Drink & Draw Botanica

Drink & Draw Botanica is at LEDA Gallery in Newcastle on Saturday 12 September, from 6pm to 8pm. It's a life drawing session run by Blanc Events, and the draw is a live model adorned in flowers by The Naked Florist.

If you've never done it before, the setup is straightforward: you spend the evening drawing from a live model, with bubbles, water and nibbles on hand. All the art supplies are provided, so you don't need to bring a thing. The session is led by Newcastle artist Jessica Gilbert, and it's open to everyone from experienced artists to first-timers. No prior art experience is needed, and the gallery describes it as a judgement-free environment, which is a good thing to keep in mind if you're nervous about your first go.

The models are experienced and paid for their time. There's one house rule to be aware of: you're asked not to take photos or share them on social media without the model's prior consent.

Beyond the classes, LEDA Gallery is a contemporary space with three interconnected rooms used for exhibitions, events and hire, and they sell drawing kits and gift vouchers. They also take group bookings and private events for birthdays, hens parties, team building and Christmas parties, so it's worth keeping in mind if you're planning something for a crowd. A single session is A$80, and a four-session pack is A$150.