CATH proves you can draw

By Laura Drinan
Hometown Weekly Reporter

There are three small words that Needham-based artist, Adrienne Lederman, just does not believe. What are those words?

“I can’t draw.”

Through the Center at the Heights’s (CATH) drawing workshop, “You Can Draw,” Adrienne teaches basic drawing techniques advertised to those who can’t even draw a stick figure with a ruler.

While it seemed daunting to the class comprised of beginner artists, Adrienne instructed the participants to create portraits and still-life drawings. However, Adrienne made the task much more manageable by teaching the seniors how to divide the paper to draw proper proportions.

One participant always wanted to be able to draw, but never found the time to pick up illustration as a hobby until he retired. Another participant, who had never taken a class at the Center, felt compelled to join this one, commenting that her grandson enjoys his high school art class.

Soon, the seniors were sketching faces inspired by the prints and magazine cutouts that Adrienne brought with her. She even brought portraits done by Picasso for the abstract artists in the class. With the beginner artists adding in details with shading, Adrienne could hardly believe the senior students had no drawing experience.

“It’s very rewarding,” Adrienne said about teaching drawing. Although she has been a printmaker since 1978, Adrienne returned to school at 48 years old to become an art therapist, and began teaching “You Can Draw” and a simplified printmaking course at CATH after retiring.

“It’s about self-esteem and ago, you know? Things like that, instead of being told you have to draw something a certain way.”

After finishing their portraits, Adrienne arranged a colorful scarf that belonged to her mother with a faux orchid and three apples for the seniors to draw for the remainder of the class. As they completed their still-life drawings, Adrienne challenged the seniors to use colored pencils to add pigment into their works.

“I pictured this class as, you know, like how to draw a circle, but when Adrienne said we were going to start with a face and a still-life, I thought, ‘Oh, jeez, how are we going to do that?’” said one intimidated participant.

With Adrienne’s guidance, though, she drew a perfectly proportioned face and terrifically detailed still-life.

“They certainly surprised themselves,” said Adrienne. “It’s just about jumping in and taking a chance.”