The Gentlemen's Art Club

For a year or more I drew this art group as I tutored them, and in particular these three gentlemen. In a separate sketchbook dedicated to drawings of feet I drew their shoes under the desk. Each pair of shoes has its own distinct personality, reflecting the character of the person within. In the foreground, confident and carefree. His oil paintings casually dabbed and pushed around. His well worn, but smart shoes, always loyally stuffed with pink socks - his rowing colours. In the top right corner, the softly spoken and meticulous water colour painter in highly polished shoes, neatly aligned next to one another under the desk. And in the top left, with just his face barely visible, and forcefully grasping his brushes the former RAF pilot. I wanted the medium and colours to reflect the character of these gentlemen and in particular felt the polished shoes should be depicted in graphite. This dictated the surface and it became a mixed media piece using whatever was necessary to honour each personality.

Oil, indian ink, oil pastel and graphite on panel