©
2019 Luke T. Bush
PLATTSBURGH
CITY, NY -- 8/29/19
For too
long the chasm between Koffee Kat and Heritage Printing has been
dead, empty. Decades ago a fire had destroyed the building that once
sat there at 100 Margaret Street.
But
thanks to the efforts of Joe Ferris the vacant lot is seeing a
rebirth. On Thursday evenings at 5:30 PM (weather permitting) he
conducts a free al fresco figure drawing class. A hay wagon is being
transformed into a performance stage which allows Joe to pose for his
students. This evening only one student is in attendance but it
takes time to build up a following.
Joe aims
to create a nexus for local artists. He feels there's a need for
artists to meet each other and share their interests. That's why the
figure drawing class is free, opening it up to more people to
participate. Students just have to bring along a drawing pad and
pencils.
He
begins his lesson by telling his student to quickly draw him posing
to get the essentials of the image, not to concentrate on details at
first. Even I helped when he quickly sketched me standing, waiting
to take another a shot, for his student. He pointed out to her how I
was leaning more on one leg than the other.
The
student sat in a folding fabric camp chair, comfortable as she
sketched. The setting is informal, a classroom without walls except
for a towering neighboring building on each side. Sawhorses,
plywood, and piles of two-by-fours evince the area is a work in
progress. In one section a barbeque set up stands, waiting for the
next time when Joe and his parents host another cookout with
reasonable prices.
Joe
poses on the stage: fists clenched in a boxing move, standing with
one arm pulled back as if throwing a football, kneeling with his
hands together in prayer. At one point he locks into a position for
abut five minutes allowing the student to take her time to draw in
the details.
Next
week there will another another free drawing class. And as the word
spreads, the group of like-minded creators should grow.
For more
info: facebook.com/joeferrisart. joeferrisart@gmail.com. You can
learn more about the drawing class and also the Saturday barbeque.
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