Written by Tori Smith, Public Relations and Social Media Intern 

Jan. 31 is National Inspire Your Heart with Art Day. Interested in learning ten ways toward inspiration? Look no further! 

Visit DOMA 

The David Owsley Museum of Art is located at 2021 W. Riverside Avenue in Muncie, Indiana. The museum houses over 11,000 works of art from all seven continents and features special exhibitions during the academic year. There are two entrances to the museum: one located in the Quad and the other directly off Riverside Avenue.  

Visit Minnetrista 

If you’re interested in looking at art but want to venture off Ball State’s campus, the closest museum is Minnetrista, specifically, the Bob Ross experience. The Bob Ross experience is an hour-long, self-guided tour costing $8 for residents with a local address. There, you can see where Bob Ross filmed his painting process, read old letters viewers sent to him, sit in an 80s-themed living room, and walk through an art gallery of his work. 

Indulge in Arts and Crafts 

Are you creative at heart? If you’d rather be an artist then look at them, then indulge in the art of your choice, whether that be knitting, crocheting, painting, fashion design or more.  

Find Art in Nature 

Sit outside (or in front of your window) and see what aspects of art you can find in nature. Do the sharp lines on the falling leaves remind you of an abstract painting? Do the grooves on the tree make you think of paint strokes against a canvas?  

Enroll in a Virtual Art Class 

If you’re more interested in virtual artistic opportunities, there are still ways for you to indulge in a creative way. If you’re a Ball State student or faculty member, you have access to Udemy Business, a learning platform with topics ranging from business to communication, to art. There are classes about basic artistic skills, shading, digital art and character drawing. 

Visit a Virtual Art Gallery 

With the constraints of the COVID-19 pandemic, museums have had to get creative on how to visit their galleries during lock down. Fortunately, there are still virtual galleries open for you to visit online. Google Arts and Culture provides virtual galleries, a weekly newsletter and information about different artists. 

Explore Your Digital Skills 

If you’re a Ball State student, you have access to a free subscription to the Adobe Creative Cloud that you can request access for through the Tech Center in Bracken Library. If not, there are free graphic design programs online like Canva and Figma with no extra cost to you.  

Engage in Ekphrasis 

Ekphrasis is a way to blend writing and art. This can be shown through painting, writing, sculptures and more. Sit down for five minutes and stare at a piece of artwork. What words are coming to mind? What do you feel? Exercise your ekphrasis skills and engage with the art. Interested in learning more about ekphrasis? Read here. 

Do Research 

Did you know that art used to be a part of the Olympics? If not, consider doing some research and finding out five fun facts about art and the artists that are behind it.  

Recognize and Appreciate 

Take a second to appreciate yourself for all the knowledge and perspectives that you’re gaining by visiting art museums, exploring digital platforms, researching artists, and experiencing new things.  

As always, thank you for reading the DOMA Insider! DOMA is free and open to the public; we are open Tuesday – Friday 9:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., and Saturday from 1:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Check out our website at bsu.edu/doma.