Not Exactly a Rerun

The drawing above is not new- it was first posted on this blog just a little over a month ago on the night I drew it. As to why it's here again, there is a reason. Story to follow.

On those rare occasions when there is a 5th Wednesday in a month, the figure group in Belmar that I regularly participate in will usually claim that night for some bonus drawing. Tonight ended up being one of those occasions. However, I wasn't planning to be part of it. Been a busy day, and the next two will be even busier, and with our next regularly scheduled night just a week away, I figured I'd take the night off.

Despite that, I decided to drop by the Boatworks shortly before the start of the session. Partly this was to let them know I wouldn't be drawing, but mostly I was hoping to get some photos of the Gimme Shelter show while the space was empty. It was my first chance to see most of the work. Hutch had solved the problem of how to display works made from flat wooden boards by installing some long shelves on two walls, so the panels can rest in a groove and lean against the wall. (people like me who wired their pieces are hung on the wall in a more traditional way) It looks like a few people just stuck some photos to their boards, but most artists put in a lot of effort on their pieces, and some were very interesting. Unfortunately, there were giant yellow post-it notes by everything (probably so they know where the labels will go) so I'll have to wait until the weekend to shoot it.

But it turned out that there was another benefit to dropping by the Boatworks. Our group leader mentioned that there had been a request by the BAC to have some of the arts groups that regularly meet there provide a few representative works to hang in the back room while the Gimme Shelter show is up front. I learned that an e-mail had gone out about it today, but I hadn't been on a computer all day to see it. Indeed, a few of our regulars had brought stuff in. I don't have time to frame anything right now, but he said that they would accept things that would be just tacked up to the wall, if I could bring it over the next few days.

I went home, figuring to eat dinner and relax for the night, but I realized that the best time to get them something was right then, so I grabbed my most recent figure drawing pad and went back to Belmar. At that point the group was on a break, so I showed a few options to the group leader. He really liked the one above (as did the model, who was standing near by), so that's what I went with. The rain had more or less ended, so I took it outside and gave it a few passes with some spray fixative, then tore it out, trimmed it, signed it, and left it with the others.

There's no special reception for this back room show, but it will be on display during the run of Gimme Shelter, which has its opening on Saturday March 3rd, from 5 to 8 pm, and runs through March 23rd. Definitely worth checking out.