Arts in Austin

Austin's Blanton Museum of Art names new director of public programs ahead of major redesign

Kenyon Adams is the new director of public programs at the Blanton Museum of Art.

Courtesy of Blanton Museum of Art

As the Blanton Museum of Art prepares to reveal its comprehensive redesign next spring, the museum at the University of Texas at Austin has announced a new director of public programs, Kenyon Adams.

A Senior Fellow at the Hannah Arendt Center at Bard College and Resident Artist at Texas Performing Arts at The University of Texas at Austin, Adams moved to Austin from Brooklyn in 2021. Among numerous accolades, he previously served as strategic development advisor to Fusebox Festival and as founding director of the Arts Initiative at Grace Farms and the SANAA-designed River Building in New Canaan, Connecticut. There, he developed and led public arts programming for an award-winning international institution that welcomed a variety of audiences.

“We are delighted to welcome Kenyon Adams to the Blanton,” said Blanton director Simone Wicha in a release. “He brings a wealth of experience in the arts and a proven track record of success in visionary public programming. Our new grounds have been designed to open the museum into the city, inviting people in to experience creativity and community throughout. I’m confident Kenyon will help us create programs that make the most of these beautiful new spaces, our collections, and our exhibitions—ensuring the Blanton is a vibrant and beloved destination.”

According to the release, Adams will lead the Blanton’s public programming in this new role with a goal to further strengthen the museum’s presence among its audiences here in Central Texas and beyond. The lineup will pair with the museum's already-popular events series such as Curated Conversations and SoundSpace while also inaugurating the outdoor performance spaces on the new Moody Patio. Currently under construction with a projected completion date of spring 2023, the patio will become a centerpiece of the Blanton’s revitalized grounds.

“I’m thrilled to join the Blanton during this transformational stage and lead its public programming in a reimagined space,” said Adams in the release. “The unique potential of public programs is the opportunity to activate spaces in ways that connect audiences, mission, and institutional memory. I greatly look forward to working with the team to further engage Austin’s diverse communities.”

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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