Oliver Franklin Award

2023 Awardee

With immense pride, Big Medium and the Friends of the Elisabet Ney Museum announce Lisa B Woods as the honoree for the Second Annual Oliver Franklin Award.

Honoring Oliver’s tireless efforts to support the art community and inspired by leaders who champion the artistic sector in Austin, we want to extend this accolade, along with an unrestricted grant of $5,000, as an encouragement to continue vital work for our city and our artists.

This award is a collaborative initiative by Big Medium and the Friends of the Elisabet Ney Museum, established to celebrate and recognize outstanding women leaders in the arts. The Oliver Franklin Award pays tribute to the memory of Oliver Franklin, who served as the Site Coordinator for the Elisabet Ney Museum for a decade before his untimely passing due to cancer last year. Oliver's profound dedication to women artists and his unwavering support for the legacy of Elisabet Ney, a pioneering and iconoclastic German sculptor who relocated to Austin in 1882, inspired the creation of this award.

In honor of Oliver's tireless efforts to bolster the art community and in recognition of the remarkable individuals who advocate for the flourishing artistic sector in Austin, we are pleased to extend this accolade to Lisa B Woods. Along with the recognition, Lisa will receive an unrestricted grant of $5,000 as appreciation for her invaluable contributions and encouragement to persist in her vital work for our city and artists.

We applaud Lisa B Woods for her outstanding achievements and her commitment to advancing the arts in our community.
The Oliver Franklin Award is a testament to the enduring impact of individuals like Woods and the lasting legacy of Oliver Franklin himself.

We look forward to celebrating her accomplishments and the artistic spirit of our community.

About LISA

Lisa B Woods is a Texas-based artist exploring the origins and ideologies of technological objects. She holds an MFA from California College of the Arts and a BA in Communications from St Edward's University. Her artistic practice encompasses various mediums and forms, including installations, public art, and immersive experiences.

Lisa has participated in numerous exhibitions and events. Some notable exhibitions include "Islands" at the UNESCO Media Arts Exhibit, Austin, TX, in 2023,
"Re(cognition 2" at Nicole Longnecker Gallery, Houston, TX in 2022, and "Monumental" at SXSW UNESCO Media Arts Exhibit, Austin, TX, in 2019. She has also been commissioned for public art projects, such as "Islands" for Art In Public Places, Austin, TX, in 2022, and "Look Twice" and "Gimme Shelter" for Hopscotch Immersive Art Experiences, San Antonio, TX, in 2019.

In addition to her artistic practice, Lisa is the owner and founder of And&And Studio and was co-founder and co-director of dadageek School for Creative Coding and Expressive Tech. Lisa has been invited to speak at various events and institutions. Some of her selected talks include "The Power of Tech-Driven Public Art During the Pandemic" at Texas A&M University in 2021, "Tech Art and the Future of Experience Design" at Midwest UX in 2017, and the keynote address
"Deepening Your Craft Through Tech Art" at the IBM Design Craft Conference in 2017.

Overall, Lisa B Woods has an extensive artistic background focusing on media installations, public art, and immersive experiences. Her work has been exhibited in notable exhibitions, and she actively contributes to the art community through community initiatives and speaking engagements.

selection committee

Lindsay Barras, Education Coordinator, Elisabet Ney Museum
Celina Zisman, Strategist, Chair for the City of Austin's Arts Commission and first Oliver Franklin Awardee
Coka Treviño, Curator and Director of Programming at Big Medium

The committee considered multiple factors and qualities in Womxn-identified Arts Administrators, including the outstanding job of building community, deep reach in the creative community, persistence, contributions to the BIPOC community, a supporter of arts and artists, inspiring others in uplifting the arts, etc.

2022 Awardee

Big Medium and the Friends of the Elisabet Ney Museum are proud to announce Celina Zisman as the recipient of the First Annual Oliver Franklin Award.
An annual recognition that celebrates a woman leader in the arts established by Big Medium and the Friends of the Elisabet Ney Museum.

About Celina

Celina Zisman (they/she) is a small business strategist working alongside makers, musicians, and creative solopreneurs within Austin's arts ecosystem. They empower artists across disciplines with the tools to establish, grow and maintain a business, and develop professional best practices. Celina has been an active member of the Austin arts community since 2008, having worked in non and for-profit galleries, as well as a nationally recognized craft academy.

Zisman serves their community as a member of the City of Austin's Arts Commissions (2019 to present). Zisman also serves on the board of SAGE studio and volunteers as the talent buyer for the Austin Creative Mornings chapter.

selection committee

Lindsay Barras, Education Coordinator, Elisabet Ney Museum
Miriam Conner, Community Organizer and Curator with Public City
Emmy Laursen, Independent Curator, Artist, and Community Organizer
Ryan Runcie, Artist and Community Organizer
Coka Treviño, Curator and Director of Programming at Big Medium

The committee took into account multiple factors and qualities in Female identified Arts Administrators, including the outstanding job of building community, deep reach in the creative community, persistence, contributions to the BIPOC community, a supporter of arts and artists, inspiring others in uplifting the arts, etc.