Hillerbrand and Magsamen Reflect on 25 Years of Collaboration in 355th "A View From the Easel"
In the latest edition of Hyperallergic's "A View From the Easel," the Houston-based artistic partnership of Mary Magsamen and Stephan Hillerbrand is highlighted. Having worked together for more than 25 years, they share insights about their unique garage studio, which was established after transforming their home into a workspace using tools like chainsaws and sledgehammers. They built a three-and-a-half-story spaceship in their backyard, partitioning the garage with a wall and installing air conditioning. Their daily schedule has Stephan working in the mornings and Mary in the afternoons, reserving weekends for joint projects. They became part of Houston's lively arts scene, started block parties, and founded Shepherd Park Projects, a yard gallery that annually showcases six local artists, including a recent Polaroid exhibition during the FotoFest Biennial.
Key facts
- The 355th installment of "A View From the Easel" features Mary Magsamen and Stephan Hillerbrand.
- The duo has been collaborating for over 25 years and has lived in Houston for 20 years, using a garage studio for 10 years.
- They previously used their entire house as a studio, tunneling through walls with chainsaws and sledgehammers and building a three-and-a-half-story spaceship in their backyard.
- They built a wall down the middle of their garage and installed an AC unit to create a separate studio space.
- Their routine: Stephan works mornings, Mary afternoons and evenings, with weekends for joint debates.
- A year ago they founded Shepherd Park Projects, a tiny front-yard gallery hosting six local artists annually.
- During the recent FotoFest Biennial, they hosted a group show of Polaroids at Shepherd Park Projects.
- After 25 years, they bought their first flat file six months ago; favorite materials include Nerf bullets, rhinestones, and zip ties.
Entities
Artists
- Mary Magsamen
- Stephan Hillerbrand
Institutions
- Hyperallergic
- Shepherd Park Projects
- FotoFest Biennial
- Houston Center for Photography
Locations
- Houston
- Texas
- United States
- New York
- Brooklyn
- Los Angeles