Mary Doerr - Watercolor Memories of Austin

From the burnt-orange pride of the UT Tower, to the glorious bluebonnets of the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, to the gleaming red granite of the Texas Capitol, artist Mary Doerr has captured the colors of Austin as well as the city’s colorful culture.

With over 100 vibrant paintings, “Watercolor Memories of Austin” holds more than highlights from the 20-year career of an artist. Doerr tells the stories behind the paintings, along with her “trade secrets” about how she paints. She details the fascinating history of some of Central Texas’ most iconic landmarks. And with wry humor she paints a portrait of growing up in Austin, from a 7-year-old in the 1940s to an adult who made the leap of faith to become a professional artist in her late 40s.

This is a book that celebrates “Old Austin,” preserving memories of beloved gone-but-not-forgotten places. But it also honors the enduring legacy of the places that keep Austin what it’s always been: unique, evolving and, yes, wonderfully weird.