Furly Birds Unfurled

Furly Travis will have an art reception at Wake the Dead on Monday, Jan. 30 from 7 to 9 p.m. Though Furly holds a regular monthly gig at Wake the Dead, this one is special because it’s a chance to meet the artist responsible for the FurlyBirds now displayed on the Square.

Recently Downtown SMTX installed the 2-foot x 4-foot banners along LBJ, Hopkins, Guadalupe and San Antonio Streets, to be on display for the next three months.

“I feel very honored and overwhelmed,” Furly said. “Really, it hasn’t sunk in yet. I have not taken a walk downtown since all the banners have been up. I need to do that, probably tonight.”

A native Texas painter and sketch artist, Furly is known for quirky acrylics that utilize bold color and a strong sense of visual balance. He couples foundation with dreamlike and sometimes comical themes that make his work instantly recognizable.

“But the Furly Birds are larger than life,” Furly said of his brightly-colored, whimsical free-standing bird sculptures, each of which stand between two- and four-feet tall and made from scrap lumber people bring to him.

Furly’s work has been shown in art spaces, galleries, boutiques and coffee houses all over central Texas. With the town, Furly expressed a hope for a future collaboration with another San Marcos icon.

“Let’s see if we can get the Furly bird to be the mascot of San Marcos holding onto the mermaid,” Furly said.

Furly art will be available for sale at Monday night’s reception at Wake the Dead, located at 1432 Old Ranch Rd 12, with Molly J. Hayes providing entertainment.

“She is a super, super supporter of me,” Furly said.

Furly also welcomes commissions of “humans, pets and oddities.” To view his art and a pricing guide, visit his website at furlyart.net/ Furly lives in San Marcos with his wife, four cats and five Furly Birds in his yard and front porch.