Artist Pose

Sometimes the model doesn't show!  I think every group runs into this now and then.  Fortunately artists, as a rule, are a generous group.  We had the opportunity to draw one of our fellow artists, Kathy. 
Here are a couple of drawings:

                                                  left by Nancy Everett, right by Nancy Blum

Style

Finally posting some artwork from the Thursday Group.  Some of the members have been painting/drawing together for several years.  It's fun to watch the progress and directions people take..  Do people who draw together end up drawing like each other?  Or do people stay with a group where they share some similarities?
I think the more people draw, the more they become "themselves" and can feel free to express their own style.

Here is some work by some of the members -- with their own characteristic style:

 drawings by Nancy Blum

 paintings by Nancy Blum

by Maxine  Hess

 by Elizabeth Stallings

by Elisha Fields

by Susan Proctor

 by Joan Quillen

Why Draw?

Well, I've been quite late in posting. We have had some great models since the last pictures: Stephanie, Irene,  Annie, Derreck , Lauren, Ann, Tina, and Emerald.  Some of these tried modeling for the first time and others are well known among Atlanta artists and by the paintings they have inspired (some in collections throughout the country).

We've had a good turnout to the group in the last several weeks.  It's always interesting for me to watch each artist work.  Styles are so different and the artwork seems to say as much -- or more about the artist than the model.  What brings people to try to capture the human form and spirit is quite fascinating to me, and I hope some people will comment about what continues to lead them to draw and paint the figure.

I  took a trip to Taos and Sante Fe during this time.  Besides the fabulous art and wonderful landscapes, people and food, I was inspired by a book by Paul Brunton.  He was not writing about art, but wrote of "the quietness (that) uncovers the essential being"...  "The way (the) body moves, works, walks, behaves, reveals something of the inner man, the ego.  But non-movement, sitting quite still, can reveal even more -- the being behind the ego."

This, to me, is the excitement of a long pose.  It certainly doesn't always happen, but there is the potential for connecting with another and capturing something important of them or oneself.  Another Brunton quote: "What are these symbols but attempts to make use of art for man's loftiest purposes - the transformation of his consciousness?"

New Figure Model

It's always good to get a call from someone who wants to try posing.  I think all artists should try sitting for other artists at some point in their careers. Here are two images of Tom:

                                      These are by Elizabeth Stallings (left) and Nancy Blum (right)

Yoga

We had a yoga instructor, Beth, pose for us.  She brought her beautiful dog along.  I don't have any examples of any drawings with the dog, but perhaps they will follow.  The model, Beth, is the daughter of talented artist
Susan Smith.

Here are some of the drawings/paintings from the group:

from left to right by Elizabeth Stallings, Elisha Fields, Joan Quillen, and me (Nancy Blum)

Mona

This was Mona's first figure pose and she was wonderful.  A very creative person too.
Below are two works created during the session.  Left by Elizabeth Stallings, and right by me:

Joe

We had Joe pose for us.  He was new to our group, but had just had a session with Shane McDonald's group the evening before.  Despite getting hit by a drunk driver on the way home, he did a terrific job.

Here's my drawing of him: