A teacher from Bury is providing drink and draw classes at several locations, and helping build a community and tackle body image issues through art.
Secondary school teacher Lynsey Sestanovic explained that she ran similar sessions before the Covid-19 lockdown but stopped after the pandemic.
However, when her husband’s mother passed away last summer, they decided to try out another life drawing class in Bury.
After attending, it was clear how much the activity helped her husband switch off for a couple of hours, and how beneficial it was to his mental well-being during an incredibly difficult time.
Lynsey then decided to start up her own classes again and currently runs two sessions per month – on Monday nights at the Hare and Hounds in Ramsbottom, and Saturdays at Stanley’s of Tottington.
She explained that her job as a head of department in a secondary school made it difficult to offer more classes, but that the project was never intended to be a main source of income.
"For me, it was never a big business plan," said Lynsey.
"It’s not a big money maker. It’s just about allowing people to be creative and teaching people as well."
While some art classes cost upwards of £60 per head, Lynsey charges just £13, including a £1 booking fee for the ticket operator.
This fee covers all materials, which are included, as well as paying for models and other running costs.
For Lynsey, seeing people develop their skills and confidence is worth more than any amount of profit.
She said: "What’s been really beautiful is seeing people who’ve come for the first time having never done any drawing classes.
"What they then start to produce is just incredible.
"It’s so lovely watching people grow and progress.
"I can think of a couple of people that could barely put anything together on paper initially and now they’re really confident and trying different things."
Lynsey added that the friendly, welcoming atmosphere and steadily building community has been a big part of the classes’ popularity.
"We go round and give tips during the break.
"It’s lovely because everybody chats to each other and everybody’s really friendly with each other.
"It’s just a really nice community."
Another important aspect of life drawing that Lynsey highlighted was its power to directly challenge the toxic body ideals often portrayed in modern media.
"The other thing for me is the beauty of the human body and being around that in such a lovely environment, where we’re not looking at these perfect ideals on social media where it’s all about being skinny with flat stomachs.
"We’re looking at real people, and it’s a privilege that these models allow us to draw them.
"Some of the ladies are very curvy and that actually makes them better to draw in a lot of ways, because there’s more to draw and it’s more interesting."
Seeing real models with normal body shapes can help people come to terms with their own body image issues, Lynsey says.
"I think it helps you with your own issues with self if you’re seeing real bodies and thinking ‘actually, this is what normal is’ and it’s not what we see online all the time.
"The love of creativity is the reason I started it all."
Lynsey’s classes have received plenty of positive reviews, with many happy visitors referencing the ‘chilled atmosphere’ and ‘friendly, no-pressure environment’.
"As soon as the music starts the world becomes nothing but shapes, light and shadow.
"Everything else pauses.
"A breath and a sweep of the hand and the world is under your control.
"If only all of life was this easy," said James.
Emma added: "I came to do this for something different, what an experience, switched off for a whole two hours.
"I’m not a drawer but thoroughly enjoyed myself.
"I have been a few times now and will continue to keep coming.
"You don’t need to be a good drawer to come to these events at all, just come, be yourself and enjoy the peace."
And Luke said: "Thoroughly enjoy it every time we are here.
"Everyone is so friendly, encouraging and offers advice.
"You don’t need to be an artist, just give it a go, relax, turn off from the world and remember what it was like as a kid when you didn’t care.
"Give it a go."
Share