Sketches from two separate Toronto life-drawing sessions in this post: one “sexy” and one not. The sexy one is the Keyhole Sessions with a gluttony-themed evening… I think you can imagine how erotic life drawing with a food theme might go. The other is the Art Bar at the Gladstone Hotel, the longest-running life drawing session in Toronto (it’s been going on for more than half a century!).
Short poses from last night at the Gladstone Art Bar
More after the cut!
There were about 20 artists at the Gladstone Art Bar, pretty much evenly divided in age between under-35 and over-50. The lovely model apologized because “I get seizures, and the heat brings them on, so you see me like this,” but she did a great job even if she did seem a bit twitchy. It was a very hot, humid day (I had to keep reminding myself, in the sauna-like afternoon, that people pay for this kind of environment).
After Tuesday’s AGO visit and watching Marina Abramović: The Artist Is Present yesterday (I really recommend it — at least read about it if you can’t watch it), I tried to be more free and expressive with my sketches.
Of course, it was also easier for me to feel free and expressive when I had a good seat close to the model. At the Keyhole Sessions the previous week, the room was darker, louder, and more crowded, and I had a more obstructed view. Completely different vibe and mood. I find that some of these drawings seem a bit stiffer — more staged, in keeping with the energy of the event.
Only four days left before we head for Scotland. !!!
These are awesome Lisa; wow, what a sexy session! Sounds like lots of fun and you do really well with such short poses. I hope I get to Toronto and indeed Canada some time. What a shift to Scotland! Can’t wait to find out how that grabs you. Weather over here in the British Isles been typically changeable, plenty rain xx
Thank you so much, Esther!! I feel so fortunate to have had opportunities for life drawing while in Toronto. I love it here and want to come back in the future. You should check out Montréal if you ever come to Canada; I think their political history would be interesting for you.
I can’t wait to see what Scotland is like either. Thank you for the tip on the rain.
It’s going to be a totally different climate!
oooooh i’m LOVING the 2nd and 3rd ones with each iteration done in a single color!!!
Thanks!! I like doing that.
Makes my colors not feel neglected, and makes it a little more exciting for me when I try to decide which color to use next. 
Wow Good for you to seek out life drawing classes to go to in a new city!!!!! That is awesome. and brave!
Thank you, Carla! I’ve made a list of ones to check out in Scotland too. I was really nervous about the first one I went to here, but Erik came with me and that helped. The classes here feel like the ones I took at the Richmond Art Center so they’ve been a welcome little taste of the familiar.
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