Life drawing class transforms bust Primrose Hill restaurant

Art teacher and Primrose Hill resident of 25 years Sophie Levi decided to turn the former La Collina Italian restaurant into an exhibition space after it closed suddenly in January.

With the help of her “wonderful regulars” she painted and cleared out the Princess Road venue, and the freshly named Regent’s Park Gallery unveils its debut show today (Wednesday April 30).

One of the life drawings in the exhibition at the Regent’s Park gallery. (Image: M Solari) Drawing from Life features 100 works in pencil, charcoal, pastels and paint drawn in Sophie’s regular class at Primrose Hill Community Centre, which she runs on a voluntary basis for the area’s community association.

She said: “It’s been unexpected – the restaurant went bust out of the blue due to sudden illness, I feel sad for them and everyone they let down but suddenly there was an unexpected opportunity to make a long held dream reality.

“With my life drawing group I had been thinking for a long time about having an exhibition of their work so we made the most of it.

Men by Rob Wills. (Image: Rob Wills) “We have wonderful regulars who helped transform it. It’s a vacated restaurant and there was tonnes of stuff left inside, but the group has really pulled together and worked hard to get it ready.

“It’s been a fantastic effort to make a beautiful, light space over two floors with a rear garden.”

If the pop up goes well she hopes the space could become a community hub – with art on the walls alongside “feelgood events” such as yoga, pilates, ta’ai chi and qi gong classes.

Sophie, who has exhibited portraits and landscapes at the Royal Academy, Burgh House and Lauderdale House, started the life class in 2009.

Mai by Sophie Levi who runs the life drawing class at Primrose Hill Community Centre. (Image: Sophie Levi) “The essence of life drawing is the wonderful and intriguingly complex human to human response,” she said.

“The exhibition is an extension of that, a human to human space. AI can’t replace that interaction – there is a special something when you have a group of 20 people in a room in silence.”

Sophie finds her models through word of mouth, including trainees from a mime school in Archway.

The exhibition opened on Wednesday featuring 100 works by members of the life drawing class (Image: Jonathan Glass) She added: “I try to get as much variety as I can. It’s about drawing a human so I don’t want limits. Due to the nature of it and the vulnerability of the models, we create a respectful, protective space and within that we are a very relaxed and friendly group.”

Members range from complete beginners to professional artists and school age students, “people of all ages from all walks of life,” says Sophie.

She adds: “I think it’s healthy to see the human form in all its variety. No two bodies are the same, yet all those images of the human body we see in modern life are for a commercial purpose and don’t reflect the reality of our bodies – how does that make people feel when they are looking in the mirror?”

Aspen Chalusian, who has been coming to the sessions since they were 13, said: “Primrose Hill life drawing has always been a great space for me to access, I’m grateful for all the years I have been able to grow at these sessions.”

Claire Chorley, whose reclining nude is featured in the exhibition, said: “For me, life drawing is a great moment in the week to do something completely different from everything else in my life. It’s a bit like going to the gym: a workout for a particular area of your brain.”

Sophie added: “It’s so positive that out of a sad thing something has been transformed by our group and there is this blossoming to make a welcoming hub for people to gather, connect and be inspired.”

Drawing From Life runs at Regent’s Park Gallery, 17, Princess Road from April 30 until May 23.