Inaugural group exhibition for a tour-de force of London’s life drawing scene.
We are proud and feel incredibly privileged to be hosting this first exhibition for award-winning* life drawing community Bare Life Drawing, in partnership with West Norwood Library and Picturehouse and featuring the various artists who attend (and enrich) Bare’s drawing sessions.
At Bare Life Drawing, creativity and connection are considered essential components of personal, spiritual and professional growth, with a mission to provide safe, inclusive, and welcoming environments for artists and creatives to connect, network, and forge meaningful relationships.
This exhibition strengthens the creativity and connections celebrated by Bare. It also speaks to our mission for developing human and capital through the arts, nurturing learning and growth through creation. One way we do this is by providing platforms for creative communication, of which our exhibitions programme is a hallmark.
Sales proceeds from all sales will go towards supporting contributing artists’ growth and funding public programmes in advancing and diversifying engagement in visual storytelling. Critically, a percentage of every sale will also be donated to Bare Life Drawing itself, helping to ensure its longevity and social impact.
Free to attend. Opening times: West Norwood Picturehouse | West Norwood Cinema | Showtimes
*Prestige Awards: Art School of the Year - London and South East England 2025/26
"I've been dedicated to life drawing across London for over a decade. Working primarily in chalk and charcoal, I focus on capturing the character and emotion of the subjects through expressive portraiture."
"I'm interested in psychology and the struggles of mankind and mortality."
"My work isn’t just about image-making, it’s about witness. Whether I'm drawing someone in motion or sitting with them in stillness, I'm always looking for what breathes underneath the surface. The energy. The weight. The softness. The untold.”
Anne Rogerson
"I'm an amateur artist interested in capturing movement."
"I love the immediacy of life drawing, the shifts of the pose as the model settles, the energy in the room and the shared experience. I choose charcoal as my preferred medium to respond with fast and fluid marks, covering as much of the paper as quickly as I can, then working back into it until the clock calls time."
"I am reclaiming my creative practice."
John Ware
"This is an early attempt at trois crayons, which seemed to suit the light and the beautiful form of the model, Margie."
"My portraits are inspired by the charcoal drawings of Frank Auerbach."
"I wanted to capture the energy of each of the different models, feeling their energy, while using the same medium, watercolour, to show the physicality and style of each person - the masculinity of the tattoos, muscles and leanness, as well as the softer side of each pose. In my view, as an artist, the poses felt feminine despite the models being masculine, creating a balance I crave in a picture."
Susan Head
"I like to layer up each person I draw, drawing over drawing over drawing, to give a sense of their body in space over time."
"I'm a local artist who focuses on life drawing and painting. My work is centred around capturing the energy and presence of the human form. I use traditional materials like charcoal, chalk and pastels to create both quick sketches and more detailed drawings. These tools help me work freely and expressively, allowing each piece to show both movement and emotion.
I also paint, often using my drawings as a starting point. Whether I’m working in black and white or colour, I’m always exploring how to bring feeling and atmosphere into my art. My creative process is about observation, expression and staying open to where each piece might lead."
“I’m a set designer and installation artist. Drawing provides some quiet time for peaceful reflection."
"Practicing drawing with Bare offers something that I do not get from my day to day working life which is much more technical-based, so this practice to me is flow, contentment, focus, pleasure, proudness, satisfaction."
"I’ve been a graphic designer for fifteen years but don’t have a fine-arts background. Life drawing for me means unlearning and getting out of my head. It’s the privileged experience of following your eyes as they lead you into a free flow of rediscovering the wonder of human form."
"I like to embrace mess and mark-making, playing with the model's form through gesture and expressive lines. In this way, I feel able to express the emotions they inspire in me, where drawing becomes a frenzied and cathartic release of chaotic energy."
Alan Patrick
"Mountebank Artist. Give generously, Garret and Muse to support."
Matt Loosley - 2024
Charcoal and chalk on paper
30 × 40 cm