Found Fine Art Makes Big Splash

By Terry Hagerty – Contributing Writer

First-time visitors and exhibiting artists give stellar grades to the new Found Fine Art gallery at 912 Water Street – opened in November 2023 by Jamie and Clint Howard.

Austinite Steve Fry was visiting the gallery – remodeled after its previous existence as the Water Street Millworks – for the first time in late April. “It’s amazing – a very open, airy space with great lighting,” said Fry. “The art is amazing, super realistic on some of the pieces, and then the sculpting is kind of mind-blowing – especially that giant moose right there,” said Fry, referring to Clint Howard’s life-size supine moose sculpture near one of the gallery’s multiple entry points.

Blair Crosbie, an Austin artist who works with cement and epoxy, was also enjoying the new gallery. “The level of detail and also the time that was put into these pieces in the gallery definitely showcase in the works,” Crosbie said. “The lighting and the atmosphere of the building really capture every essence of every piece laid out within the displays.”

Stone sculptor Brandon Campbell, an Austin artist displaying at Found Fine Art, said he has a new home to showcase his work. “I decided to show in Bastrop because I wanted to get out of a bigger city and have more of an intimate connection with people,” said Campbell. “Bastrop is more of an art community and I would like to be a part of that. I already had some pieces made at Pyrology (the Howards’ Bastrop foundry located in the Industrial Park), and when I saw what the new gallery was going to be like, I was pleasantly surprised, so I decided to bring all my work here.” Campbell, who has done film landscape-sculpting work for Texas director Robert Rodriguez, said he’s enjoyed previous visits to Bastrop. “I used to tournament-fish at Lake Bastrop and I would end up here a lot, so I’ve seen Bastrop grow slowly over the years. I would love to live here, too.”

‘Staying in town’

Jamie and Clint Howard said they decided to “stay in town” when it came to expanding their successful art business to downtown Bastrop. The Howards have owned and operated for many years the Deep in the Heart Art Foundry – now called Pyrology Foundry & Studio – at 405 Jackson Street, in the Bastrop Business and Industrial Park.

Jamie said she and Clint had looked at art-tourist destinations out of state, for a possible move, but in the end their hearts remained in Bastrop. “Bastrop is our home and there is really nowhere else we would rather spend our time. So, we opened Found Fine Art in historic downtown Bastrop,” Jamie said.
With some assistance from an economic development agreement with the Bastrop Economic Development Corporation, the Howards accomplished three interconnected projects: purchased and remodeled 912 Water Street to become Found Fine Art; remodeled their property at 292 Industrial Drive in the Bastrop Industrial Park to become the new home of Water Street Millworks; and expanded the Howard’s foundry into the former Dig Tech building at 402 Technology Drive in the Bastrop Business and Industrial Park. Jamie also cited the coming together of several additional partners – Frontier Bank of Texas, Mancha Builders, JS4 Design, Structures Engineering, and Cross Texas Electric.

A Wide Variety of Art

Found Fine Art shows a wide range of art. “We are primarily a sculpture gallery, featuring artists who produce at Pyrology Foundry & Studio,” Jamie said. Other art – including an impressive array of paintings – is also on display and available for purchase. “We represent artists who are hugely diverse in their mediums, subject matter, and longevity in the industry,” Jamie said.
Artists who are interested in being represented by Found Fine Art, or estates looking to re-home their collection on the secondary market, should head over to www.FoundFA.com and select the “Work with Us” tab, Jamie said.