Affordable Art from an Austin-Based Start-Up

ArtStartArt, an online marketplace connecting college art students with buyers, launched this summer to make the “practice of buying and selling original artwork a more approachable experience.” It was created by Alok Marwaha and Erik Culver, a graduate of the University of Texas’ College of Fine Art. “As an art student, I saw firsthand how the art world could be an exclusive and intimidating environment for both the seller and buyer. When Alok and I were putting ArtStartArt together, I was thrilled by the idea of creating a platform that not only gave students a place to receive real support for their craft but to also make original art more accessible to a wider audience,”  Culver says. New work, from paintings to sculptures, is unveiled each month. Prices range from $200-500 and 5 percent of sales benefit the students’ fine arts programs at twelve Texas universities. The next collection will go live September 3. To sign up for the newsletter, visit ArtStartArt. —Lauren Smith Ford

Australian brand Aesop opened three locations in Dallas in the past year, including their blush-toned store in the Knox neighborhood.
Australian brand Aesop opened three locations in Dallas in the past year, including their blush-toned store in the Knox neighborhood.Courtesy of Aesop

Aesop Makes Its Mark on Dallas

Aesop, an Australian skin, hair, and body care brand known for its design-rich boutiques, has brought three new stores to Dallas in the past year. The Knox and Bishop Arts locations reflect the brand’s high-minded commitment to architecture, respecting context and community. The third location, which opened in mid-August at NorthPark Center (on level one between Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus), was just as meticulously crafted. Canadian architect Alain Carle rendered the walls, counters and floors in Texas Mesquite timber to create a nested environment. The warm hue of the wood is echoed by the blush tone of the powder-coated metal shelving lining the walls. —Jean Scheidnes

Making Things: Jay Baker Architecture features nearly 30 years of the Texas architect’s work.
Making Things: Jay Baker Architecture features nearly thirty years of the Texas architect’s work.Courtesy of Jay Baker Architects

A Houston Architect’s Retrospective

Jay Baker’s beautiful coffee table book, published in June,  is a collection of the stunning homes he has imagined over his almost-thirty-year career. The Master of Architecture at Rice University graduate’s book, Making Things: Jay Baker Architecture, features a range of projects, from a stunning 13,000-square-foot manse in Houston’s West University neighborhood to the design of a toy. To purchase the book, visit Amazon. —L.S.F.

FLOCC is a new co-working space in the Oak Cliff neighborhood of Dallas.
FLOCC is a new co-working space in the Oak Cliff neighborhood of Dallas.Justin Clemons

A Creative Workspace in Dallas’s Oak Cliff

Photographer Justin Clemons, his wife, Kelly, an artist, along with partners, Vennesa and PJ Torres, started FLOCC, “a collective for creatives,” as a co-working space in the Oak Cliff neighborhood. The 6,500-square-foot space, meant for thirty members, features a conference room, an expansive photo/video studio, and individual office spaces. The group also regularly hosts events meant to facilitate community building, like bi-monthly potluck dinners for members, Waffle Wednesday breakfasts, and communal art experiences where members are encouraged to leave their screens and express themselves with art supplies supplied in the studio. To learn more, visit FLOCC Studio. —L.S.F.

Paloma Nail Salon’s Post Oak location in Houston offers non-toxic manis and pedis, as well as affordable facials.
Paloma Nail Salon’s Post Oak location in Houston offers non-toxic manis and pedis, as well as affordable facials.Ben Hill

An Eco-Friendly Nail Salon in Houston

Paloma’s Post Oak location has been drawing in Houstonians for non-toxic manis, pedis, and affordable facials, starting at $50. Maryam Naderi, a veteran of the oil and gas industry, was inspired to open her own salon after reading the exposé in the New York Times in 2015. In April, she opened a second location of her stylishly decorated salon in the Heights Mercantile. To learn more, visit Paloma Beauty. —L.S.F.