I attended a reception at the Rochester Art Center last night to recognize the participants in the most recent Art After Hours series focused on life drawing. I was astounded by the caliber of the art, and glad I could speak to some of the participants.

RAC hosts regular Thursday evening Life Drawing sessions, at which the public can participate in making their own art. All skill and experience levels are welcome. A human model is present, and participants draw, paint, or sketch their own rendition of the model. You can bring your own supplies, or RAC provides artist pencils and paper. You make three drawings in a session: a) a two-minute sketch; b) a 15-minute sketch; c) an hour-long sketch. Afterwards, you share your work and everybody participates in a friendly critique. And there’s wine. Did I mention the wine? :0)

Last night, there were maybe 30-40 people present, and at least a dozen of them were participants. I met a few former high school art teachers, a Mayo doctor, and a retiree, to name a few. I had seen announcements about the Life Drawing series, and was interested in attending, but never got there. My first impression after seeing the high quality of the art was that I’d be way out of place. Chad Allen, interim director of RAC, assured me that persons of all skill levels are welcome and should not be intimidated. He impressed upon me that the Art After Hours sessions are as much about building community as creating art.

I plan to work up my courage and try my hand at drawing or painting. Maybe I’ll have a work on exhibit at Rochester Art Center someday!