Portrait Clinic: The Exhibition

In January 2024, eight artists from Portrait Clinic exhibited their portraits in Ocean Studios, Plymouth. This is what I wrote about the event.

‘Portrait Clinic started in 2019 at Ocean Studios. I wanted to draw portraits from life on a regular basis. I thought it would be fun to make it open to other artists and make it less formal, so we began in the cafe at Ocean Studios.

Then I met Margaret. A resident of Royal William Yard, she popped into my studio and we just hit it off. So she came to visit me regularly. Portrait Clinic started with a variety of sitters and then Margaret became our resident model. Margaret gives the Portrait Clinic something special.

We meet weekly and draw, sketch and paint for two hours, stopping half way for a coffee and a chat. We chat a lot. But when we draw, we fall silent, concentrating on the work at hand. Sometimes, we follow conversations in the cafe or we enjoy the eclectic music that is played.

At the end, we look at the work we have produced. All very different. Invariably we are dissatisfied with our own efforts but find encouragement in the words of others. We witness how each of us develop and improve and how confidence grows. With this confidence, creativity flourishes in other areas of our artistic output.

What began as a plan for me to sketch portraits has ended up building a small community of artists sharing their artistic journey with others. We have forged friendships beyond Portrait Clinic. That makes me very happy.

Mark Fielding

January 2024

Experiencing Portrait Clinic

‘I have been attending the Portrait Clinic for two years now and it has really helped me improve my observational skills and contribute to my daily practice.’

‘Portrait Clinic is the most enjoyable class. It is such a relaxed atmosphere in the Real Ideas Cafe, with no judgment from Mark - just encouragement and advice to really look and see what is in front of you whilst exploring techniques and ideas. Such a friendly bunch of people to spend a couple of hours with.’

‘Mark gives us the freedom to explore our areas of interest and try different media including pencil, charcoal, watercolours and acrylic. He encourages us to develop individually whatever our experience or starting point.’