Object of Art: Carly Weaver

Eliciting Connection via Everyday Subjects

Words by Janine Stankus Photos by Eric Morales

Ah, the majestic grackle! The sharp-beaked, beady-eyed bird is something of a mascot in Austin. For many locals, they’re a nuisance. But for artist Carly Weaver, they’re faithful muses.

Carly works from her East Austin home, which which she shares with her husband, her seven-year-old daughter, several chickens, a rabbit, and two dogs. Most days she can be found in her driveway table-sawing large panels of wood: her canvases to-be. A converted bathhouse serves as her backyard studio, stacked floor-to-ceiling with paintings, materials, and supplies.

Carly recalls a time in 2011 when her backyard was plagued with squawking grackle, who were fond of snatching the dogs’ food. “I remember saying to my husband, ‘I’m going to paint those damn things. I’m going to paint them big.’” So she did, using oil paint on wood to capture the birds’ deep, blue-black hues, and picturing them in dozens of different positions. She hasn’t stopped.

Carly has since scaled her paintings down from feet to inches, but she works exclusively on wood. She prefers the objecthood of a solid canvas and how “it becomes this thing that you can hold and treasure.”

While her subject matter spans well beyond grackles, Carly tends to work in different seriesthat focus on a singular subject. “Everything I do is obviously satisfying something very different in what I need as an artist to feel inspired and fulfilled,” she explains.

Her kitchen wall, for example, is covered in finelined bicycle sketches that appeal more to her mechanical drawing aptitude than the bold, inky birds. She also does sweeping charcoal landscapes—reimagining photographs she takes on road trips—that allow her hand a certain freedom to convey a sense of movement.

As to what sets her on a certain track, Carly says, “All of the artwork has to come from some interconnection…
whether it’s ‘because I hate those damn birds’ or whatever.” Her own love/hate fixation on grackles somehow struck a chord with audiences, (who are maybe equally intrigued/repulsed by the “damn birds”). The bicycle series
was another personal interest that resonated with the community. Carly first decided to draw her own bike, then started drawing bikes belonging to other people which she would photograph on walks around town. People literally see their own bikes in her work, which brings commissions from fellow cyclists.

But is it personal interest or people’s connection to the work that keeps her going on a certain track? Perhaps both. She explains, “When your passions are tied into your living… it just all starts to muddle.”

That muddling is a bit of a blessing for Carly, who was able to quit her day job three years ago to focus on her art and connect more with her artist community. She has two group shows coming up, and she’s already preparing to host a group exhibition at her home—a prominent stop on the East Austin Studio Tour.

Work-wise, Carly has been branching back out into bigger, multi-panel works, portraiture, and even sculpture. But don’t worry, the birds will always be around. “I don’t think I should ever stop painting grackles,” she says with a genuine laugh. “I’m invested in getting in well over 100 poses!”

Did you know?
In case you were wondering, Carly’s not just an artist but a woodworker as well. She cuts and builds all her own panels. Before stepping out as a full-time artist, Carly had a job helping vision-impaired people re-learn how to operate in the world. One of the activities she led was helping students with woodworking projects, designed to boost other senses and build confidence!

Contact:
carlyweaver.com
info@carlyweaver.com
@carlyweaverart