The Blanton Museum of Art
I remember complaining to my boyfriend about how I’ve been having a creative block for a while. No new ideas were coming in, and projects that I started with excitement, have been sitting dormant, and unfinished. He told me, "Yea, but you've been chilling at home for a while, right? Inspiration will come to you when you're ready to go out and explore again." He was right!
In acting class, we would go over techniques, and ways to connect to your character, but acting coaches would always remind us that to be a great actor, you must go out, and have life experiences. You should travel, explore, learn something new, because being an actor is about bringing your uniqueness to a role. That means bringing your experiences, and perspective to a character, which can be hard to do if you stay locked up in your apartment.
I knew I was in a bit of a funk from all the exhaustion and newfound grief moving to Austin brought, but once I realized being a homebody was now hindering my creativity, I knew it was time to get back out there. I was in search of some inspiration!
One of the ways I find inspiration for my creativity is to see what other creative people are up to. So, I decided my first solo, self-love date in Austin would be to go to the Blanton Museum of Art. (And since I'm a baddie on a budget, I went on Tuesday, because the museum has free admissions every Tuesday! Let's gooo!!)
As you all know, I love a good art museum. I never get tired of exploring them because:
There's always new art and exhibits to discover
There are different ways you can enjoy art museums
When I went to Basquiat's art exhibit, I went to learn more about him as an artist. I ended up discovering how his family's aspiration to preserve his legacy connected with my own desire to preserve my mother's. This museum visit was for learning and connecting.
When I went to the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, I went to manifest my own academy dreams, and to geek out over one of my favorite passions– movies. This museum visit was for dreaming and basking in something that brings me joy.
Now, I was going to the Blanton Museum of Art for inspiration. I wanted to know why these artists made these pieces. What inspired them? I also gave myself the assignment to find a couple of pieces that spoke to me, and use them as inspiration to create my own art. It could be a film idea I got from a surrealist painting, or song lyrics that come to mind when I look at a photograph, or sculpture. This made my visit to this museum unique, and like a fun scavenger hunt!
My favorite exhibits I saw were Native Americans: In Translation, and Long Live Surrealism! 1924–Today. Native Americans: In Translation features contemporary indigenous artists, and ranges from photography, to sculptures and interactive installations. I loved Martine Gutierrez's Indigenous Woman, a collection of self portraits that appears to be in the style of a high fashion magazine which questions the origins of gender, and what makes a native woman. Koyoltzintli's photography collection MEDA was captivating. It captured the movements of the mythical Sky Woman, believed to be a primal, two million year old ancestor. I also loved Rebecca Belmore's vibrant photograph, Matriarch. There was even an interactive installment by Marie Watt, Sky Dances Light, an artwork inspired by the Jingle Dress Dance, a healing ritual believed to cure illness through sound. This one was fun because you were invited to touch the artwork, and create your own sound, which is special because in art museums you aren’t usually allowed to touch the masterpieces.Â
The surrealism exhibit was so cool because it was essentially 100 years of surrealism art over all different kinds of mediums. I was really excited to try to come up with a film idea from this exhibit because so many of the pieces had so much going on in one canvas, the ideas and stories one could make from one piece were endless. I also got to see Ernie Barnes’s famous painting, The Sugar Shack in person which was really cool. There was also an art installation in a form of its own building called, Austin by Ellsworth Kelly. I really enjoyed this piece too because it has beautiful color windows that create art within the walls as the sun hits them at different angles. This made beautiful prism-like light reflections fill the space. It was so peaceful there, and the colorful lights had an uplifting effect. It was definitely a great place to go to to get out of my funk.
Lastly, what really made my visit to the Blanton Museum of Art special was making my own art while I was there! They had this little section (most-likely designed for kids lol) where there were papers, colorful tape, pencils, etc. for visitors to make their own art. With my mission to find some inspiration being the main reason for my visit, I couldn't resist making something. I allowed myself to be spontaneously creative, with no expectations for what I was making. I simply allowed myself to have fun, and I did! I'm proud of how my little masterpiece turned out! It was a great way to get out of my own head about my creativity, and just freely create something, then and there.
Going to the Blanton Museum of Art was just what I needed. It was a lovely outing to get out of my apartment, and to start exploring Austin. It gave me some fun homework to see what creative ideas I can come up with from taking inspiration from the incredible art I saw. It also reminded me that art is about freely expressing yourself. It doesn't have to be about making something great, or pressuring yourself to perform, but simply seeing what you can create when you are present in that moment.
If you would like to check out the museum, and the exhibits I saw, here's a link to Blanton's website. And again, if you're looking to save some cash, make sure to go on Tuesday when admission is free! See what inspires you, and challenge yourself to get a little creative too!
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