By Lauren Zimmerman – Web Producer Friday, July 22, 2011 – 1:37pm
EL PASO- A class at the El Paso Museum of art "draws" students by the dozens. NewsChannel 9's Lindsey Ashcraft is "drawing" a blank as she begin this masterpiece. How does one introduce a subject so "sketchy" in nature?
"Art doesn't always make people comfortable. Some art is a little bit more edgy than other types of art. Here though it's whatever you feel you want to draw," said El Paso Museum of Art School Coordinator.
The El Paso Museum of Art offers a life drawing class where budding artists develop a foundation for their craft by keeping "abreast" of the human form.
"You go at your own speed as an artist. There's not an instructor, but if you're comfortable enough to put that pencil to paper and try, you'll learn a lot about the figure within this class," said Cassandra.
About a dozen students gather for each 3-hour session to try their hand at drawing a nude model who does anything but leave little to the artist's imagination.
"Once you start drawing you're not even really focusing on nudity or anything like that. You're just trying to capture this drawing so it looks decent to yourself," said artist Rene Sanders.
The museum employs about 12 models of all shapes and sizes to put the raw in draw by attending classes in the flesh. UTEP dance major Megan Aizpuro says she thinks business while in the buff, focusing on her choreography while inspiring the work of others.
"Exploring stillness is a huge part of movement. Stillness is an art in itself and I think in doing that I also realized that you meet so many great people and you get to see all this amazing artworks," said Megan.
Aizpuro, who began striking poses nearly two years ago, wants to strip away any misconceptions associated with life drawing- nude doesn't mean lewd. She says along with a positive body image, modeling requires patience because students aren't always quick on the draw. She sometimes holds poses for up to 20 minutes.
"If I’m in a lot of pain I’ll count. I'll just think time is passing. Don't worry time is passing or I’ll listen for different things in the room, what I can hear outside the room, what I can hear closer, what I can hear in my own body and I breathe. I think a lot about breathing," said Megan.
I think it's time for a drawl, so NewsChannel 9's Lindsey Ashcraft challenge NewsChannel 9 Tonight anchor, Oralia Ortega, to test her skills against her. Ew, that's definitely one etch-a-sketch you can't shake.
"Sometimes you see drawings where you're like, do I really look like that? You look at a picture and you're like ‘that's nice’ and you see another one and ‘you're just kind of like cool?’ But you know, everyone is here to be inspired in their own way and everyone's doing their own thing," said Megan.
Certainly different strokes for different folks, but you just "draw" your own conclusions. The El Paso Museum of Art will begin offering life drawing classes again this September. Students must bring their own materials and each 3-hour session costs 10-dollars.
