The Joy of Gesture: An Abstract Art Making Workshop

This abstract-art workshop at the Austin-Irving branch lets participants engage with ideas from two Art Institute exhibitions currently on view in Summer 2026—Willem de Kooning Drawing and *Beyond Form: Abstraction at Midcentury*. After a short introduction to the work of midcentury artists who turned to abstraction in response to war and political upheaval, attendees make their own art using provided materials. The exercises are billed as low-pressure and relaxing, with no experience expected. The workshop runs Wednesday, September 30, from 6:00 to 7:15 PM.