Dallas-based artist Donald Robertson, also known as “Drawbertson” on Instagram, has opened a new gallery at 5307 E. Mockingbird Lane #107, near Sneaker Haven. Photo by Madelyn Edwards.
If you’ve walked through Mockingbird Station recently, passing West Elm and Sneaker Haven, you may have noticed something colorful in the former Buda Juice space.
Dallas-based artist Donald Robertson, also known as “Drawbertson” on Instagram, has opened a new gallery at 5307 E. Mockingbird Lane #107. Champagne in a can, a hippo (or maybe manatee?) in a gown, and a mirror spray-painted with the phrase, “You look fine,” are among the images in the gallery, as observed by the Lakewood/East Dallas Advocate Magazine editor on May 14.
“Expensive PR firm is excited to announce that Donald Drawbertson has found the ideal vanity case to showcase his ‘cry for help’ art output,” reads a press release from Drawbertson’s camp. (Editor’s note: I assume this is a joke, which would fit with Drawbertson’s personality in interviews, but it’s not exactly clear.)
Drawbertson has a few claims to fame. He helped launch M.A.C Cosmetics in the ’80s and has served as Estée Lauder’s creative director, according to a 2015 Vanity Fair article. Beyoncé once posted a picture of herself with one of his handbags. And he has around 227,000 followers on Instagram.
Some of the work inside Drawbertson’s gallery seems to refer to the artist’s career in fashion. Photo by Madelyn Edwards.
Drawbertson’s Mockingbird Station gallery is in close proximity to his home in Highland Park and in even closer proximity to his painting studio, which is above the gallery, according to the press release. In addition to Drawbertson’s work, new pieces by his sons and collaborations with Rob Joyner and Captain Casual are on display in the space.
“Galleries are unwelcoming I find, scary even, so I was looking for a space you didn’t have to go in to,” Drawbertson said in the press release. “It’s 6 feet wide and 200 feet of glass across, so it’s like a drive-thru car wash. If you are interested in busting in, DM me on Instagram, and I’ll run down and unlock it. The current installation is being shipped to a groovy hotel in California mid-July so catch it while you can. Please don’t buy any of it. I want it all for myself.”
More images inside Drawbertson’s gallery as observed on May 14. Photo by Madelyn Edwards.
