IF art class had been this cool growing up, 90 percent of Americans might be painters instead of lawyers and presidential candidates.
Founded in 2005, Dr. Sketchy’s Anti-Art School is a novel mix of cabaret and fine art that gives ordinary people (read: those who couldn’t even draw a portrait of Ziggy) the chance to indulge their artistic tendencies by spending an afternoon at a bar and sketching a rotating cast of burlesque dancers.
Something else your high-school art teacher never told you: Drawing, like most things, is more fun with booze.
The school started in Brooklyn, but founder Molly Crab-apple – a local artist who creates Victorian-inspired, cartoonishly erotic drawings – has licensed the concept, and there are Anti-Art Schools in 45 locations around the world.
Now Crabapple has gathered some of the best pieces from those various schools and assembled the first Anti-Art show. The exhibit opens tonight, from 7 to 10 p.m., at Rapture, 200 Avenue A, at 13th Street. Included are pieces from Seattle pinup artist Krysztof Nemeth, illustrator Fred Harper, pop-surrealist Scott G. Brooks and 13 other photographers, illustrators and painters.
Burlesque dancers Lady Lovely, Amber Ray and Gal Friday will be on hand to entertain, and artist Amanda Pearson will be drawing free, obscene portraits of attendees on the spot.
Admission is also free.