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Boston's first Dr. Sketchy's Anti-Art School Burlesque Life Drawing Class

Post #963 • March 1, 2007, 12:37 PM • 11 Comments

Last month I had the honor of attending Boston's first Dr. Sketchy's Anti-Art School Burlesque Life Drawing Class, and it was a total scream. Allow me to break it down for you: Dr. Sketchy's, which describes itself as what happens when cabaret meets art school (which I don't see as antithetical activities, but no matter), hosts open drawing sessions featuring burlesque dancers taking it off a bit (just a bit!) at a time, to the appropriate bump-and-grind music. Truth Serum Productions brought Dr. Sketchy's up to Boston, specifically to a bar in Allston. After a reading by instigator Molly Crabapple from her book, the lovely Devilicia posed for a packed house of draughtspersons. Devlicia, who appeared in a variety of costumes and lack thereof, is the kind of woman for whom the term zaftig was coined. As Truth Serum proprietress Aliza Shapiro photogrpahed the event, Devilicia yelled out, You better put a wide-angle lens on that, baby! Hooting and hollering, which was encouraged along with paper donations into the tip bucket, turned out to be a bit of an effort in the midst of the act of drawing, but I haven't had this much fun at a figure drawing class since the model invited me back to her place that one time. (Note to Supergirl: Many, many years ago.)

Burlesque life drawing met with such an enthusiastic response, it will take place hereafter in Boston on second Sundays. Pictures might be a bit much for your place of employment.

Comment

1.

BMD72

March 1, 2007, 2:00 PM

Do they serve alcohol at this?

2.

Franklin

March 1, 2007, 2:10 PM

Do they serve alcohol at this?

And how.

3.

Wow

March 1, 2007, 2:11 PM

sounds like art to me.

4.

Elizabeth

March 1, 2007, 6:22 PM

BMD....very funny

5.

ahab

March 1, 2007, 6:51 PM

Do they serve alcohol?

It is called Truth Serum Productions, after all.

6.

Darren

March 1, 2007, 7:00 PM

That's completely rad! I wish I was in Boston, how much does it cost? I would love to go to a figure drawing session like that!

7.

Franklin

March 1, 2007, 7:20 PM

Darren, admission was seven bucks. A bargain. Alternately to a visit up here, you could start a local chapter.

8.

Jack

March 1, 2007, 8:12 PM

Franklin, I'm afraid this won't do. It's very bourgeois, very retro, and it sounds like it was actually fun, which only makes it more objectionable. You should be dealing with things that are disturbing, depressing or somehow transgressive (in a Chapmanesque way, of course). Really, I shudder to think what Kathleen would think of such a spectacle. I expect that all the best and the brightest of the Miami art establishment are positively appalled. You've been very bad.

9.

George

March 1, 2007, 9:04 PM

Not burlesque but Comic Abstraction at MOMA.

Article

10.

Katie

March 2, 2007, 1:04 AM

Thanks for sharing this! There's a Dr. Sketchy chapter just started in Denver and I was on the fence about checking it out. Now I know I gotta go.

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