Last chance to view life drawings

TIME has almost run out on the chance to view the works of four Ballarat region artists in the Draw the Line exhibition at The Old Butchers Shop Gallery in Soldiers Hill.

Bill Davies, Peter Drakeford, Lisa Nolan and Monty Osewald have teamed up for the exhibition, which has been running every Saturday and Sunday throughout this month.

But it will end this weekend, so anyone interested in viewing the range of traditional and experimental figure drawings should get to the venue at 112 Seymour Street soon.

The exhibition opens from noon to 4pm and entry is free. Works are available for purchase.

The artists are all regular participants in the Sebastopol Life Drawing Group and joined together for the exhibition on the initiative of Osewald, of Daylesford.

He said he learned the gallery had a free month so he approached owner Julie Bennett about possibly mounting an exhibition there.

Ms Bennett agreed, and Osewald asked his three colleagues – Davies is from Bacchus Marsh, Drakeford is from Ballarat and Nolan is from Learmonth – to join him.

They did, and more than 50 works have been on display in salon style.

Osewald said about 70 people attended the opening day, including life model Helen Wells in costume, and there had been a steady flow of visitors since.

“It’s been a really big success,” he said.

Life model Helen Wells in costume at the exhibition’s official opening earlier this month.

Osewald said drawing the human form can be one of the most challenging things an artist can attempt, but often forms the basis of great art.

Many artists use life drawing “to keep their hand and their eye in,” he said.

Each artist has their own distinct style and approach to life drawing – Osewald’s style is primarily linear with the use of colours; Davies uses pastels; Nolan’s style focuses on tone; and Drakeford uses a computer program to enhance his drawings.

The artists have taken it in turns to be present during each weekend’s opening, but all will be there this weekend.

The Old Butchers Shop Gallery is a small independent gallery that exhibits the diversity and talent of artists from the Ballarat region.