When Austin Got Weird

When Austin Got Weird: New exhibit is a trippy trek through counterculture history

Relive Austin’s own “Golden Age” at the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum’s newest exhibit, opening this Friday, July 11. When Austin Got Weird is a collection of interactive podcast interviews and music poster artwork that defined the counterculture generation.

“We hope that visitors get to see when Austin really became the 'Music Capital,' when it really changed,” Jenny Cobb, exhibit assistant, tells CultureMap. “The exhibit highlights the time in history when all of these artists and musicians started finding out that Austin’s where it’s at. We really want them to experience the 'Golden Age' of Austin and see that the city still stands on that foundation today.”

When Austin Got Weird highlights the ever-popular counterculture of the 1960s and 1970s that transformed Austin into the musical mecca we know it as today. The collection of 29 posters is on exhibit through September 14 in the Third Floor Rotunda Gallery. It features the era’s famous musicians — including Pete Seeger and the Ramones — plus local legends like Janis Joplin and Stevie Ray Vaughan. Other homegrown musicians including Willie Nelson, Texas Tornados, Shiva’s Headband and Asleep at the Wheel are also featured in the curated collection.

But the musicians aren't the only ones glorified by the exhibit. It also celebrates renowned poster artists of the generation, including Michael Priest, Gilbert Shelton, Robert Burns and Jim Franklin. “All of the posters are really amazing,” Cobb says. “When you see them in person they just come to life. You can hear the music and feel what it was like to be there just from looking at them.”

Opening night of When Austin Got Weird also marks the return of another musical endeavor at the museum, the annual Music Under The Star concert series. The three-week series appropriately kicks off its 11th season with psychedelic rock pioneer –– and Austinite –– Roky Erickson. The concerts take place each Friday from 6-9 pm. The full lineup for the series is as follows.

July 11: Roky Erickson and The Shiva's Headband Experience
July 18: Carrie Rodriguez and Tish Hinojosa
July 25: Ray Benson with Milkdrive and Jason Roberts Band

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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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