Fresh from the Studio: Austin Studio Tour Edition

Thu Nov 6, 2025

12 PM

Fresh from the Studio invites W&TW artist members to share what they are working on now. In this virtual format, artists share work in progress, newly finished artworks, and recent or upcoming projects. Each presentation is about 10 minutes with time for your questions and comments afterwards. Fresh from the Studio is your chance to see what is new and hear from contemporary artists. This program is free and open to the public.

This segment of Fresh from the Studio will feature Austin Studio Tour artists Lauren Jaben, Lynda Young Kaffie, and Mercedez Rex

About the Artists

Lauren Jaben is a mixed media artist based in Austin, Texas. Her education in textile design and photography led to over four decades of art practice. Her work can currently be seen at Davis Gallery in Austin as well as in her East Austin studio. In addition to her personal art practice, Lauren is co-owner of AgavePrint, a creative studio dedicated to art reproduction, digital printing, and custom picture framing. In this role, Lauren engages with a broad variety of practicing artists and finds deep satisfaction in connecting with and supporting the creative work of others.

Lynda Young Kaffie was born in Corpus Christi, Texas. She attended Mary Baldwin College and the Insituto de Cultura Hispanica in Madrid, Spain, before graduating from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas where she earned her Bachelor of Fine Art Degree. Her post-Baccalaureate studies include Texas A&M Corpus Christi, Anderson Ranch Art Center, in Snowmass Village, CO, and the Vermont Studio Center in Johnson, VT. Young Kaffie has shown her work in group and solo exhibitions at the Art Museum of South Texas, Corpus Christi; MB Modern Gallery, New York; MD Modern Gallery, Houston; Davis Gallery, Austin, and in various national juried shows.She is best known for her contemplative approach to the landscape. Her paintings capture a moment in time as seen both directly through the artist’s eye as well as from her memory of a particular experience.

Mercedez Rex is a Texas based artist and surface designer whose work bridges the worlds of fine art and fashion. With a background in photography and textile design, she brings a trained sensitivity to pattern, rhythm, and timing—qualities she now channels into the centuries-old practice of water marbling. Much like capturing a decisive moment behind the lens, each print she creates is a fleeting expression of color in motion, stilled on silk, leather, or paper.

In 2016, she launched her namesake line of hand-marbled accessories and home goods, gaining recognition for her bold use of pattern and intuitive process. Her work has since expanded to include limited-edition collaborations with fashion and interiors brands, as well as custom commissions for residential and commercial spaces.

Interested in participating in Fresh from the Studio? Click here to learn more about artist membership benefits and opportunities!