If you are anything like me, you sometimes find yourself bored in Modesto. It’s not that we mean to be bored, because there is so much to do, but because you want something NEW and EXCITING to do. I often browse through upcoming events on facebook hoping something catches my fancy.
Like the other day on facebook, I saw a flyer about an upcoming class.
You should re-read that. And then I hope it sinks in.
The Queen Bean is a local coffee shop, one of the best in town. They often host poetry readings and open mics, and are a refuge for all the black sheep. A place to go and not be judged, a place to call “home”. I come across flyers all day every day, but this particular one had me grinning ear-to-ear because Patrick Barr and Kristy Moore are some of my favorite black sheep…in fact, they are the black sheep that make up The Black Sheep’s Ink.
Patrick Barr is the creator of “Carla Calaveras, Cazador de Los Muertos”, an awesome comic about a 16 year old girl who hunts nefarious creatures, and is also an known for his work as an artist and writer on “Sun Wukong: The Journey Continues”, as well as his stunning paintings. Folks, this guy is talented. AND HE LIVES RIGHT HERE! AND HE’S TEACHING ART CLASSES AT A LOCAL COFFEE SHOP. He went to the Academy of Art University. Barr has animated for Disney. He has been on panels at cons. He draws amazingly. And you can be taught to draw by him personally for $10 a class. That’s a steal.
So I went! There were kids and adults in attendance, and I brought my bestie along for this new and exciting thing to do. Now I was a bit intimidated, even though the class advertised all skill levels welcome. I had not picked up a drawing utensil since kindergarten! I figured everyone was going to draw better than me. (Including the BFF who loves to doodle.) But I was ready to learn.
Patrick started the class with a story about being in a classroom recently, teaching students how to draw a cupcake. A girl who was very excited about her cupcake began shading her cupcake before the rest of class, and the teacher chastised her. Patrick went to the little girl later and told her it’s ok to be excited. It’s ok to make the cupcake how you want it. Many artists get excited, and do things differently. In a very relatable, easy to understand way, he explained to the girl (and to us) that when he went to draw for Disney he found out he was surrounded by people just like him: excited artists, all interpreting the world how they saw it and capturing it in art. There is no “wrong way” to draw. You draw how you see the world. Art cannot be wrong because of that. Picasso was considered wrong, and his paintings are famous now. Just draw what you want, and hopefully we will get better through his tricks and suggestions.
It encouraged me to give this 2 hour- class my all and draw the best face I could.
I watched his every move, watching him transform a funny round shape into a female face.
So come by yourself, with friends, with the kiddos, or if you don’ t have any of your own borrow some (with their parent’s permission of course!) and come for a fun time of drawing with a talented artist. Art classes are almost a mythical creature now, so take advantage of this class. It is drop-in, no commitment necessary, all skill levels truly welcome.
It was the first class of many. We covered faces. We went over face shape, parts of the face, personality, hair, the whole gambit. He went slow for us newbies, and answered all our questions. Upcoming classes will include bodies, feet, scenery, cars and animals. Lots of animals!
For more info on this class, email theblacksheepsink@gmail.com or catch them at Bonanza’s Batman Day Celebration September 17th, from 10am – 4pm.
Queen Bean
1126 14th St, Modesto
