Stars” chronicles the first son of an astronaut to go to space. It won best doc at SXSW. The 23rd Street Mural Project is his way of recognizing the creative pioneers of Austin who made it such a special place for him to live his own creative life here. As Austin changes forever, it’s more important than ever to preserve what made this town magical in the first place.

Michelle Crosby, Executive Producer, Beef and Pie Productions

A native Texas, and lover of all documentaries, Michelle is the one keeping us on time and in budget. Although she would like a little more budget to work with.

Landon Peterson, Editor

Landon was born and raised in Austin a decade or so too late. He would have fit in right on the drag in the 70’s playing his guitar, living the bohemian lifestyle and waiting for the new Fabulous Freak Brothers comic book to come out. That’s probably why he feels so closely connected to this subject matter. He is editing the 10+ videos that will play as part of the 23rd St. Mural Experience.

The Graphic Standard, Website Developers

Shane, Grey, John and Shelby are the team behind the website creation. They are designing and programming it from the ground up. Their goal is to create an interactive experience worthy of any museum website. Except it will be a little weird and a whole lotta Austin.

 

 

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THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS