One of the best things about Art class, has been how much it frees you up to try new things and step out of your comfort zone. In 2014 I found the courage to attend my first ever Art class, it was a 3 hour evening course every Tuesday with Cheri Hunston. I learnt so much, she really pushed me to go darker with my tones and without Cheri, I wouldn’t have gained the confidence to start sketching people in public. Towards the end of the 2014, I had an opportunity to join the Plymouth Arts Club. I mainly wanted to join for the life drawing sessions, but what’s surprised me the most, is how much I’ve enjoyed the random weeks where we paint and do things out of our comfort zone.

Sometimes it goes horribly wrong, like the week I tried to do a collage lol I could show you the results but I don’t want to scare you :) If you ask nicely I might lol These non Life Drawing weeks have proven to be really exciting; a nice fun way to just let your hair down, hard for me as I haven’t got much, unless I’m wearing a wig lol. Sometimes we get tutored classes, like Life Drawing with Ian Barlow, Watercolour Painting with Wendy Parkyn or Understanding Tone and Colour with Louise Courtnell. Sometimes we do still life, sometimes we paint, sometimes we even have competitions, with little prizes.

During the Plymouth Hoe Art Fair I took a few photos of the scenery, including one of Drakes Island, which ended up becoming the basis of a landscape drawing for one of these competitions. We were tasked with drawing/painting something that reminded us of Plymouth. You can see my pencil drawing below, I had never produced a landscape drawing at the time, but it was so much fun! I even finished runner up.

While non of this artwork is going to set the world alight, it isn’t about that, it’s about being free to experiment and have fun. Art class allows you to try things you wouldn’t normally do. I can’t imagine my life without being part of an art class now, it is so vitally important, and to think for months I put off joining due to fear. If you’re scared to join an art class, I urge you to just do it. Honestly, Artists are the nicest people in the world :)

“If you want something you’ve never had, you must be willing to do something you’ve never done.”