Calhan Hale: Deep in the Heart of Texas

People say that everyone is friendlier in Texas, and my afternoon with artist Calhan Hale confirmed that stereotype to be true. We met at her studio, which is inside a metal and woodworking shop in East Austin. “Watch your step!” she said as we made our way to the back of the noisy warehouse, past the welders and carpenters to her space. She pushed the door open, and I was immediately struck by the cheery, brightly-colored canvases lining the walls, emblazoned with words like “Hearsay” and “The Things I Heard Were True.” She offered me a Topo Chico and immediately we started talking about the paintings surrounding us – what she’s working on, what she’s excited about, what inspires her.

 Among all the neon colors is a black and white photo - “This is a photograph of my great-great grandfather and his cousin, named Short Tom and Long Tom,” she said, as we both laughed at those oh-so-Texan nicknames. “Their experience in Texas was so different than my experience now, but these are the stories that have been given to me - these things are passed down to me. I’m here now, living out another legacy in Texas.”

Calhan’s family has lived in Texas for over 100 years, but her work evokes a new era of what being a Texan means. “I’m capable of holding parts of my Texas identity in conversation with other things that inform who I am. I’m not just one thing.” She is part of an incredible network of artists in Austin that are piecing together the old and the new to make something beautiful.

Below, Calhan answers a few questions for The Context:

Lauren Youngblood: Let’s take it back to the beginning. When did you start creating?

Calhan Hale: I’ve been creating all my life! When I was a kid I was always making cartoons or animals out of clay. I was first introduced to oil painting in high school.

LY: And did you always think you would be an artist? 

CH: It’s funny because I did when I was little (I went as an artist for Halloween one year) and then kind of left it. I never really considered that I could actually be an artist, but never stopped creating things nonetheless. It wasn’t until after college when I was still painting most days after work, that I realized it was something I wouldn’t ever be able to let go of.

LY: Why painting? What drew you to painting vs. other mediums?

CH: I think I’m drawn to painting for its physicality and, of course, color. I love how the material can be pushed and manipulated in so many different ways, and how colors interact with each other on the canvas. Sometimes I’ll see two colors next to each other and just nerd out. I also think it’s pretty special to get to participate in something that humans have been doing for hundreds and hundreds of years (oil painting that is - humans have been painting in general for thousands of years). I think it’s exciting to use such a traditional medium as a lens through which to reflect on the time I’m a part of now.

LY: Tell us about your studio space… what do you need in your studio to get in the flow of making — music? Any specific items? 

CH: I’ve been in my current studio for the past two years and change. I share a space with my lovely studiomate Isabel who makes beautiful handmade ceramics (definitely check out her work!! Soul Matter Studio), and we’re in a big warehouse of mostly metal and woodworkers called the Splinter Group. It’s the most special group of people, and I feel really lucky to get to be a part of it.

In terms of studio necessities, music is definitely number one. It’s great if I can really align the musical niche with whatever mood I’m in… then I can really get in a groove. Some days it’s Chromatics or Christine and the Queens, others it’s Iron and Wine or Bob Dylan or Grateful Dead or Pink Floyd. Today it was Blood Orange. 

LY: We’re surrounded by Texan iconography - boots, cacti, cowboy hats - tell us about your home state and how it’s inspired your paintings. Are these from memories growing up in Texas? or more recent experiences in Austin and Marfa?

CH: It’s a total mix. Texas is home and has always been (at least so far) - I grew up in Houston and came to Austin for school and ended up staying here, which prompted me to reflect on how I thought of myself as a person from Texas. The elements I reference - whether cowboy hats, traffic cones, cowboy boots, cacti, old photos - come from a combination of common stereotypes, my own lived experience in Texas and stories that have been handed down from the generations of family before me. I like bringing these references into an environment you may not have expected to see them in; In the past few years, that usually means they’re sharing a space with elements informed by digital experience, as I’ve grown up with digital influence as well (although of course these aren’t the only two influences that have been important in my life). I’m interested in how information is gained and lost as it moves through these different channels of our experience, and I think it’s important to acknowledge how our understandings of ourselves, where we are and where we’re from are dynamic and changing all the time… Right now I’m trying to pay attention to what’s right in front of me here and now. 

LY: What was it like making the jump to painting full time?

CH: I don’t think I would have been able to make the jump if I hadn’t had really loving friends around me. It’s so important to have people around you who can see it for you, even when you can’t see it for yourself.

It was really bittersweet leaving my job because I left the most special people who felt like family. But now it feels so good to be able to devote all of my energy to painting. In this season, it’s been really special to be able to come here every day and be able to have this as my priority. There hasn’t been one second where I have said to myself “maybe I shouldn’t have done this.” The community of working creatives in Austin is so giving and inclusive – I feel extremely lucky!

LY: What advice would you give other creatives who are still finding confidence in their craft, or are thinking about becoming full time artists but haven't yet? 

CH: Repetition is key!!! I think showing up every day you can is the most crucial advice I could give from my own experience so far. You’re exactly where you’re supposed to be when you’re showing up to the work.

Also that everyone experiences self-doubt, even the people we look up to. Surround yourself with a few great friends that can remind you who you are and that you’re on your way.

LY: So many creatives are moving to Austin right now... give us one Austin tip that everyone new to the city should know.

CH: Everyone knows about Barton Springs, but I really can't recommend it enough. It's my favorite way to start and end a day and is an instant reset if you're ever feeling low.

A few favorites...

Favorite thing to wear? 

My vintage cream and red flame cowboy boots. 

Favorite place to find inspiration?  

Every time I walk into an art museum I immediately feel inspired. But I’ve actually found that I often have moments of creative clarity on long drives.

Favorite album? 

Gah, I’m so sorry I can’t name just one, so I have to say the first few that come to mind!!!!  The Suburbs by Arcade Fire, Townes Van Zandt’s Live at the Old Quarter, Dark Side of the Moon, Abbey Road or Revolver by the Beatles, Alive 2007 by Daft Punk

Favorite way to disconnect?

Swimming!!! Barton Springs and the river on the east side of the dam are my go-to's.

Best place in Austin for vintage shopping?

Blue Velvet is my favorite!! I find something every single time I go there, and whatever it is almost immediately becomes something I wear every day.