everyone's an artist

at the end of 2005, i started jonesing for an outlet for artistic expression--i'd been working for a while for an organization that paints murals (among other things) in intercity parks and schools--and I became fascinated by how well a fresh coat of paint and a simple design could brighten up even the saddest of locales.

understand, that i have, for years, thought i had little to no skill in the areas of art and design--but i've always kicked around a variety of creative outlets--writing, knitting, painting the bathroom, graphic design, etc. anyway...in november, i decided to bite the bullet, and registered for a beginning drawing class at the school of visual arts in chelsea. as expected...i'm not great at all this...my first class was all figure drawings--and let's just say, the learning curve on this when you're just starting out is pretty steep. I didn't even know how to hold the pencil; it's like learning to write all over again.

According to artist and professor of art anatomy Sarah Simblet, there's hope for me. Simblet is the star of a BBC3 reality tv show called life class--where she is teaching 6 people who have absolutely no background in art that they can draw--and they can do it well in as little as a week.

“When I meet most beginners the first thing they say to me is, ‘I don’t know how to draw.’ They convince themselves before they arrive that they can’t draw. I love the challenge of proving them wrong.”

Not being in the UK--I don't know if she pulls it off--but if I know my reality tv M.O...she probably does. Let me know if you've got the scoop on this. The UK seems to be the place to embrace your left-brainedness, though. in just a few short clicks, I dug up not only this BBC special, but also a Campaign for Drawing, a not-for-profit designed to give people around the UK the chance to draw again--because everyone has drawn before:

1200 venues across the UK offered an exciting programme for The Big Draw 2005 - with hundreds of events for adults and children - involving artists, designers, architects, cartoonists, illustrators, scientists and the Campaign's own patrons. These activities were mainly free and widely accessible. They drew on every kind of subject - from landscapes, architecture, portraiture and still lives to the imaginary, optical, digital and scientific.

The Big Draw 2006 will take place in October. Register here. I'm actually considering taking a trip over there...and letting myself free for a little while.

Simblet may be right, though--in only a few short hours, my drawing, with the help of my amazingly encouraging teacher, went from chicken scratch to discernable outlines of the human figure. I was amazed that i had it in me, frankly...which is great, because it will keep me going back for more.

For now...I'm going back to the web for more tips and tricks...and a few models that I can work from before I ask my roommate to donate time to the cause.

fix your jones for loosing the creative part of yourself @ portrait-artist.org and drawingpower.org.uk

Posted by sarah t. at 2:07 PM