The Big Draw Festival at the National Gallery of the Cayman Islands

October is Big Draw month in over 20 countries, with 280,000 people expected to join in over 1000 events. The Big Draw offers thousands of enjoyable, and mostly free, drawing activities which connect people of all ages with museums, galleries, outdoor spaces, artists, designers, illustrators and each other.

This year Big Draw events at the National Gallery of the Cayman Islands (NGCI) will highlight the power of drawing through the theme It’s Our World. The National Gallery will explore the world of drawing through an exciting programme of activities which includes a student art exhibition, documentary film screenings, an interactive drawing lab, a family fun day, free drawing workshops for all ages, and drawing courses in Cayman Brac.

NGCI Communications and Public Engagement Manager, Kaitlyn Elphinstone, notes, “This is the third year the National Gallery has hosted Big Draw festival events. The new National Gallery facilities have allowed us to offer a diverse range of engaging events and activities throughout the year, The Big Draw being one of them.”

The Big Draw festival is open to all ages and all of the events at the National Gallery are free of charge, making The Big Draw accessible to everyone. Ms Elphinstone explains, “We hope that the variety of activities and events will inspire all visitors to draw even those who think they can’t. The beauty of art and drawing is that there is no right or wrong way to do it. Drawing allows us to be creative and gives us great freedom, a richer sense of self, and inspires imagination and innovation. We are surrounded by drawn things or things which originated from drawings.”

Well known local artist and NGCI instructor John Broad who will be leading a Big Draw sketch crawl explains, “Sketching is important to me in two ways, it keeps my eye-hand co-ordination practiced, and also can be used as initial steps to a larger work on canvas. As a musician or dancer rehearses every day so should an artist who wishes to become proficient in his or her skills. Urban Sketchers [www.urbansketchers.org ] is a worldwide organisation who share their work on the web, and meet regularly to sketch crawl in various cities. This involves moving around city streets sketching whatever they come across, people architecture, vehicles etc.; they have an international sketch crawl once a year.”

Bliss Living Yoga is also involved in this year’s Big Draw festival. They have kindly donated their time and skills to run a yoga draw session which incorporates the art of yoga and the art of drawing. Lindsay Correia from Bliss Yoga Living explains, “Yoga is a creative artistic expression. In a family environment we will enjoy a light practice and flow ourselves onto the paper by tracing our bodies in yoga poses. We will express our movements with color and design.” She notes, “It’s important to Bliss to participate in community events. Cayman itself is a community and Bliss has built a community of people as well – all ages, from near and far who come to practice yoga. Yoga is good for the body, but more importantly, our wellbeing. Yoga’s mindful awareness can teach us all to see ourselves in one another to unify and connect. We exist to share the teachings and practice of yoga to enrich our lives, and learn characteristics like compassion, forgiveness and authenticity.”

For a complete list of Big Draw festival programmes and events visit www.nationalgallery.org.ky, email [email protected] or call the National Gallery on (345) 945 8111.

Photo captions:

Kisha Campbell from Cayman Prep stand next to her artwork exhibited at The Big Draw in 2013

Activities for all ages at The Big Draw festival

The Big Draw Programme of Events

The Big Draw Student Exhibition | The Art of Drawing

13 October — 1 November, Monday to Friday 10:00 AM — 5:00 PM, Saturday 10:00 AM — 3:00 PM

The Big Draw Student Exhibition held in the National Gallery Dart Auditorium/Community Gallery will showcase drawings by top art students from an array of local high schools. Admission to the exhibition is free and donations are welcome.

Drawing Lab | Created by Deutsche Bank Intern Lyle Anderton

13 October — 1 November, Monday to Friday 10:00 AM — 5:00 PM, Saturday 10:00 AM — 3:00 PM

Along with the drawing exhibition by top local high school students, the National Gallery’s Dart Auditorium/Community Gallery will be transformed during the month of October into an interactive drawing lab for all ages. The drawing lab stations include blind contour drawing, a “take your pencil for a walk” activity, and a “create your own visionary city” competition. Admission to this fun creative space is free of charge. Donations are welcome.

Documentary Film Screenings | The Secret of Drawing

17, 22, 24 and 29 October, 12:30 PM

The four-part BBC series, presented by Andrew Graham-Dixon, explores how drawing has shaped our lives. Join him to discover the history of drawing and its relevance to the modern world. Admission is free. Light refreshments provided.

17 October, Friday 12:30 PM—Episode 1: The Line of Enquiry

22 October, Wednesday 12:30 PM—Episode 2: Storylines

24 October, Friday 12:30 PM—Episode 3: All in the Mind

29 October, Wednesday 12:30 PM—Episode 4: Drawing by Design

The Big Draw in Cayman Brac

4, 11, 18, 25 October, Saturday 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM

Live Studio with Monte Lee Thornton – Join Cayman Brac artist Monte Lee Thornton at the Coldwell Banker Office for live studio drawing. Admission to the programme is free and basic supplies will be provided. This programme is kindly sponsored by Coldwell Banker.

Family Fun Day | The Big Draw KY Art Festival

25 October, Saturday 10:00 AM — 3:00 PM

National Gallery welcomes families to full day of interactive drawing activities to celebrate the art of drawing in the Cayman Islands. Admission to all of the Family Fun Day activities is free!

Drawing Lab in the Breezeway – 10:00 AM until 3:00 PM. Fun and interactive drawing stations will be set up throughout the Big Draw Family Fun Day! Test your drawing skills by taking part in all three drawing stations.

Yoga Draw with Bliss —10:00 AM until 10:45 AM. Wear comfortable clothing and join us for an “It’s your world” yoga draw in the Dart Auditorium/Community Gallery. This class is free of charge and open to all ages. Space is limited to 20 students so be sure to preregister by emailing [email protected]. This session has kindly been sponsored by Bliss Yoga Studio. For more information about Bliss visit www.blissyogacayman.com.

Sketch Crawl with John Broad — 11:00 AM until 12:15 PM. Sketch alongside local artist John Broad who will be conducting a “sketch crawl” in the spirit of urban sketchers. Participants will meet at 11:00 AM in the National Gallery PwC Pavilion where John will show you some urban sketches before embarking on a sketch crawl around the Gallery and its grounds, sketching landscape, sculpture, architecture and even each other! Basic drawing materials will be provided but feel free to bring your own drawing pads, pencils, watercolours, and markers, and don’t forget to wear a hat and sunscreen.

Drawing 101 — 12:30 PM until 1:30 PM. This free workshop offers students of all ages an interactive introduction to the art of drawing. Admission is limited to 20 and offered on a first come first served basis. Materials will be provided.

Figure Drawing Workshop — 1:45 PM until 2:45 PM. This course is designed for beginners and for those who wish to participate in a group figure drawing session. Materials will be provided however participants are welcome to bring their own materials. Admission is limited to 20 and offered on a first come first served basis.

The Gift of Drawing—NGCI Gift Shop | Open during regular hours

Drawing books for adults and children, drawing supplies, workshop gift certificates, and NGCI Memberships will be available throughout the Big Draw festival during the month of October. For more information on what is on offer email [email protected]