The art of the matter
David Hockney once said that ‘if you can draw even a little bit you can express all kinds of ideas’. So, on top of building a skill to be proud of, it could also help solve some of those work worries. Katie Pattullo talks to Charlie Cobb at CityDraw.
I bet there have been times at work when bogged down with the daily stresses of meetings, schedules and deadlines, a preferable existence could involve meadows, easels and the obligatory artists’ beret.
Charlie Cobb, the drawing force behind CityDraw, has been providing a chance to experiment with this idyllic notion. Cobb is a prize-winning graduate from The Prince’s Drawing School and prior to that has worked on set designs for blockbusters such as Star Wars Episode III and Finding Neverland. But for the last four years Cobbs has been focusing on being an artist: “It’s quite difficult to be an independent artist and earn a living, particularly in London, so that’s why I decided to embark on some teaching as well.”
Many employees working in City organisations work long hours and are under enormous pressure to produce results. With that in mind Cobb approached organisations such as financial businesses or lawyer firms to see if their employees would be interested in attending drawing sessions, not just as a stress reliever but as a means of developing a skill – and, perhaps, unearthing a hidden talent. Despite the economic downturn Cobb has a substantial list of bookings and the participants, numbering anywhere between 15-20, range from complete novices to the more experienced artiste.
“Participants generally make it clear early on they are novices, if they are. But by introducing an exercise of, for example, rubbing out a picture on charcoal-covered paper, it can produce quite an effect and build up people’s confidence right from the start,” explains Cobb.
Classes tend to take place at the relevant company’s headquarters for several reasons, not least because participants’ time is precious and it means no added stress in locating a studio after a hard day’s work. Drawing is a great way of losing yourself in an engrossing activity, but it can also provide you with a fresh perspective on a challenge you may be having at work – it can help you think more clearly. Sometimes certain themes from participants’ day-to-day work can creep into their art.
“Before I started the classes,” says Cobb, “I probably had a slightly stereotypical idea of City workers, and now I feel completely different. The classes have been a great way for me, as a tutur, to see how everyone has certain ambitions or skills that aren’t necessarily related to their job.” The challenge for the participants is to forget they are at work, so space is important. For most of the organisations involved this can mean a studio makeover of a large conference room. With the assistance of the right lighting, background music and a glass of wine attendees can automatically feel more at ease with the task in hand.
The term for each course is 10 weeks and, with a number of repeat enrolments, the challenge for Cobbs has been having the right mix of exercises that appeal to both experienced and less experienced participants. Even for the more experienced, though, a life model, for example, can present a new challenge.
When Cobb suggested having an exhibition of their work to some participants from Aviva, the class was split as far as enthusiasm goes. But once the paintings were in frames and the exhibition was under way, the team’s confidence got a definite boost – and, though not extortionately expensive, every painting was sold.
What about any students showing real promise for a vocation in art? Cobb reveals: “Sometimes the problem with teaching in an art school is that the students have something to prove, whereas if you are a banker or a lawyer there is more scope to be freer and take more risks. One of my participants was genuinely a good drawer and when he was made redundant he decided to enrol in a foundation course in art.”
With an increasing number of employees from top level to bottom facing an uncertain future, maybe it’s no bad thing to have a hidden skill or talent waiting in the wings.
