The statue of Edward VII

Pencil Sketch - King Edward VII

This statue of Edward VII in Cubbon Park lies forgotten among many other beautiful works of art in Bangalore. I see a homeless man sleeping under its pedestal, in what little shade it offers from the sun. The marble statue bears the summer heat with composure. I love this statue because of the intricate work on the robes - It's hard to believe they're made of marble, because they capture fluid movement in the folds and creases. This work was commissioned to Leonard Jennings, a British Sculptor, who has executed commissioned works in Kolkata, Patna, Delhi and Mumbai.

Every Sunday, Edward VII looks on as a bunch of committed artists get here to do some serious studies in figure drawing and anatomy. Some are on time, some are laid back ( It's a Sunday, after all)  some don't turn up but no matter the size of the group, every Sunday, these artists make it a point to show up, do some figure studies and some of them even go home and develop these sketches in to full fledged artworks. What astonished me is that most of these artists are professionals, they work in animation, Game art, Illustration, Architecture, Design and are doing art daily in full-time creative jobs, but they still have the enthusiasm to show up on the one holiday they get in the week to, well, do more art! The group is called Life Drawing Bangalore and has been meeting since the past four years.

Each one has her/his own style, way of grasping the essence of the pose and preference of mediums. Obliging models, often with different props, costumes and personality help to improve our art skills and are patient with our requests for different kinds of poses. It's a great community, serious about providing an inclusive space for all artists to come together and pay homage to the beauty of the human body. I suppose, Leonard Jennings would approve.