STARRY NIGHT UNDER AUSTIN SKIES

Completely immersive Van Gogh art experience debuts under Austin's starry skies

UPDATE: Due to its popularity, “Beyond Van Gogh: An Immersive Experience” has been extended at Circuit of the Americas through Sunday, September 5. Tickets are available at vangoghaustin.com.

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If you’ve ever dreamed of immersing yourself in the magnificent masterpieces of Vincent Van Gogh, your dreams are about to come true.

Beginning June 18 and running through August 8, Austin’s Circuit of The Americas will host a limited-engagement run of “Beyond Van Gogh: An Immersive Experience,” a three-dimensional, multi-media exhibition featuring more than 300 pieces of Van Gogh’s treasured works.

The mesmerizing event, which uses state-of-the-art projection technology developed by AV designers, will employ Van Gogh’s words, thoughts, and dreams to weave a narrative about the artists’ prolific body of work. Exhibition visitors can move through the scene, experiencing light and color projections that dance and refocus into Van Gogh’s well-known flowers, cafés, and landscapes, revealing his famous works like The Starry Night, Sunflowers, and Café Terrace at Night. And further heightening the experience, a symphonic score will play as visitors work their way through the exhibit.

Created by French-Canadian creative director Mathieu St-Arnaud and his team at Montreal entertainment creation company Normal Studio, the immersive show will run for a short time in Austin before moving to other engagements across the country.

Immersive art experiences have become all the rage, particularly during the coronavirus pandemic, as traditional art museum visits have dipped. Another such Van Gogh show, “Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience” from entertainment producer Exhibition Hub and discovery platform Fever will begin touring in select Texas cities later this year, though Austin isn’t on that list. Additionally, a similar exhibition, titled “Immersive Van Gogh,” will run in Dallas from June to September.

Tickets to “Beyond Van Gogh: An Immersive Experience,” at COTA are currently available, with prices spanning from the $30 range to the $90 range, and art lovers who purchase tickets by April 11 using the code “Beyond” will receive a 10 percent discount on regular timed-entry tickets.

Get lost in The Starry Night without ever leaving Austin.

Beyond Van Gogh/Instagram

Get lost in The Starry Night without ever leaving Austin.

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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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