Alexander Austin gets a solo exhibit — and some new mural ideas

It’s been 20 years since artist Alexander Austin first hung his work on the streets of Kansas City. Back then, he was homeless, using twigs for paint brushes and brick walls for canvasses and trying to turn a buck doing portraits in bars. Now his murals not only decorate dozens of corners in the urban core, but also welcome visitors to the downtown Power and Light District.

For all his visibility, Austin has never had a solo exhibit until now.

Earnest to Epic, which opened Friday at the YWCA’s Sixth Street Gallery, spans Austin’s career, showcasing meticulous pencil drawings that could be mistaken for photographs and larger-than-life paintings that betray his background as a billboard artist. Chatting with new fans and reminiscing with old friends, the laid-back artist said the body of work includes a little bit of everything.

He’s got original sketches for his first mural of Martin Luther King Jr. that was demolished to make way for the Bruce R. Watkins highway. He’s debuting massive, shadowy portraits of dance icon Alvin Ailey and boxing legend Muhammad Ali. And he’s finally parting with a few one-of-a-kind items, like a drawing of Danny Glover, autographed by the actor.

But, exhibit aside, Austin’s got some new mural projects in mind.