Dear Alan McGowan:
Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, RI, has a life drawing
studio, called the Nature Lab. The following excerpt is from the
RISD web page, which briefly describes the lab, "The Edna W. Lawrence
Nature Lab is a unique resource that offers the opportunity to
examine, explore and understand the patterns, structures and
interactions of design in nature. Lawrence — an alumna and long-time
RISD faculty member — founded the Nature Lab in 1937, and its
collections have continued to grow, now numbering more than 80,000
natural history objects. Live animals and plants also thrive here and
the facility includes a study room devoted to a natural history
reference library and clipping file, archives of slides, tapes,
videos and x-ray photographs. A computer and camera workstation, with
dissecting and compound microscopes for viewing small specimens and
prepared slide mounts, allows you to make digital or micro-
photographic images. Certain objects may be borrowed for use in studios.
See a 360 degree photo of one room of the lab at the following link:
http://www.risd.edu/VR/naturelab/index.html
More info:
http://www.risd.edu/nature.cfm
I have experience working with the lab, as I am adjunct faculty at
RISD. I hope this is helpful to you.
Amy Leidtke
http://drawingconnections.blogspot.com
On Aug 6, 2007, at 7:24 AM, Alan McGowan wrote:
> I'm trying to do a bit of research on the history of
> life drawing and am interested in places/ studios
> where it would have been practised and/or taught,
> especially ones which are still operational. The most
> obvious example would be the Royal Academy Schools in
> London.
>
> Could anyone recommend others of historical interest
> especially in Europe or North America? And does anyone
> have experience of working in them?
>
> Thanks
> Alan McGowan
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