Dr Sketchy's Anti Art School

"...and clover being green is something I've never seen, 'Cause I was born to be blue."

I would never have thought of putting burlesque and cabaret performance together with sketching, but I sure am glad they did. Welcome to Dr Sketchy's Anti Art School. One part performance, one part art, one part cider - three of my favourite things. To be honest I really couldn't be sure what to expect when Bridget and I made our way over to the Royal Vauxhall Tavern. The outing was Bridge's birthday present from me. Bridget is a talented, if a little out of practice, artist, whereas everything I draw ends up looking like I did it with my feet.

And so we arrived, rather expectantly, got our drinks and got settled. Our host for the evening was a slim, elegant gent with a beautifully cut suit and enviable eye make-up named Dusty Shadows. He explained that Dr Sketchy was started in New York, where it was taken very seriously by budding artists and graphic designers. In London it tends to consist of a bunch of tipsy amateurs more there for giggly doodling than any serious artistic pursuits. This suited us fine.

Dr Sketchy has all range of models and performers that grace their stage. At this session we

were treated to the Blue Lady, styled as Vladimir Tretchikoff's 'Chinese Girl' she sang old standards about 'being blue'. Her sulky, velvet voice couldn't be taken seriously when paired with splendid blue face paint as she drawled "...and clover being green is something I've never seen, 'Cause I was born to be blue." She posed for us, but I managed somehow to draw her looking like Miss Piggy?! And while Bridge's drawing's got stronger as we went along, mine some how managed to get weaker, and by the time we move on to sketching a camp, cabaret singing cowboy called Mr Meredith, my 'art' had stopped resembling anything remotely human.

The whole evening was a different experience, a stand out event in my week. While I became more aware that my artistic skills are somewhat lacking, I realised that I still very much enjoy trying to draw. And so my dear Bridget and I are looking forward to our next visit, and hopefully soon I will do something that is at least passable enough to post!