The Prince Regent, Herne Hill, 1 May 2024
Upon returning to a life drawing group for the first time in over two years, one doesn’t wish to be late. But trains let me down. Cut to the chase: I had to walk from Denmark Hill to The Prince Regent in 23 minutes. Google says it takes 34. I did it in 18.
Artwork by Jake Attwell.
Artwork by Jake Attwell.
Artwork by Jake Attwell.
Artwork by Gabrielle Bradshaw.
Hot and breathless but trying to look composed, I staggered up to the pub’s first floor where I found SketchPad Drawing and organiser Lisa exactly as remembered them: from both my last visit in February 2022… and my first visit in Janaury 2015. 🙂
Artwork by Jake Attwell.
Artwork by Joris.
Artwork by Jake Attwell.
Artwork by kris_kringlev2.
Artwork by Maria Beddoes.
The group now occupies only one function room instead of two, but that’s fine by me. It’s less limiting than posing in a doorway. We were a little late starting so I recovered enough to stand for a 10-minute pose, then four of 2 minutes, before sitting for 10s.
Artwork by Gabrielle Bradshaw.
Artwork by Joris.
Artwork by Jake Attwell.
Artwork by Ian Thomas.
In the last 15 minutes before our break, I perched on a table’s edge with hands round my head in a favoured Egon Schiele-style. The extended joys of a pub-based interval meant we could squeeze just two poses of 10-15 minutes into the second half.
Artwork by Maria Beddoes.
Artwork by Keith Whitworth.
For the closing poses I got a slightly-less-than-subtle hint to turn my face toward Lisa so she could sketch a portrait. Any time she wants to see more of me I’ll be delighted to return! Two years had been way too long… but it felt like only yesterday.
steve ritter 