ARTS+ENTERTAINMENT
THE SECRET
DRAWING CLUB
words & photos by Luke Yates
It is no secret that there is a thriving art
community in the South East. With
ample access to amazing locations, and
with people of all ages making their
home here, the area is full of painters,
sculptors, photographers, writers, and
all sorts of other creative people.
One particular art form, life drawing, has been
practiced by humans for centuries, and drawing
from and understanding the figure is considered
essential as a practice – to teach and train the
eye to truly see, and to be able to observe and
identify emotion and gesture, is a valuable skill
in life as well as in art.
Life drawing classes tend to consist of a brave
individual baring all whilst corralled within a
potentially intimidating circle of easels, in an
equally bare, chilly village hall with the curtains
shut. I know this, as I've been a life model. It is
a wonderful experience to suddenly find yourself
conveyed on paper as a piece of art, but it is
exceptionally hard work, and requires patience,
skill and creativity, in order to come up with poses
that challenge and inspire the gathered artists.
And this is where I immediately saw one of the
main strengths that The Secret Drawing Club
has to offer. Husband and wife team, Nick and
Louise Hughes, have a collective array of talent
and experience that in my opinion, really sets the
group apart from your average drawing group.
The Secret Drawing Club is an immersive lifedrawing club t hat delivers exceptionally highquality, unique drawing experiences to its
members. The aim has been to add more to the
tradition of life drawing, using the canon of art
history to inspire sessions, and a different themed
set of poses is presented every week –
complimented by excellent props and music
tailored to the specific requirements of the theme.
When I arrived at the venue for the Secret Drawing
Club (the beautiful and quirky old Chichester
Memorial Hall in Sandgate, which could not be
more suited for such a group), Nick and I had a
long conversation about art and teaching, and
it could not be clearer just how much he cares
for and enjoys what he does.
The Great Expectations' Miss Haversham set
piece he and Louise had created for the group
on the evening I visited, was nothing short of
astounding. Every detail had been painstakingly
thought out, from teacups and family photos, to
drapes and mirrors. There was even a cobwebby
old wedding cake! And Nick's atmospheric
lighting was better than some professional photo
shoots I've been on.
Louise is equally talented and enthusiastic. As a
photographer, I’ve always believed that a person's
character is what makes true beauty, and creates
amazing art. Louise does nothing to prove me
incorrect; she is bubbly, vivacious, and clearly
another people person.
In regards of modelling, she has been highly
successful in what can be a very hard career to
get work in, travelling all over the country and
even modelling in such incredible locations as
the V&A London, and for artists such as Spencer
Tunick. Her poses are incredible – how she
manages to hold them so still for so long, I have
no idea! She takes her work incredibly seriously,
but never takes herself too seriously, making her
really easy to get on with, and creating a very
relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere in The Secret
Drawing Club.
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My overall impression of the evening, and of The
Secret Drawing Club, was that Nick and Louise
are artists in everything they do – from the set
design, to the poses, to the musical ambience
and delicious cakes, everything is done in the
interest of creating a piece of art for artists to
draw. The whole experience is structured yet
relaxed, allowing individuals to concentrate on
their creativity. Poses are designed to challenge
and excite, and if the members wish, they can
be given gentle guidance and tuition.
The Secret Drawing Club endeavours to add
quality to the local creative cultural community.
This has been successful thus far, and Nick and
Louise are keen to expand their catchment of
members and explore the possibilities of delivering
on multiple sites around the region.
The Secret Drawing Club runs every Monday at
the beautiful Edwardian building of the Chichester
Memorial Hall in Sandgate where there is ample
space and amenities for members to enjoy their
experience.
/thesecretdrawingclub