Back to Life

mixed media study, 36" x 48," 10/17/10

detail

detail

mixed media study, 36" x 48," 10/17/10

detail

mixed media study, 48" x 36," 10/17/10

detail

detail

mixed media studies, each 22" x 30," 10/10/10

charcoal study, 22" x 30,"9/26/10

mixed media study, 9/26/10

On Sunday afternoons I attend a Life Drawing group at MECA from 3-6pm. We have a model, and Rob Sullivan orchestrates the poses, which vary from 5-20 minutes long. These are some of my drawings, with the most recent at the top of the post. The past two classes I have been working with a fat paintbrush taped to the end of a long stick, starting the drawings with these bold ink lines, and then working into them with pastel and charcoal. I've also been using the long stick to draw/paint with pots of tempera and acrylic. Last week I worked on very large paper, and next week I plan to work even bigger, and will pin my paper to the wall, next to the model stand. Last week I began to put several poses on one page, and plan to do alot more of this next week. These couples, or trios, or larger groups sharing the page create dynamic psychological and emotional relationships on the stage. Drawn dramas, if you will. So juicy and free and FUN. Ahhhhhhh.

I've been teaching life drawing for several years, now, but have not been in a figure study group of my own for a long time. Funny, though. All that teaching - all that looking at the model, and all that time spent behind my students' easels looking with them, has been like time spent drawing. I don't feel rusty - I feel primed by that experience! Interesting...