State of the Arts

Mix with the arts this May at these 8 mesmerizing Austin exhibits

Embrace the enthralling art scene in Austin this month with a diverse and eclectic creative display. Artists Brittany Ham and Justin Korver have fun subverting historical depictions of gender roles in European tapestry scenes in “The Chase,” at grayDuck Gallery. Trá Slaughter’s art offers a moment of reflection and contemplation at Ao5 Gallery, while photographer Lawrence McFarland is captivated by the West and the joys and sorrows of the open road at Lydia Street Gallery. Whatever your motivation is for May, these exhibits will enchant and inspire.

grayDuck Gallery

“Brittany Ham & Justin Korver: The Chase” — Now through May 28
Artists Brittany Ham and Justin Korver were drawn to European tapestries, specifically the metaphor of the hunt as an allegory for the relationship between men and women. Ham and Korver have fun inverting this portrayal of men as masculine predators actively pursuing the passive feminine prey, introducing setting, character, and plot through a series of sculptural works.

Flatbed Press Gallery

“Flatbed Flatheads” — Now through June 3
"Flatbed Flatheads" is a group exhibition of Flatbed Community Press members, Flatbed staff, and Jerry Manson resident artist, Enrique Figueredo. The display of prints will represent a broad range of styles, from Mexican motifs in woodcutting, linocuts, and etchings to polymer photogravure, stone lithography, and experimentation with large multi-layered panels.

Yard Dog

“Harry Underwood: Inspire Me, Please” — Now through June 17
Harry Underwood's oddball narrative paintings incorporate stenciled images and hand-written text using latex house paint and no. 2 pencils. He has a soft, muted palette that's both nostalgic and retro, while his writing ranges from philosophical musings to sharp political commentary. His paintings are like postcards depicting characters in their lives of leisure from another era.

LandSpace

“Sarah Fisher: When I Walk I See Things” — May 7 through June 7
Sarah Fisher has cultivated a daily practice that merges walking with art making. Her creative process braids her experience with anxiety into her compulsive need to create, connect, and converse. Influenced by Georgia O’Keeffe, who sought solace and inspiration in daily walks, Fisher couples her need to get up and move with her desire to lose and find herself in her surroundings.

Ao5 Gallery

“Trá Slaughter: Mood Indigo” — May 12 through 30
Trá Slaughter’s work has been described as a “visual conversation” between the artist and the viewer. His pieces invite the viewer to engage with the artwork, to question and interpret its meaning. In a world that is often chaotic and overwhelming, Slaughter’s art offers a moment of reflection and contemplation, often exploring the outward expression of our inner emotions.

Lydia Street Gallery

“Lawrence McFarland: From Dodge City to Shiprock” — May 13 through June 18
The photographs of Lawrence McFarland, Professor Emeritus at the University of Texas at Austin, function as a metaphoric poem. McFarland says they define not only his photographic journey but his life. McFarland’s images show the joy and the sorrow of the open road, the horizon line that you can never meet, and the pursuit of the spaces sought after.

Women & Their Work

“Paradise Bloom” — May 20 through July 6
The group exhibition examines the idea and definition of paradise. Paradise can be a location, feeling, sanctuary, or mythology that provides peace or safety for someone or from something. Through paintings, installations, neon lighting, and photography, "Paradise Bloom" poses the question, do we bloom in paradise or does paradise bloom in us?

Bullock Museum

Courtesy of grayDuck Gallery

"The Chase," Justin Korver at grayDuck Gallery

“The Harmon and Harriet Kelley Collection of African American Art: Works on Paper ” — May 20 through October 1
Explore the history of Black art in America through the themes, styles, and subjects interpreted by 19th, 20th, and 21st century artists. Pivotal moments from the Harlem Renaissance to the Civil Rights Movement are represented through intimate drawings, turn-of-the-century watercolors, pastels, bright abstract acrylics, gouaches, and mixed media works.

galleries museums exhibits the arts

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."

visual art drawing books