Contour Drawings

A variety of contour line drawings in which Etienne loses his head...

Recent Figure Work

This term I filled a sketchbook with figure work done in Derwent Inktense watercolour pencils. I like the way they feel when I draw - working a bit smaller than usual and trying to maintaing a loose, but accurate style. I put the water on at home, where I can lay the paper flat for a bit of control. These sketches are anywhere from a few minutes to 15 minute poses with a variety of models. Some of them are still waiting to be painted - I'll post them later.

Too Loose??

These conte drawings were done with my left hand - so yeah - a little loose but I'm happy with how they turned out. These are from our Friday drawing at Neilson Park. We get some brilliant models - they give us interesting and subtle poses and that great energy that fuels inspired drawing.

Recent Works

I take every opportunity I can to draw from the figure. These are some recent works from my Friday Figure Drawing drop-in at Neilson Park Creative centre, as well as some from a workshop I took with John Leonard in April. 

Back To School

This summer was great - full of new experiences in learning and teaching. I participated in a 5-day workshop at SynStudios 'Gathering of Masters' in Montreal, taught for 2 weeks (Life Drawing and Paper PopUp) at Haliburton School of Art and Design, spent a week with Steve Rose in his Impressionism: Passion, Power and Paint at OCADU, and still had time to swim, bike and hike. 

Fall classes are filling up quickly - I'll be back at Visual Arts Mississauga and Neilson Park Creative Centre, teaching Drawing to all skill levels. Whether you are an absolute Beginner, or you've had some experience and want to explore new ways of seeing, or learn new media techniques - I've got lots of offer and looking forward to an exciting Fall session.

As well - check out up-coming workshops: A two-day PopUp workshop at CBBAG,

and Oct.31 Magic Monday at Visual Arts Mississauga.

In November, I'll be teaching a 4-day Pastel Workshop at Neilson Park.

Click on the links to see class information. 

Life Drawing at Haliburton

Time is quickly running out to sign up for summer classes at Haliburton School of Art and Design. I'll be teaching an introductory course of Life Drawing, July 18-22. A great, intensive week of learning the basics for absolute beginners, or an excellent class for those wanting to improve their drawing skills. I'm a long-time Life Drawing instructor and I maintain an encouraging and safe classroom environment in which to learn. You can check out student testimonials here.

Full immersion is the way to go, and the summer vibe at Haliburton is fabulous! 

Summer is Coming…

time to sign up for art classes at Haliburton School of Art and Design!

 If you or someone you know is interested in learning how to draw from the model, I'll be teaching Life Drawing: Basics and Beyond July 18-22. A great opportunity to immerse yourself in drawing from life and to enjoy Haliburton at its summer best. I've been teaching Life Drawing for a few years, as well as including it in my regular art practice. Students can count on expert guidance in an exciting and supportive class atmosphere and enjoy watching their drawing skills improve daily.

I'll also be leading a one-day workshop in Paper Engineering, Saturday, July 16. Have fun playing with paper pop-up. You can contact me here, or on my Helen McCusker Artist page on Facebook if you have questions.

Starting Soon….

Classes at VAM and NPCC will be starting up soon and I'm looking forward to a busy Fall Season.

It's looking like all my Drawing classes are a 'go', but there's still room left if you want to sign up. 

I'll be teaching Introduction to Drawing at VAM on Tuesday mornings, and at NPCC on Thursday evenings.

Intermediate Drawing will be on Tuesday afternoons at VAM and Thursday afternoons at NPCC.

I'm also looking forward to Introduction to Life Drawing, Monday evenings at VAM.

Magic Mondays are a new product being introduced at VAM. Three hour Introductory Workshops for Adults,  no artistic experience required. Plus refreshments! I'm looking forward to teaching Pen & Ink on Oct.5 and Paper PopUps on Nov.2.

NPCC will be hosting my Pen & Ink workshop on Sunday, Oct.18, and my PopUp Workshop (for Adults) on Sunday, Nov.1. 

…and for me….Figurative Drawing on Fridays at Neilson Park.

So - if you're thinking about taking art classes - the clock is ticking. Hope to see you there!