Whether you're an experienced artist or just starting, learning to draw from observation is a foundational skill that can never be practiced too much. Come practice and learn about how to draw from life at the ICAA's Cast Hall, using objects that have inspired and taught artists since the nineteenth century.
In this drawing session, led by Gabriele Grones, a 2025 ICAA artist in residence, The session will feature a guided composition combining one or few selected casts, along with simple geometric objects, allowing participants to focus on essential forms and proportions through the geometric objects or embrace the challenge of drawing our classical casts. Surrounded by classical sculpture, attendees will practice observation, measurement, and technical drawing skills while engaging with works that embody centuries of artistic tradition. Instruction will emphasize how to take visual measurements, replicate proportions accurately, and build a balanced composition on paper, with a focus on shapes, proportions, and composition, while also encouraging expressive drawing and line modulation. The class is designed to be welcoming to newcomers and enriching for practiced artists, highlighting the enduring tradition of studying and drawing from classical casts.
All necessary materials will be provided at the ICAA, but attendees are welcome to bring any of their own supplies as desired. The class will have provided:
Gabriele Grones is a painter and visual artist whose work investigates the complex relationship between reality and the expressive codes of art history. His oil paintings focus on specific themes such as natural elements, human figures, and carefully arranged objects. His depictions of plants and grasses are marked by a close, intimate gaze that meticulously reveals the subtle details and layered complexity of the natural world. In his portrait series, Grones draws on iconographic traditions, portraying the same subjects in different poses and lighting conditions. This precise, repetitive observation evokes the rich atmosphere of early Flemish portraiture and the contemplative quality of metaphysical painting. In selected projects, he expands his practice through installations that place his paintings in dialogue with one another. By juxtaposing seemingly unrelated elements, these compositions create unexpected connections and open up new interpretive possibilities, inviting viewers to engage in a symbolic reflection that bridges image and personal experience.