Hello, dear Art Valet readers! Did you miss me?
With no art markets this summer, I took some time off for a few personal projects. I figured that for my return, I should at least start with something that would attract attention, and Archway Gallery sent this to my inbox.
Archway Gallery will presentTaken from lifeSaturday, August 3, 2024 from 5:00 p.m. The exhibition features works created or inspired by weekly life drawing sessions. It was curated by a team of Archway artists, including Trudy Askew, Cecilia Villanueva, and Maryam Lavaf. An artist talk is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.
Archway Gallery is located at 2305 Dunlavy, Houston, TX 77006. Complimentary valet parking and light refreshments are available.
For the uninitiated, life drawing is a fundamental exercise in learning to draw the human figure. Clothing is optional, which makes for some great discussions among student artists. I vaguely remember life drawing being a hot topic when I was a freshman art major in college. I'm sure the conversations revolved around rumors about who had been a model the year before and who might be on stage in upcoming classes.
What I do remember is that I went shopping at a men's clothing store to buy a winter coat, and the salespeople and I got along like old friends. As our jokes turned to the fact that we knew each other in such a small town, our connection hit me like a bag of rocks. My face would have made a great subject for a color theory class because it took on every shade of red.The man standing before me, unrecognizable, fully clothed, and to my horror, was a live drawing model in my art class!
Since 2014, Houston-area artists have supported a life drawing program at Archway Gallery. Each week, artists gather in the gallery, in the time-honored tradition of learning about the human form. Artists choose to work from short poses in the front gallery or hour-long poses in a separate area. These independent study sessions allow artists to complement their creative work and training with the practice of figure drawing, generating a flow of ideas, information, and inspiration in an art-filled environment.
Liz Conces Spencer, “Joel” (submitted image)
Participants are a mix of professionals from all fields, students, retirees and full-time artists. No membership is required and costs are moderate to allow for frequent visits. Initially scheduled only once a month, the life drawing sessions have grown in popularity and are now held every Sunday morning from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The gallery opens at 1 p.m.
In connection with the exhibition, aCharacter Drawing MarathonThe life drawing session will be held at the gallery on Sunday, August 11. The scheduled life drawing session will run as usual from 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and will last 12 hours until 10:00 p.m. The models are nude during the regular session hours, but during the gallery hours, from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., the models will be clothed. Starting at 5:30 p.m., the nude models will pose for the artists again. Posing times will vary for the second and third sessions.
The cost to participate in each session is $20. Patrons and artists who come during opening hours and choose to participate are welcome. The second session is suitable for all ages and the gallery has a supply of art supplies if needed. Light refreshments will be served throughout the day.
Professional artist models for the morning and evening nude sessions will be paid as usual at an agreed hourly rate. We are looking for volunteers who are willing to pose for the clothed sessions, with the promise of an hour or more of fame and perhaps a drawing or two of themselves to take home.
For more information, visitArchwayGallery.comor call 713-522-2409.
Cohen is an artist and the founder of the First Saturday Arts Market. Visit his website at ArtValet.com
