Life Drawing: A Lesson in Letting Go
Image by Kayla Orbell
Life drawing is not for the faint hearted. Nor, it seems, is it exclusively for the uber-talented.
I now have a few classes with the Gold Coast-based Life Drawing Sessions under my belt. Any natural talent for drawing the human form that may be hidden within me has had ample opportunity to show itself and claim its place in my creative world. Sadly, said talent is limited to the near-perfect sharpening of charcoal pencils. But still I go.
It could be a number of things that draw me back so frequently to Life Drawing Sessions. I attended my first class pre-COVID at the Home of the Arts (HOTA), but later in 2020 I started attending classes at the glorious Dust Temple in Currumbin. Just up the road from the Byron Shire, the Dust Temple has a magical way of making you feel like an artist regardless of your level of talent.
Seriously, this converted warehouse is something else. From the moment you check in, you feel transported into the world of the artist. The space is host to varied events and exhibitions and it’s simply divine. This unique gallery is the temporary home to local, national and international artists, musicians and poets. And I can see why. I wonder if anyone would mind if I moved in?
Live music at each life drawing class offers a truly sensory journey into creativity. The music combined with the space and the models make the perfect inspiring setting. I’ve heard these sessions described as a long meditation. They are. While instruction isn’t specifically given, there are plenty of materials to borrow and the short warm up sessions get you into a creative groove.
The catering is simple but good. One’s art should not be hijacked by a fancy meal. Give me a roast beef toastie or falafel plate to sit on the floor by my brand new 2B and 6B pencils. A glass of wine is also a welcome creative lubricant.
These sessions attract people from all walks of life. Maybe that’s why I love it so much. Men, women, grey-haired, super young, incognito art teachers. There are ridiculously talented artists with watercolours, as well as plenty of people like me who are there to give it a go, tune out of the structured world and immerse into the artist’s place for a couple of hours.
For this life drawing newbie, there is a quiet and beautiful sense of support from the surrounding artists. The models – or muses – are different in every class and sublimely professional. I’ll be honest: I felt incredibly uncomfortable during my first class. Where to look? What to draw? Is there anything else I can draw that doesn’t make me look like I’m staring at the private parts of a stranger? That pot plant at the side of the stage is interesting. I drew unspoken inspiration and guidance from the artists around me. No one is gawking. Or sniggering. In fact everyone is seeing something uniquely different, and this is translated onto sketch paper with charcoal, pencils, paints and pastels. Some artistic translations are abstract, some are incredibly accurate. All seem sacred in some way. I soon understand this is a beautiful opportunity to share space with and draw a naked human being. The lines, the curves. We are all so different yet so similar. Every class is a creative, silent celebration of being human.
So I go back. I’m really not getting any better at drawing, but I’m definitely getting better at surrendering to the process rather than obsessing about the outcome.
Life Drawing Sessions are held in Brisbane and the Gold Coast. Sessions at the Dust Temple in Currumbin are held on the first and third Thursday of the month, 6.30pm - 9.00pm for $30. Food and drinks available at the venue. Materials are provided.
I’m clearly not the only one who has discovered this creative gem. Tickets to classes sell out well in advance so do what the regulars do and book early.