Sunday, November 16, 2014

A Ritual in need of special attention!




Jane Lewis reminds me that Monday mornings has its own special ritual...somewhere in Sudbury, most Mondays, you will find a group of people who love to draw the model.  They are covering the windows with plastic, stretching a sheet over a bed sized piece of foam, carrying furniture from the hallway, unpacking their charcoal, pencils, ink and pastels while preparing for the arrival of the model. We have a series of different models and Sue organises the whole thing brilliantly.  Some models have been coming since the group began.  It is a very special gathering. 

There is a ritual to the process: we sign in a book, pay our contribution, look intently, make as little noise as possible, hoping to capture the model in some way while she moves from pose to pose (before tea). We look at each other's work, refill the kettle and discover each other as another week passes. After tea there is always a twenty minute pose, but someone always forgets this 'rule' and it's been that way for twenty years.  I agree with Jane, our life drawing group is the quintessential ritual!

What a fabulous idea, and what a beautiful piece of mail art!

2 comments:

  1. I agree, practicing one's skills in a warm, supportive environment is wonderful ritual. It nourishes one's spirit! Thanks for telling us about your experience.

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  2. Thanks for your lovely comment, Carmela!

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