Every Thursday night I get to draw the model.
Right next to the old cotton mill I live in is the Greenville Center for Creative Arts. On Thursday evenings from 6 – 8pm I have set up Open Figure Sessions. The nice thing about that is that there is no commitment. Artists just show up whenever they can each week. I normally have 2 models. Just bring $10 and it is free time to practice working from the live figure. Which, honestly, most artists don’t get to do very often and it is really necessary for any kind of improvement.
I think of it like a pianist running scales on a piano.
I don’t think anyone would think of picking up a violin and starting to play well enough to join a symphony orchestra right away. And yet we artists (more often than not) beat ourselves up if we aren’t “good” fast enough when starting down this artistic path.
It take practice. It takes time.
And I told the Center that if no one shows up one night I will still pay the model and work on my own images. We all need practice. But we have been having about 20 artists show up each week.
At the start of every class I give a quick “mini lesson” for new things to think about for the night. I had an artist say to me recently that they didn’t know how I was coming up with so many ways to teach about drawing the figure each week.
Oh my…there is so much to know. So much to think about when drawing… I could teach something new every week for the next few years and never run out of things to talk about.
But of course, I am a gabber.
So join us! We are having a good time and I would love to see you! Greenville Center for Creative Arts, Greenville SC. 6-8 pm.
Can we join in from afar via Zoom or some vehicle? I would love to try this! Thanks, Jackie
Good idea.But I don’t know how to make that work. Painting from life is really different than painting on zoom. Even from a live model. So much gets lost in translation. Maybe one day. But for now check out the New Orleans Drawing Group. They have artists tune in to draw live models every month. Run by artist Sandra Burshell.
Wowser. I only wish I could join you all. Good luck. Happy painting!
I love that second photo! What fun you must all have drawing and learning. Greenville, South Carolina is lucky to have you, Christine! Wish I lived closer.
thanks! 😊
Wishing I lived near you, what an amazing opportunity.
You are awesome!
I need to move to Greenville! As a recent cancer patient, and since the pandemic began, I’ve been painting on Zoom. I wish you could beam me aboard, Christine. I love learning from you and signed up for your workshop.
Awesome! And which workshop? The one with the Atlanta group in April?
I agree. It’s absolutely necessary to draw/ paint from life as often as possible. I do it a few times a week formally and then from a sketch book when I’m waiting in a doctor’s waiting room etc. I can see the difference if I haven’t done it in a while.
Right? I know I need it….
This is just simply awesome! If I lived in Greenville, I’d be there as often as I could. And your models are fantastic 🙂