Around the tables, the women each eye the drawing in front of them.
Some lightly add more lines to hair. Others reshape an eye or lips. One reaches for the eraser and smudges out an area.
Since February Adult Studio Art classes have been conducted weekly on Thursdays at the Augusta Town Hall in Knoxboro.
It’s a drop-in from 6 to 9 p.m. with a $3 fee that includes materials.
The classes are open to any adult who enjoys art and wants to learn new techniques or follow up from high school classes.
Participants have to live in Augusta or the Madison Central School District.
Deirdre Purdy, a local artist, came up with the idea to teach adults who enjoy art.
“It’s for people who got the desire at some point but didn’t have the chance to pursue it,’’ Purdy said.
Purdy looked for financial help to buy supplies for students.
She received a grant from CNY Arts, enough to run various styles of art classes for the year. She also received funds from the Oriskany Falls Rotary Club and support from the Town of Augusta.
Purdy began with pencil drawings; the women in the class did self-portraits in recognition of Women’s History Month.
After the initial drawing the women turned them into pastels.
Purdy said she had some health issues and that sparked her to get busy living.
“I’ve taught art and love to work with people who enjoy it,’’ she said.
In a recent class she told each student to rotate their drawing. “Don’t look at it as faces,’’ she said. “See shapes, dark and light.’’
Students hung their work on the wall and Purdy used a ...