Wild Life Drawing: Therapy Dogs
This Autumn, join us for a very special class indeed where we will meet a group of the most gorgeous therapy dogs, who are part of the team at Therapy Dogs Nationwide. This fantastic charity is largely made up of volunteers who take their own specially trained dogs into nursing homes, hospitals and hospices to provide comfort to the people there. Several studies have shown significant pain relief in patients who have been visited by therapy dogs. Being around these calm and kind creatures has been proven to release endorphins (happy hormones) which reduce stress, pain and anxiety.
The class will be hosted by animal illustrator Jennie Webber, who will begin with an introduction to observational drawing and some top tips for sketching moving models. We will also be joined by Maggie Bradley who volunteers at Therapy Dogs Nationwide, who will tell us all about the charity’s wonderful work. The pups who will be posing for us at session 1 will be Hercules, Bear, Ron, Teddy, and Olive with breeds spanning French bulldogs to Bernese Mountain dogs, each of whom will be accompanied by their loving human. OR The pups who will be posing for us at session 2 will be Fred, Archie, and Murph with breeds spanning schnauzers to springer spaniels, each of whom will be accompanied by their loving human. While we sketch the darling doggos we will hear about the amazing impact they have, with lots of personal and heart warming stories.
No prior art experience is needed to join the session- whether you’re a dab hand or an absolute beginner, we will have you sketching away in no time. The focus of this class is to celebrate the profound relationship between humans and dogs, and there is no pressure to create a “perfect” portrait! We will provide paper and drawing boards and a range of art materials for you to use, but if you have some trusty favourites that you enjoy using you are very welcome to bring them.
Session 1 is family friendly and includes special Family Tickets will run from 2:00pm – 3:30pm (with doors opening at 1:30pm and closing at 4:00pm to give visitors an hour to explore the museum)
Session 2 will run from 6:00pm – 7:30pm (with doors opening at 5:30pm and closing at 8:00pm giving visitors an hour to explore the museum) – This event will also have a cash bar with alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks available.
**Animal welfare is at the heart of everything we do at Wild Life Drawing. We are a small team of animal lovers who are dedicated to conservation, and we strive to make each of our classes a positive experience for the animals we draw. We only ever work with the finest handlers who treat their animals with respect and care, and animals who are healthy and happy being around humans. The dogs we will be drawing will be generously compensated for their time with plenty of treats and cuddles.
Children from the age of 5 are welcome at the class if accompanied by an adult also taking part in the class.**
