Luv Doc Recommends: "Will There Ever Be a Rainbow?” Opening and Reception

Believing in something is a very special kind of magic, and the more unbelievable that something is, the more powerful the magic. Deep, right? Well, consider that you can very easily replace the word “magic” in the preceding sentence with the word “stupidity” and it sounds nearly as profound. That’s the problem with abstractions: They fill the white space well enough, but they don’t pack a lot of meat. Really, if you’re going to shake the insistent dog of empiricism off your leg for a while and take a spin around the ethereal, you’re going to need a faster pony – maybe a white one with a big, bushy tail and a magical phallic horn on its nose. What you need is a unicorn. Wishes aren’t horses, they’re unicorns. That is why dreamers don’t ride. Unicorns are nearly impossible to catch, much less tame, and like all elusive, mythical creatures they’re damn near impossible to kill and stuff (with the exception of the Jackalope, whose taxadermied corpse decorates every sketchy roadside attraction in the desert Southwest). Who knows? Had the Jackalope a single horn rather than an impressive rack it might not hit the glass ceiling of mortality in such prolific numbers. Unicorns apparently don’t linger around long enough for fatal head trauma from a 30 ought, but they do seem to have the patience to be the subjects of countless colorful oil and watercolor renderings. Anything for art, right? In the past unicorn art was mainly the province of ren-faire types, online fantasy gamers, and preschool girls, but recently unicorns have galloped back into vogue – at least enough to find their way onto spaghetti-strap T-shirts, coffee mugs, and the set of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (although only in a walk-on role). There’s even unicorn porn, but that’s the type of thing that only the most depraved souls would Google. Most people who dig unicorns like them pretty and pure and sweet, but being an elusive mythical creature leaves a lot of room for artistic license, so much room, in fact, that you might need an art gallery to hold them all. This weekend that gallery is Bolm Studios, a plucky little art space in East Austin on Bolm Road where local artists Ian Shults and Michael Sliefke host an opening for “Will There Ever Be a Rainbow?,” an exhibition featuring the works of more than 50 local artists. Subject? Unicorns. Talk about an event that sells itself … but just in case you’re one of those pouty types, here’s what the boys have planned to brighten your day: photos with Diego (get your picture taken with a unicorn Chihuahua); a unicorn marionette show by Heather Jarry; a unicorn piñata; people’s choice voting on best unicorn art; an awards ceremony including the knighting of the King and Queen of the Unicorn; and a unicorn puppet show – all that plus food, bevvies, and unicorn art by some of Austin’s most creative artists: Paul Ahern, Rachel Koper, Rory Skagen, Dana Younger, Ethan Azarian, and Nathan Jensen just to name a few. The party runs from 4-11pm and admission is free, but you’ll want to bring a checkbook if you plan on taking home one of these show ponies.