October 25, 2016
Over this past weekend I was thrilled to attend two drawing workshops with The Gallery Girls. One at Trickster in Berkeley, and one at The Red Victorian in the Haight Ashbury neighborhood of San Francisco. For me it was like a homecoming. Jennifer Fabos Patton, who owns and produces all of The Gallery Girls event's, was joined by models Taryn Nicole Piana and Amanda Achen. All from LA.
Drawing workshops provide a resource for artist to work and practice outside of the formal environs of a "school." I met Jennifer Fabos Patton when I lived in Orange County, CA and was showing my work (Plein Air Paintings) at the Studio 7 Gallery in Laguna Beach. I also wanted to do portraits and figure work and had not the time, nor the funds, to go to a formal art school.
Jennifer has taken the ideas of the lively social scene of early nineteenth century Paris, where art salons could be found in Cafes, Clubs, and Bars all throughout the City, and created an opportunity for artist, and models alike, to mingle and socialize, make art, and have fun.
Jennifer Fabos Patton produces Art Events and Parties, with opportunity for every level of artist pursuing figure work, to paint and draw in varying locations, with multiple models, and always exciting themes which add vitality and a contemporary vibe to the events.
Some are straight drawing workshops, most are Art Events centered around drawing or painting and include food, and libation, Belly Dancers, themed music from DJ's to Live Bands. Began in the Los Angeles area almost thirteen years ago, today The Gallery Girls can be found in San Francisco, New York, and beyond `The Pond' also.
There are long pose workshops for artist who want longer, still, pose to work on. While other Drawing Parties and Events are typically three or four hours, and offer poses ranging from five to twenty minutes. Some of the drawing Salons have become Events in themselves, attracting and selling out big crowds, many of who are not artist per se, but people who want to be around and involved in the actual creative process of the art scene.
The models for The Gallery Girls are some of the most well known in the industry. Art Models must be able to emote, and hold a pose with absolute stillness, for at least twenty minutes minimum. It is one of the most difficult aspects of being an art model. Events are always themed, and of course, can include nude as well as `costumed' models, both male and female.
Many of the models for The Gallery Girls work for major animation and film studios, as art models, and as actors. You'll also find a plethora of artist from students to pros who work in the industry everyday. Artists from animation, comics, and the gaming world mix with beginners and students and build The Gallery Girl community. Its great for new artist to feel welcome and to make genuine friends with seasoned professionals who provide encouragement and advice.
I count many artists I've met at The Gallery Girls events as friends. Artists who work at Disney, Dreamworks, Warner Bros., and others. I've made friend with professional makeup artist in television and film, who are also artist, and with models who are always delighted to see what the artist have created.
Check out The Gallery Girls Website and Facebook Pages, for workshop dates and locations and come join the fun.
