By Laura Castro
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The Art of Figure Drawing
NEA/Pinellas Recovers Grant Update
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Art making is generally thought of as a solitary experience. Picture the lone artist holed up in their studio for hours, only emerging once the work is complete. A local remedy to that isolation can be found at the Figure Drawing Workshops happening every Saturday at the Morean Arts Center, where live models pose for a group.
The experience can best be described by regular attendees Dean Fortune, Paul LeRoy Gehres, Douglas Land, Arnie Lipsey, Polly Perkins and Rebecca Skelton.
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How long have you been figure drawing at the Morean?
Fortune – I started drawing at Eckerd about 1983. Maybe 1986-7, Doug got me to go to the (Morean) Arts Center at the old building on the second floor up a rickety staircase!
Skelton – I think I started coming to drawing in 1987 or 1988. I knew about it for a short time before that but was a bit intimidated. A friend I worked with felt the same, so we went together several times. By then I was hooked.
Land – I have been drawing at model sessions at the Morean since the early to mid-1980s. I began attending sessions in the small two story building nearby on 1st Avenue South, the prior art center.
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Why do you keep coming back?
Gehres – Figure drawing is an important part of my art practice – it keeps my eyes connected to my brain. I’ve been doing it since art school in New York then Pittsburgh and now St Pete.
Lipsey – Figure drawing at the Morean is really the most welcoming, accommodating and technically well-equipped setup I’ve come across, with careful attention paid to lighting the model correctly. Before the pandemic, I found a number of venues in Toronto for figure drawing, but none were as relaxed, accessible or reasonably priced. Not to mention the fact that the sessions are an all-day affair. That’s hard to come by.
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Have you made any friends from figure drawing workshops?
Gehres – [It’s] always fun to see how others draw. I love to talk about drawing with others and have made many friends.
Land – I have made a number of friends and met many fine artists over the years through these sessions. Many participants are involved in other artistic projects and events in this area, as well as outside St. Petersburg if they live in other areas. We now have a figure art copy exchange book project for those wishing to participate each year. From time to time there are also figure art shows based on these model sessions.
Fortune – Well art is not generally a very social thing to do, however sitting in a room of a bunch of other people doing the same thing is the closest you get to doing ‘social’ art. Even if you do not interact with anyone else (a lot of us are not very social), it is different than sitting in the studio all alone! Everyone doing the same thing kind of validates what each one is doing.
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What would you tell someone who is curious about getting started figure drawing?
Skelton – Bring yourself, whatever drawing tools you have, any or no experience and accept the challenge. We are at all levels – anyone with an interest is welcome.
Perkins – Sketching from a live nude human is the best way to train your eye and hand, no matter what kind of art you do, from animation to sculpture. It’s a practice with a long history that goes back to The Renaissance. Most art schools include this type of drawing as a basic course. Don’t be afraid of nudity – sessions are formatted to make sure the model and participants are comfortable. No photos are allowed either.
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How have the figure drawing workshops helped you?
Fortune – It is the artistic gymnasium, where you can work out and keep your skills up. Just show up with a pencil and paper, no forethought, just do it! I am one who is not naturally driven to do art – however, figure provides subject that over the years naturally evolves and lets you explore theme and variation.
Land – The sessions have helped my growth tremendously over the years. Development of skills learned in classes and study is primary. Building confidence has been important, and also learning by watching others work and seeing a variety of ways to work and the results. Over the years, myself and others can then also be an influence on those just starting out creating art from model sessions.
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What is your favorite aspect of figure drawing?
Perkins – The professional models are inspiring! They know how to hold a pose, and because many are dancers and artists themselves, they know what poses are good to draw from. The variety of body types and ages at these sessions makes for great practice.
Lipsey – It helps me keep my chops. It continues to sharpen and maintain my observational and analytical skills and helps maintain my eye-hand coordination and sensitivity. I then take those sharpened skills back into the studio and apply it to my painting, which I regard as my primary creative output.
Skelton – I enjoy the process. I am never unhappy with the act of looking, drawing, repairing and experimenting.
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Do you participate in any art events before/after a figure drawing session? View the art in the gallery, go to Second Saturday ArtWalk etc.?
Perkins – Thanks to the Drawing Workshops at Morean Arts Center, I’ve met and made friends with many area artists. Drawing together, sharing the experience, and checking out each other’s sketches is very helpful. And we often have lunch together at eateries nearby.
Lipsey – I regularly check out the gallery downstairs. And there’s no shortage of good museums in town.
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Artistic growth does not happen in a vacuum. The Figure Drawing Workshops at the Morean Arts Center are a gem in the St. Pete art scene where practice – and fellowship – makes perfect.
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Find the schedule of upcoming Figure Drawing workshops
at the Morean at figuredrawing-stpete.com
Soft Water Studios offers open figure drawing in St. Pete’s
Warehouse Arts District. Find upcoming sessions here.
The Dunedin Fine Art Center offers open
figure drawing workshops and 5-week classes.
The Morean Arts Center is a recipient of the Pinellas Recovers Grant,
provided by Creative Pinellas through a grant from the
National Endowment of the Arts American Rescue Plan.
