Guerrilla Action

An 'Apple' a day: Local performers protest defunding of Planned Parenthood

Poison Apple Artisti Director Bastion Carboni

Thousands were shocked last month when it was announced that state funding to the Planned Parenthood on East 7th Street in Austin would be eliminated completely starting September 1. Reactions ran the gamut of disbelief and rage to depression and desperation.

The clinic is the only access many Austin women have to free or low-cost reproductive health care including birth control, yearly check ups, health screenings and treatment for sexually transmitted diseases. Without insurance, Planned Parenthood was many women's only option for care.

One Austin performance company is not willing to stand by and passively watch what some are calling Texas's "War on Women's Health." Instead, the Poison Apple Initiative--a socially conscious, politically active theater company—is conducting a "guerrilla theater" style performative action along Congress Avenue this Wednesday.

Starting at Republic Square Park and ending at the steps of the State Capitol, the featured actors have prepared a short piece that they will be performing at three locations en route to the Texas State Capitol. The scene, according to spirited Poison Apple artistic director Bastion Carboni, takes place in a world where women have to get treatment and health care on the black market.

The scene is enacted spontanously to surprise and engage the everyday bystanders along Congress into questioning the happenings and getting further information.

The scene is enacted spontanously to surprise and engage the everyday bystanders along Congress into questioning the happenings and getting further information. While only two actresses will take part in the spontaneous scene, the other company members will act as plainclothes audience members to draw attention to the crowd following the proceedings.

By the time the company reaches the Capitol steps, they will all participate in a visual representation of the number of women and men benefited by the work of women's health clinics like Planned Parenthood beyond abortions.

"Posterboards with services inscribed on them will be held up and people will step forward when they've received said service," explains Carboni. "The entire event will be silent save the actresses, and the result should be visually striking, somber, and optimistic."

The group explains they are inspired by the actions of U.S. District Judge J. Thomas Martin who recently overturned the defunding of state funds to Planned Parenthood in Kansas. Their belief is that, with the precedent already established, there is definitely still hope of doing the same in Texas.

To see the guerrilla theater performance in action, position yourself along Congress Avenue Wednesday around 10am. The performances will take place at the intersections of Sixth, Eighth and Tenth Streets, in that order.

According to Carboni, anyone who is passionate about this cause and would like to answer questions is welcome to join the procession. The performance will also be recorded and transmitted virally to share the group's opinions and garner support for their cause.

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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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