Next 'Drink And Draw' To Feature Mermaid Parade Theme

NEW ROCHELLE, NY — Drink and Draw, an evening out that offers artists a chance to practice sketching a professional model while socializing, has gained a steady following in Westchester’s Long Island Sound shore area, thanks to the New Rochelle Arts Collective.

The next event is at 6:30 p.m. March 31 at MADE: my art & Design Experience, 118 W. Boston Post Rd. in Mamaroneck. It will feature a “Mermaid Parade” theme, with props and costumes.

The evening is an ideal marriage of a weekend night social activity and a chance to practice the craft, according to organizers.

Artists get to sketch one or two live models in various poses, while meeting and chatting with other artists and enjoying a homemade beer or other beverage. There's all that for just a modest entry fee which is a fraction of the cost of hiring a model themselves for an hour.

New Rochelle resident David Fragoso, who frequents the events, said Drink and Draw helps him out in more ways than one.

“It’s not just having a live model to draw; there’s also a sense of building a community, with different artists and art lovers getting together for one night,” he said. “And there’s something special in seeing other artists work in real time next to you that helps me think of new ways to approach my own art.”

“Drink and Draw grew out of our desire to offer inclusive arts events geared towards young adults and creatives in Westchester but open to all,” said David Krinick, co-founder of the Arts Collective, a group of creative-minded residents of the New Rochelle area. “We all grew up in the area and, after coming back from college, found ourselves going into Manhattan and Brooklyn to seek out culture and communities that interested us. After a while, we decided to fill that void here.”

The Arts Collective sets its Drink and Draw nights apart from other events of the same type by choosing themes for each installment. It is also a nomadic event, occasionally moving to different venues. The mermaid-themed event in March will be followed by one with a “Mad Tea Party,” on May 6 at ArtsWestchester, 31 Mamaroneck Ave. in White Plains. Past themes have included Star Wars and The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

Note: Models at Drink & Draw events are sometimes unclothed. Participants must be 18 to enter and 21 to drink.

To find out more about upcoming events, visit the New Rochelle Arts Collective’s Facebook page.

Photo credit: Submitted.