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Hi Folks! I wanted to take a moment to explain why I’m canceling February’s figure drawing sessions. Simply put, my plate is overflowing again, and for now, taking a short break from hosting our weekly sessions is the easiest thing to put on pause.   As some of you know, I serve on the boards of several arts-related nonprofits, many of which rely on federal grants. We’ve been bracing for funding challenges for months, and now the time has come to get serious about securing alternative sources—a major undertaking that’s demanding more and more of my time.   On top of that, I’m also in the process of launching my own nonprofit makerspace and starting a YouTube channel. What can I say? I'm a glutton for punishment!   That said, I’m planning to resume sessions in March and have art model Ahna Green booked for the evening of Thursday, March 4th. I look forward to getting back to drawing with all of you then!   Thanks for your understanding, and I appreciate your continued support. Warm Regards, Doug

Hey Everyone! Before you think I’ve gone and killed the buzz, let me explain why The Exchange Figure Drawing sessions are about to take a little nap… First things first—The Exchange isn’t disappearing! I’ve just found myself in the middle of a time management crisis, and something’s gotta give. For those who missed the memo, I moved to Ottawa, Illinois, back in June. And guess what? The City of Ottawa Arts Committee thought it would be a fantastic idea to put me in charge of creating and running a brand-new maker space for the city. Exciting, right? We’re talking about converting an old glass factory into a creative wonderland with all the maker space gadgets you can dream of. Right now, I’m knee-deep in planning, designing, grant-hunting, budgeting, and yes, rubbing elbows with city council members (who knew schmoozing was part of the job?). But wait, there’s more! I’m also diving headfirst into teaching watercolor classes at a couple of art studios in the Starved Rock area starting next month. And because I apparently thrive on chaos, I’m prepping for solo exhibitions at both studios early next year. I'll have all of that posted on the Events tab of the edge studios website soon! Oh, did I mention it’s an election year? I can’t resist throwing myself into the fray. So, if you see me running around with paintbrushes in one hand and campaign flyers in the other, just wave and wish me luck! All that to say, I haven’t forgotten about Figure Drawing—it’s still an important part of my Artists Coop business, edge studios. I plan to bring the online sessions back soon, so don’t go anywhere! If you are a member of The Exchange group or subscribed to updates on the edge studios website you'll be notified when things are hapnin'. In the meantime, I’ll be recording my watercolor and figure drawing tutorials and posting them under the Workshops tab on my website. Plus, more content is coming to my YouTube channel—because why not add video editing to my never-ending to-do list? Let’s keep in touch! Keep sharing your artwork and experiences in the edge studios forums and The Exchange group discussions. And if you know any artists or art models who haven’t heard of us yet, send them my way! Thanks for sticking with me, and feel free to drop your thoughts in the forum or hit me up with any burning questions about Figure Drawing or art in general! Cheers, Doug

Hi Folks! I'd like to get some opinions on how I might get more artists to participate in The Exchange. Let me know below if you have other suggestions for attracting artist members to The Exchange. Thanks! Doug