Life Drawing Wales - The Longest Running Indie Art Class In Cardiff

Yes, we are the longest-running independent art class in Cardiff, by a long chalk ;) Established in January 2010, we haven’t missed a beat, delivering regular life-drawing sessions in fine independent cafe and bar venues across the city. We’ve been settled in Little Man Coffee Co now for a good few years but in the past have operated out of Milgi’s Yurt on City Road, Cardiff Arts Institute (a Brains pub) on Park Place, Cathays Community Centre, Nos Da Hostel, opposite the Principality Stadium and Ten Feet Tall, a cocktail bar on Church Street. All but Cathays Community Centre have long past disappeared from the rich tapestry of Cardiff’s cafe and bar scene, but Life Drawing Wales goes on!

Fair Pay and Conditions

Andy developed the group in 2010 after becoming tired of poor tutoring, cold rooms and very low pay. From the get-go Life Drawing Wales guaranteed to pay all models the agreed minimum UK life model rate. Where possible, we committed to pay more. The only caveat attached to this was that models wouldn’t work elsewhere for less. This has served us well with only a few models undercutting the group and so being kicked out of the team. Life Drawing Wales, from its inception then, was a pressure group, driving up the wages and working conditions for sessional life models. We continue with this today, regularly berating other life-drawing groups for their low and even no-pay policies. Further, we vet every location, ensuring there is a heater, changing spaces and the general loveliness of the art space.

Unique Sessions

From the get-go we regularly worked with multiple model sessions, which takes the pressure off each model and is unique in the delivery of standard life drawing evenings. We continue this still today, with various opportunities to draw multiple model compositions. Further, we developed a series of themes and performances to add texture to the evening of sketching and models are encouraged to utilise any particular skills within their work as a model. Think singer bringing in a guitar and serenading for a while prior to holding a pose or a dancer working through a few moves before freezing. Make-up is sometimes introduced, most particularly at Halloween. As the veil is lifted the models become horrors ;)

Where else have we worked?

Little Man Coffee Company, ITV3, BBC Radio Cymru, BBC 3, The Guardian, Chapter Arts Centre, Come Dine With Me, Coleg Gwent Newport Campus. Neath Port Talbot College, Cardiff and the Vale College Barry Campus, The Bridge MPS, University of Glamorgan Foundation & Art Practice. Cathays Community Centre. The Project Space in Newport, Coleg Gwent AS/A Level and Diploma Courses, 10 Feet Tall Cocktail Bar, Buffalo Bar, The Atrium – University of South Wales Animation, Harry Holland – The amazing figure artist. Cardiff and The Vale College Cardiff Campus, Bridgend College, The Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, Coffee1 Swansea, Beaches on Tenerife, Beaches in Wales, Cyfarthfa Castle, Castell Coch… And… Cardiff University Art Society, Student Association of the Welsh School of Architecture, The PostPort Office – Newport, Third Floor Gallery Photography and Performance. Merthyr Tydfil College, Coleg y Cymoedd, University of South Wales Caerleon Campus. Porthcawl Community Centre, Milgi Lounge, Nos Da Studio Hostel, Inkspot Arts and Crafts, The Arnolfini Theatre, Garth Olwg Lifelong Learning Centre, CreativiTea Cafe in Nelson. Beaches across the globe :), Y Pant Comprehensive School, Ogmore Tipi’s, Private Houses/Holiday Cottages from Bala to Newton Abbot. East Devon Art Academy, Third Floor Gallery, Charmouth Art Evenings. The Art Workshop in Rhiwbina, Carnegie House in Bridgend, The American Museum in Bath, Cynon Valley Museum, Abergavenny Community Centre

An important part of our work…

is to be seen to be confident naked. We want all who draw us to be encouraged to feel better about their body image, to feel confident themselves. We all live in skin and skin is beautiful. Effectively we see ourselves as a counterweight to the crap that mainstream media attempts to immerse us in. We attempt to repair the damage done by magazines, newspapers, TV and film. That’s a big ask but we keep on trying… 

You can book us for your drawing class or attend our weekly sketching practice by visiting us at our website.

You can support us in these ways too!

1. Subscribing monthly via Substack

2. Making a one-off contribution via BuyMeACoffee

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