Abby Minde is a mixed media, abstract artist located in Austin, Texas. After earning an MFA in Creative Writing, she relocated to Austin, taking on a role in education at a local high school. Her work is inspired by what she values most: the resiliency of people that surround her and the unconventional beauty of an unconventional city.
From the Artist: The Story Behind the Name
So many people ask, "What does Oso mean? Is it a play on words?" And the answer is no. The word Oso is a Spanish noun that translates to bear in English.
During my first year of teaching, I wanted to quit everyday. I landed a job at a competitive, high stakes, high expectations charter school, much different from my public school education or my student teaching experience. The learning curve for first-year employees--not to mention I was a first-year teacher--was steep, and for good reason: we had a responsibility to support our students and provide them with every opportunity possible so that they may navigate life after high school successfully and with choice. Although I loved the students, most days I was drowning. I started to doubt myself and my career as a teacher, and, as a result, started to lose joy in showing up to work until I brought my dog, Bear, to school one day. The school had a policy that allowed teachers to bring their dogs to work. (Similar to bring-your-child-to-work-day but instead bring-your-dog-to-work-always). My students were elated to meet Bear, a massive Doberman with the body of a horse but the mindset of a puppy. Something about the strangeness of bringing this massive dog into such a tiny space (a temporary, portable building) brought so much joy back into what I was doing and the workload I was taking on because the kids loved him, helped take care of him, and would visit my room randomly throughout the day to play with him. Thus, my students starting calling Bear Oso, and for the next four years, Bear would frequent the school each week until those freshman became seniors.
In May of 2019, I watched that first class of students walk the stage, the students who named him Oso. I set a goal at the end of that first year to at least stay until my first class graduated, and although Bear passed away just before they were able to do that, it was largely because of him that I made it through that first year and was able to see them graduate.
To those who are not dog people, this story may seem trivial, but that dog is also the reason Oso Art was launched in the first place. For a long time, I didn't think my art was worthy of public display, and that self-doubt crept back in. When he died, however, I decided to say fuck it because, much like that dog, art brings me joy. Thus, Oso Art was born.
