susanna | amselm van rood

I was trained at the Slade School in London in the ’60s. In 1979 I spent a year in India, where amongst other things I was searching for a way to make my drawing into a spiritual practice, similar to the meditation & yoga that I had been studying.

On an Ashram in Poona someone gave me a copy of ‘The Zen of Seeing’ by Frederick Franck. This book was all about how drawing can become a spiritual discipline and it completely answered my search. I have been practicing ‘drawing from life as meditation’ ever since.

I started teaching this radically different approach to drawing when I came to Melbourne in 1993. My Awakening The Eye course has been running at the Linden Gallery Arts Centre ever since.’

~Anselm Van Rood | Awakening  the Eye, Linden Centre for Contemporary Arts

 The next Awakening the Eye course runs 18 July – 12 Sept 2011.

What others are saying about the ATE course:

“I thoroughly enjoyed this course. For me it was a breath of fresh air in the sometimes stifling world of art…I highly recommend this course to anyone who is interested.”

“I feel I’ve gained more in this short course of eight weeks than in the five previous years…”

“A great process…I have really enjoyed your inspiring re-education of my eyes, heart and hand…thank you”

” [It gave me] the freedom to explore my creativity in drawing. I have overcome fears that I am inadequate in this area.”

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Want some free promotion? If you wish to have your course or session featured on the MLD blog, send an email to blog@melbournelifedrawing.com and in 350 words or less provide background or tell us what inspired your sessions, how people can expect to benefit from attending them, and or feedback about them. Also send through a supporting image (max 2MB, in .jpg format preferred). MLD will randomly feature sessions on this blog.

Princes Hill Community Centre Photo: Kate Dwyer Drawing: Di Colk

Like to get your life sessions featured on the MLD Blog?

MLD will select and promote an entry here and MLD networks in the coming days so don’t miss this opportunity to have your session promoted.

Take care

The MLD team

This blog will be used for MLD updates, stories and links to items we think will be of interest and inspiration to MLD subscribers, life models, artists, educators and students ..pretty much anyone with enthusiasm for drawing the human form.

The purpose of this blog will develop further over time of course but we welcome any suggestions for specific content you would like to see included.

To keep you motivated, here is some serious observational drawing by Australian artist Ginny Grayson, winner of the 2008 Dobell Prize for drawing:

Untitled 2007

Ginny Grayson, Rest 2009

To see or learn more about Ginny Grayson’s work visit:

Ginny Grayson at Harrison Galleries and at Place Gallery.
Ginny Grayson’s website

And if anyone ever asked you why exactly you engage in what some have called an outmoded practice, well here’s a brief yet inspiring perspective from art critic Robert Hughes:

Enjoy, and have a great week!

Regards

The Team at MLD