Austin is about to witness a rare and deeply meaningful cultural moment: the final solo exhibition of Madelon Umlauf, an Austin-born artist whose life and work shaped generations of local creatives. "Catching the Light: Works by Madelon Umlauf" opens January 17 at the Old Bakery & Emporium, offering the public one last opportunity to experience her luminous abstract paintings, her lifelong study of light, and the creative legacy of one of Austin’s most influential families.
DOWNTOWN
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This exhibition is a true final chapter for Madelon Umlauf (1942–2025), offering a last in-person look at a lifetime of work that helped shape Austin’s creative community.
THE ESSENTIALS
• Exhibition dates: January 17–March 14, 2026
• Opening reception: January 17, 1–4 PM
• Location: Old Bakery & Emporium, 1006 Congress Avenue, Austin, TX 78701
• Live jazz at reception: Jacob Wise, local guitarist
• Admission: Free
Old Bakery & Emporium
FreeIf you care about meeting other local artists and longtime Umlauf admirers, the opening reception (1–4 PM on January 17) will be the most community-filled time to visit.
WHY THIS EXHIBITION MATTERS
Madelon Umlauf (1942–2025) was raised in a household where creativity was the language of daily life. Her father, Charles Umlauf, became one of Austin’s defining sculptural voices; her mother, Angie Umlauf, a respected poet. Their legacy is permanently etched into Austin’s landscape through the UMLAUF Sculpture Garden and Museum, gifted to the city in 1985.
Madelon built her own path with equal depth—teaching at Austin Community College for over 30 years and developing a visual practice rooted in light, perception, and the natural world. "Catching the Light" gathers this life’s work for a final, intimate showing, inviting visitors who care about Austin’s history and culture much like those drawn to the Republic of Texas History Center’s hidden archives.
WHAT YOU’LL SEE
Expect paintings that hover between observation and intuition. Umlauf’s canvases glow with layered color, quiet structure, and a sense of slowing down to notice the world’s subtleties. This exhibition has been described as a culmination—an artist’s final gesture toward the light she chased for decades, resonant with other intimate Austin art spaces like the Holding Spaces Project.
If you’re used to large, crowded museums, the Old Bakery’s historic upstairs gallery offers a slower, more contemplative way to see work—plan a little extra time to linger with the paintings.
INSIDER INTELLIGENCE
• Arrive early for reception parking. The Old Bakery sits along Congress Avenue, where weekend parking can fill quickly, though two‑wheel riders might appreciate Austin’s hidden free motorcycle and scooter meter parking perk.
Parking on and around Congress Avenue can be tight during weekend events and legislative sessions—build in extra time or consider transit, carpooling, or rideshare.
• If you’re attending the opening, don’t miss Jacob Wise’s set—his jazz guitar performance adds a celebratory tone that feels aligned with Umlauf’s sensibilities.
Use the live jazz set as a built‑in break: step back, listen for a few minutes, then revisit the paintings—you’ll often notice new color relationships and details once you return.
• Pair your visit with a stop at the UMLAUF Sculpture Garden afterward to take in the family’s larger artistic legacy.
If you can, schedule the Old Bakery visit first, then head to the UMLAUF Sculpture Garden—seeing Madelon’s work before exploring Charles Umlauf’s sculptures makes the family’s shared sensibilities and differences especially clear.
• Weekday visits to the Old Bakery tend to be quieter, offering a more reflective experience of the work. If you’re interested in seeing how wildly different Austin art environments can be, plan a future trip to Austin’s Cathedral of Junk.
For the most meditative experience with the work, aim for a weekday afternoon—downtown is calmer, and the gallery space is more likely to be nearly silent.
"Catching the Light" is more than an exhibition—it’s a farewell chapter from a woman who helped define Austin’s artistic heartbeat. If you care about the city’s creative story, this is a moment worth showing up for, and one that sits alongside other legacy‑building cultural experiences across the city, from community‑focused exhibitions like Holding Spaces to history‑rich institutions like the Republic of Texas History Center’s archives.
Related Austin Data
Inside Madelon Umlauf’s Final Exhibition: The Insider Guide to Austin’s Last Chance to See “Catching the Light”
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