How have you been this lock-down? Since I am pretty sure all my readers are UK based and now in the drudgery of a third lock-down, I think we can assume we’re all feeling the same. Lethargic. I feel like the joy and energy has been sapped from life, and I am just waiting out until the end and hoping for the best. Daily, it’s a struggle. But these mini lectures and art workshops have given me little pockets of meaningfulness and learning, so I wanted to share them with you.
I’ve been watching The London Drawing Group (LDG) webinars since the first lock-down last year, and they’ve been keeping me going. Even when there is nothing else that’s kept me relaxed, or my mind active, or filled me with a sense of purpose, LDG have been there for me.
LDG are a group of female artists who run art, poetry and feminist culture workshops. Whilst they are physically based in London, they have branched out online as a result of the ongoing situation. This means that their classes are, blessedly, now available to those who aren’t local and can’t travel, making it more accessible to everyone.
For a donation, you can attend the workshops and/or view on demand for a few days (in case you’re not feeling it on the day of the live event). Their events range from art based webinars – like life drawing, drawing exercises and mindfulness workshops – to feminist lectures such as the practice of modern witchcraft, history of goddesses and myths.
Related post: Being a life-drawing model
I’ve littered this post with images that I’ve created whilst attending some of their art classes. I feel like my skills have definitely improved as I’ve gone along – it’s great to look back and reflect on how far I’ve come! The London Drawing Group have really helped me to keep my brain active through their lectures, and helped me recapture my creativity from the jaws of despair. They’ve even sparked me to write an essay; the first one I’ve written since university!
Their classes are inspiring and make learning academically much more accessible, so I wanted to take the opportunity to thank them for all they do, and recommend them to anyone who wants to switch off for an hour and learn something new. I know that personally, I can sit there for ages with a blank page just itching to create and not knowing where to start… so if this sounds like you, check them out!
Here’s a list of The London Drawing Group’s latest lectures and workshops, over on Eventbrite.
