At certain vending machines around Austin, a couple of dollars gets you more than just a soda or candy bar. Press a button or turn a lever, and what comes out is a work of art the size of your palm.
The team behind Austin Mini Art stocks a handful of vending machines around the city with miniature prints created by local artists. The drawings have featured everything from the Congress Avenue bat bridge to Tecovas boots to common objects like a cup of coffee — all shrunk down to fit in your pocket. The price of each print ranges from $1 to $3.
Heather Ozzy and Chris Prince launched the project a little over a year ago with the hope of making art more accessible. The married couple, who also run filmmaking and photo booth companies, said they didn't have much money to spend on art while they were building up their businesses.
"Our walls historically have been very bare because we've always wanted to invest in local art, but art is very expensive for the average person, as it should be, right?" Ozzy said. "This kind of was birthed from the idea of making art affordable to the average Austinite while supporting local artists at the same time."
They bought a vintage vending machine off Facebook Marketplace in December 2024, repainted it and reached out to an artist recommended by a family member to design the first print collection. After striking a deal to host the machine with the Noah Marion shop on South Congress, Ozzy said it took off almost immediately.
"The staff had to set up quarters all along the desk to be able to trade people for cash constantly," Ozzy said. "Everybody would run over to Chase Bank, which was really close, and Chase is like, what the heck is going on? Because we were causing these crazy lines of people who wanted quarters."
Now, Austin Mini Art has five vending machines around the city — four of which also take credit cards. The team has collaborated with five artists, worked with companies like Jo's Coffee and Kendra Scott for themed collections and sold more than 45,000 prints. The owners and artists split the profits depending on the collection, Ozzy said.
Prince said it has been rewarding to see the prints add joy to people's days — and even kickstart conversations between strangers.
"It builds so much community," he said. "We'll have people at machines trading for different ones that they weren't able to collect."
Ozzy said collectors send photos of the prints on their walls and in phone cases, books and wallets.
One of those collectors is Linda Le, who said she has gotten more than a hundred Austin Mini Art prints.
"I started collecting because I moved to Austin and I didn't really have any friends here or knew anybody, and I was trying to find a hobby, get out the house," Le said. "I was going through a lot of depression and anxiety. … Their art prints just kind of kept me going, and it gave me something to look forward to."
Le keeps the prints in a binder and has given some away to the friends she has made since.
"They all get my extras," she said. "They always just want to know more about the next one. So it's kind of like a frenzy that just kept going. Any time I gave it to someone, they asked, how can I keep collecting these?"
The project has also given local artists the ability to reach a wider audience. Sydney Garcia, an ink and watercolor artist, said that before she started working with Austin Mini Art, she took only a limited number of commissions.
"[Austin Mini Art] was a way for me to have my art in more hands than I was ever able to do just with myself," Garcia said.
Now she's gotten to make art for major brands like Anthropologie, meet other artists involved with the project and feel like she's part of a team. On top of the additional income, Garcia said, she feels supported having Ozzy and Prince manage printing the artwork, stocking the machines and reaching out to businesses for collaborations.
Austin Mini Art recently released collections for St. Patrick's Day and South by Southwest, and there are several more lined up for the rest of 2026. Ozzy and Prince said they're also exploring the idea of expanding to other cities.
"We're so grateful for every single month that this continues to be a hit, and we get to bring fun and joy and a positive thing to Austin," Ozzy said.
The vending machines often change locations depending on the collections. Find the latest updates on Austin Mini Art's Instagram.
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