Austin's art scene was largely shut down by the coronavirus pandemic, but now it’s slowly starting to reopen. One example is Bass Concert Hall. It’s been off-limits to audiences for almost a year but was just transformed into a gallery to allow audiences back inside.

The exhibition of 12 vintage backdrops painted for MGM films reveals their techniques for creating grand illusions.

When she’s not teaching painting, you’ll find Karen Maness putting the finishing touches on her own works of art. Maness teaches at the University of Texas in Austin, but the paintings she works with at UT are Texas-sized! They’re old movie backdrops Maness helped acquire from MGM, now housed at UT.

In another clever move to use the currently empty Bass Concert Hall at the University of Texas, the vast stage will turn into an exhibition space for 12 historic — and enormous — hand-painted film backdrops.