That's Life

6.45 pm Tuesday: I am walking up to the Firestation (2 Willis St, Armadale, Vic 3143) for our weekly Life Drawing class. My mind starts to fret ... will the person who is on "opening up" duty be there or will there be a group of disconsolate looking people waiting on the doorstep and I will have to run around in circles a lot opening and setting up.

6.55 pm Tuedsay: The model's podium is ready. People are drifting in and setting themselves up with chairs and easels amongst the printing presses. The music is ready, but where is the model? Again my mind starts to fret. Will he/she be late, will he/she turn up at all?

7.15 pm Tuesday: All is well. I know that I should show more trust in humanity. Despite seemingly failsafe procedures there have been occasional disasters which have rather dented my already precarious confidence in the world.

It is quiet apart from soothing music, the scratching of charcoal and the occasional grunt, moan or expletive from the class as they struggle with drawing the ever challenging human form. We do a variety of 2, 5, 10 and 20 minute poses with breaks for the model in between. We all have our favourites. Personally I always seem to be more satisfied with the results of my 20 minute poses (see egs below). During the breaks, new people are introduced and everyone chats amicably.

9.00 pm Tuesday: It is time to pack up. Money has been collected and the model paid. The time has flown.   Everyone seems to have enjoyed themselves. They are a friendly bunch. You could join us some time.

At the moment we are all starting to sort out work we want to put into the third annual That's Life exhibition at the Firestation, which is on at the end of June. Getting it hung will keep me busy. There will be a casual opening on Saturday June 30th. Come along and join us.