A new life drawing class has begun weekly sessions in Stirling city centre .
The Nudy Two, ran by Mia and Chelsie, runs every Wednesday at 6:30pm in Made in Stirling on King Street.
The class is catered to both beginners and experienced artists, with guidance, art supplies and support on hand in each session.
Both lecturers at New College Lanarkshire, the pair decided to organise a local life drawing class after their students mentioned that the nearest classes, all in Edinburgh and Glasgow, were inaccessible and unaffordable.
Mia, who is also a board member of Creative Stirling, quickly set plans in place with her college coworker to create a more convenient and informal option for her pupils and for the public.
She said: “Yes, life-drawing is a really important artistic skill, but what we really wanted was to create a community where likeminded people could come to a space and enjoy each other’s company.”
Mia is also the founder of the The Cube Project, the largest contributory art project in Europe.
Through this, she understands the importance of creating community through art.
She said: “We want to give as much as we can out to people. We realised we couldn’t do as much as we wanted to through the college, so we decided to start this here.”
Getting the attendants actively involved in the class is a priority for Mia and Chelsie.
Welcoming feedback on themes, mediums, and more, the pair want the group to feel like a creative family venture.
Mia said: “A lot of people coming are already quite creative in different ways. Equally, we have people who wouldn’t consider themselves creative coming along too.
“Drawing can spark your imagination in lots of different ways. It’s more about being inventive and bringing the group together than it is about creating perfect, amazing pieces of art. If that happens, it’s a bonus.
“It’s all the sharing, the communication, the imagination, the laughs… it makes the group feel good.
“That’s basically it- we want to create a ‘feel good’ space where people can have the confidence to try new things and get creative.”
From the feedback they’ve received so far, Mia can see The Nudy Two has the exact atmosphere she hoped for.
She said: “We get brilliant feedback. Everyone said they couldn’t wait for the next session.
“Now, we are just really looking for people to spread the word and come along. We don’t want people to be nervous. People are welcome to come even if they’ve never drawn before. Everyone is welcome.”
The Nudy Two offer a student discount. Guests can pay for a single session or five sessions, with no pressure to attend five consecutive weeks.
Bookings can be made online. More information is available on their Instagram @thenudytwo.
Feature image credit: The Nudy Two
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