East End Arts & Humanities Council teams up with Long Island artist Charles Wildbank to offer a figure drawing class for all skill levels that teaches artistic process and professional development based on his 50 years of experience as a working artist exhibiting and selling photorealism.
Wildbank holds a BFA from Pratt Institute and an MFA from Columbia University’s Teacher’s College. He is known for his large-scale portraits, still lifes, and abstract waves. Wildbank’s work has been shown in noteworthy venues like Cartier, Rockefeller Center offices, the Hassler Hotel in Rome, and even on the high seas with a mural commissioned by Cunard Line on the Queen Mary 2 cruise ship.
This EEA class features a live professional, semi-nude male model and concentration on fundamentals and advanced techniques of drawing the human figure. Students explore proportions, light and shadow, and shading.
“Students will be offered time-worn skills and useful shortcuts that could accelerate their mastery of the subject,” Wildbank explained, who will also weave in his experience evolving and showing art. “Artists, equipped with the ability to create and design, often question if they can turn their passion into a sustainable livelihood. Art transcends solitary realms, encompassing life in all its facets. Seeking visibility and connection, it operates bi-directionally, fostering unity among like minds. The academic journey [of art classes] familiarizes one with tools and vernacular, intensifying the creative experience within a community of peers.”
“Figure drawing is essential for all artists of all disciplines at any point in their practice. It’s a great way to sharpen your skills,” said EEA Education Director Kathleen Dwyer Ruscick, “We are grateful to have Charles share his incredible technical and life experiences mentoring our students.”
Wednesday Figure Nights with Charles Wildbank starts on February 28 as a six-week series, held every Wednesday from 6:30 to 8:30 PM. Adults of any skill level are welcome. Students can register for the entire series for maximum benefit or select the dates that work best for them. Classes are $50 each or $40 each for EEA Members.
Visit eastendarts.org.