Prime Time in Austin

The Mentalist makes a fresh start in a new city — Austin

A cunning killer has moved to Austin. No need to panic, though. He’s a fictional murderer from a prime-time TV show.

On the CBS crime drama The Mentalist, the main character — Patrick Jane (Simon Baker), who possesses psychic-like mental abilities — recently took up residence in Austin to work for the FBI. Jane previously lived in Sacramento, California, but the show’s producers wanted to give Jane a fresh start after he tracked down and murdered “Red John,” who killed his wife and daughter.

Two of Jane’s crime-fighting colleagues from Sacramento, Teresa Lisbon (Robin Tunney) and Kimball Cho (Tim Kang), also are stationed at the FBI office in Austin.

"We wanted it to be a city with a distinctive character, a city with some funk to it.” — The Mentalist executive producer Tom Szentgyorgy

Jane agreed to accept the Austin gig with the FBI in exchange for not being charged in the “Red John” case. In the wake of the “Red John” slaying, the show fast-forwarded about two years, with Jane landing in Austin after hiding away on a Spanish-speaking island.

Tom Szentgyorgy, an executive producer for The Mentalist, said he and other producers mulled several cities for Jane’s new locale before settling on Austin.

“We were looking for a city outside California where Patrick Jane could start over. We wanted it to be a city with a distinctive character, a city with some funk to it,” Szentgyorgy said. “At the same time, we wanted it to be a city whose architecture and look weren’t too familiar to television audiences — because, frankly, we continue to shoot our exterior scenes here in Southern California.”

In addition, he said, Jane’s new home base needed to be a city where it made sense for the FBI to maintain a significant presence. (Note: The fictional FBI office in Austin looks much fancier and bigger than the real one.)

Now, Austin will play at least a small part in every episode of The Mentalist. However, it remains to be seen whether any stars of The Mentalist will pop up in Austin.

“Our camera crew will be filming background and establishing shots in Austin, but at the moment there are no plans to film actual scenes there,” Szentgyorgy said. “If a story is good enough and demands it, we’ll make the trip.”

Szentgyorgy said Michael Novotny, the show’s production designer, and Julie Walker, the show’s art director, spent several days in Austin taking photos and getting a feel for the city’s “visual style.”

“That trip informed their design of the FBI office,” he said, “and will guide our choice of new locations to film here in Southern California that are supposed to stand in for Austin.”

The Mentalist, now in its sixth season, airs at 9 pm Sundays on CBS.

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Outside the Lines

Buda artist releases intuitive drawing book with fun prompts

Photo courtesy of Ronald Gross

Artist Ronald Gross creates an intuitive drawing with crayon, which he considers a "joyful" medium.

Buda-based artist and writer Ronald Gross released a book in November called Unlock Your Creativity: A Guide to Intuitive Drawing, which will walk aspiring expressers through drawing without worry. On December 6, he'll be on hand to help in an intuitive drawing demo at Buda Public Library's Holiday Open House.

The book is a hands-on guide that teaches readers how to lean into their own desires and intuitions when drawing, whether they feel like an artist or not. In this way, intuitive drawing should feel relaxing, meditative, and ultimately, beneficial for mental health. If you find coloring books relaxing and meditative, intuitive drawing may have the same effect on you.

"Intuitive drawing is the practice of creating art without a specific plan or outcome in mind," says Gross. "It’s about letting your hand move freely, guided by emotion, curiosity, or subconscious impulses; not about making something perfect."

An intuitive drawing by author and artist Ronald Gross. Intuitive drawing is simple, joyful, and according to Gross can calm the mind much like meditation. Photo courtesy of Ronald Gross

This book presents exercises to access a mindful state: freeform doodling, blind contouring drawing, drawing from the imagination, and drawing from emotions. For artists feeling stuck, Gross also includes plenty of exercises for overcoming creative blocks and even discusses ways intuitive drawing can be applied to other creative projects and areas of life.

In the December workshop, Gross will give a quick demonstration on how to create an intuitive drawing using nothing but lines, shapes, and simple marks. Then participants can try it out with a variety of crayons, because crayons are "tactile" and can quickly transport people into a "playful, unselfconscious space," according to Gross.

"The workshop is all about creating a supportive, judgment-free space to explore intuitive drawing," he says. "Attendees will leave with tools to keep practicing on their own and, hopefully, a renewed sense of creativity and playfulness."

An intuitive drawing from author and artist Ronald Gross. In college Gross was taught how to take a doodle and elevate it into fine art.Photo courtesy of Ronald Gross

Gross's own journey into intuitive drawing started at a young age, when he would doodle and sketch throughout the school day. Years later at the Academy of Art University, a professor encouraged him to lean into this more intuitive and abstract style of art. Since then, Gross has been exploring intuitive drawing's ability to access a meditative state, as well as tap into the subconscious mind.

"When you draw intuitively, you’re fully present in the moment," Gross says. "Your mind quiets, and you become attuned to the flow of your thoughts, feelings, and physical movements. It’s akin to meditation, only instead of sitting still, you’re actively channeling your inner experience onto the page."

An intuitive drawing by author and artist Ronald Gross. Gross's intuitive drawings each evoke a different feeling through his simple use of color and linework. Photo courtesy of Ronald Gross

Gross adds that over time, doing some of the exercises included in the book may even help boost confidence, since intuitive drawing can help people learn to trust their instincts.

"Intuitive drawing can unlock creativity, reduce stress, and help people reconnect with their inner selves," he adds. "It offers a space to process emotions, spark ideas, and break free from perfectionism or overthinking."

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