Artist Andrew Castrucci Evening Class on Thursday, March 20, 2014

The hours before this class were so crazy and certainly affected my personal presentation, yet these artists still pulled out great work.

Well first about me:

• My Mom had been hit by a car while she was not hurt to need to be in a hospital, I wanted to be sure she was okay. This meant I had to forfeit my afternoon class. Now I never cancel lightly, because I lose money I can not get back.
• Then the traffic was annoying. The bus driver was trying to make up for lost time and ends up getting pulled over for spending. So it was becoming clear I was going to be late.
• My phone died, so I thought. I could not call ahead. Turns out I need another new phone. My phone has just started powering down whenever it sees fit.
• Finally, I make it to class and then I get sick.
• In all my running around, I had forgotten to eat ALL DAY. I woke up at 5:30 am it was now 7:00 pm and I had only eaten once the day before. It hit me when I began to get lightheaded. This is not how I normally treat my body at all.
• So I was determined to finish this class for the students. I had to shorten my poses and have the fan on high plus keep drinking cold water. 

So with all this disruption this is the great work the students have done. This class focuses on the abstract, esp. using different materials to create the artwork.

Artist Sebastian on Marble

Sketch by Artist David before
deciding which view he wanted
to paint from.

Quick Sketch Study by
Artist David

Study by Artist David

Study by Artist David

Artist Christina add plastic
bottle to accent parts of
her painting.

Artist Ken added
Newspaper

Artist Anna

Artist Laura using strips
of duck tape

Artist Sebastian and more marble

Artist David's Finished Work

Tyler School of Art's Open Figure Drawing - November 5th

Artist Katie

Artist Katie

Artist Katie

Artist Katie

Artist Laura

Artist Tom

Artist Tom

Artist Danielle

Professor Alphonse Van Woerkom's Protrait Panting Class at SVA-NYC on November 4, 2013

Artist Adam

Artist Isaac

Artist Isaac

Artist Issac - Notice the improved confidence 

Artist Debra

My muscles still do the same thing...

I was telling a friend I was posing for an Anatomy class today. She ask but how can the see what your muscles are doing? I replied no matter my size, my bones, muscles, etc does the same thing as someone smaller.

When I pose for such classes, it challenges the knowledge of the students knowing how the body moves. No they can not 'see' my muscles. They have to use there knowledge of the human body to understand the pose I have chosen.

I blogged earlier, I pose on purpose. I chose poses that are going to test the knowledge, because they can not 'see' with their eyes. I never stand straight up and down, I am always twisted and leaning.

I love what I do and I am good at it.

Artist Ashley from the Plethora of Pretty Portraits for Professor Susan Moore's Painting Class Fall 2012

Artist Ashley had the challenge of finding the lights when there was little light to help. I really love the painting. It is from the first pose I did for this session. The not so painful pose.

I pose on purpose

When I chose a pose or poses, it is always with what the professor is telling the students they want to see.

For example, today in class, the point Professor Dona Nelson from Tyler School of Art wanted the students to focus on was relationships. She was not looking for a finished artwork as much as she was looking to see that the students were using relationships to make proper measurements.

I could have chose an easy square pose, because I get paid the same whether I do an easy pose or a difficult pose, but I never like choosing easy poses. Easy poses are as boring for me as they are the artist. There have been times I have taking poses that are down right painful, because of what I wanted to project. Not that any professor would ever have a problem with me changing, it is a personal choice. When I commit to a pose, it has to be very very very painful for me to break it. When I first started, I had a couple that I broke for that reason. It challenged me to get my stamina and strength up.

Back to the pose for the class, I chose my version of a parallelogram. It made my pose interesting and still gave the students makers to relate certain parts of my body to the other. For example, on my right side, I purposely rested my arm midway between my knee and hip but also placing it vertical to my heel.

I take my place in the class very seriously, because education is serious to me. It is important that I am aiding in inspiring the students to take what they are learning seriously in partnership with their professors.