Nearly Naked Drawing Sessions at the Tropicana

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Plus DrewToonz (Ron Pauly D!) and the Album of the Week: 'The Lost Notebooks of Hank Williams'

By ACW Staff

Add Comment | Comments: 0 | Posted Oct. 5, 2011

Nearly Naked Drawing Sessions at the Tropicana 

Sue Daly’s children have gone off to college. The freelance painter, who spends countless hours in her Atlantic County studio, started to get lonely. “I am a professional freelance artist,” says Daly, who has painted many murals in the area, including several inside The Quarter at Tropicana. (The iconic “indoor” Old Havana sky that hangs over Fiesta Plaza is her work.) “I work alone [and] I thought this would be a great way to get out and enjoy other artists.” The this is a new concept for Atlantic City — creative drawing sessions, at a nightlife venue (Firewaters bar at the Tropicana), with nearly nude models posing for artists and those who would like to try their hand at sketching live models. “It came to me a long time ago,” says Daly, “but I reached out to my friend Adam Goodman, who is co-owner of Firewaters [among other venues inside the Trop] and we decided, with the push for an arts district in Atlantic City currently underway, that now was the right time.” Firewaters will begin hosting the Nearly Naked Creative Sketching Sessions, the first Friday of every month starting this Friday, Oct. 7, from 7-10pm. Models for the live drawing sessions will be in “nearly naked” costumes for the duration of the session, which is open to people 21 and over. “This is a classic drawing figure class with a twist,” says Daly. “It’s not a quiet setting, but more like a party type of atmosphere.” Goodman is in charge of bringing the models, many of whom have never done live modeling for artists before. However, Daly says, Goodman already has many women “clamoring” to have themselves drawn at one of the sessions. For the October session, there will be a Halloween theme for the models’ costumes. “The girls are funky and sexy,” says Daly. “Some will have tattoos and pin-up girl costumes. Maybe we’ll have [male models] in there at some point down the road.” Most important, says Daly, is to gather local artists together on a regular basis. “I have feelings about how to bring artists to Atlantic City and one is that there needs to be more artsy events happening around town and more hiring of local artists,” says Daly, whose idea has morphed into a concept that has the potential to attract local artists on a monthly basis, an organized event that could be very welcome in the local arts community. “The sessions are open to the public, but artists are wanted,” stresses Daly. “We won’t turn anyone away, but we really want people who are capable of drawing, too.” For a $10 entry fee participants will have the chance to draw two models who will pose alone and together over the course of the three-hour session. At the end of the session, the models will choose one picture each to keep and that artist will receive $50. There will also be a light buffet included and Firewaters’ top-shelf drink menu will be available to order from. “We’re just testing the waters,” says Daly. “We have to start generating a buzz.” No photography will be permitted, but artists from most other media are welcome. Easels are permitted, and participants must bring all of their own materials. To RSVP and for more information, contact s.daly@comcast.net or call 641-5330.  — Jeff Schwachter

Chelsea up to the Challenge 

The end of summer generally spurs reduced room rates (or even free rooms to preferred customers) at many of Atlantic City’s casino-hotels, which comes as good news to those who enjoy overnight visits to Atlantic City during the non-peak seasons and staying where they play. For the upscale Chelsea hotel, however, which is within walking distance to the Boardwalk casinos but has no gaming itself, the cut-rate casino rooms is not-so-good news. The Chelsea recently announced that it will scale back its hours of business for the first time since debuting in summer 2008. The 331-room boutique-style hotel had its fourth successful summer season, but will scale back from a weeklong schedule to four nights, Thursday through Sunday, until May, according to a statement by Chelsea general manager Patrick Logue. The exception will be conventions or special events that may demand midweek lodging, and the reduced hours will include Chelsea’s two restaurants, Chelsea Prime steakhouse and Teplitzky’s diner. The restaurants and the hotel’s Fifth Floor entertainment section will be fully functional and operate under their usual hours during the restructured business schedule. — Ray Schweibert

Various Artists 

‘The Lost Notebooks of Hank Williamss’ 

Bob Dylan’s Egyptian label released a tribute to the Grandpa of Country Music — Jimmie Rodgers — back in 1997, featuring a cross-section of musicians paying tribute to the “Singing Breakman.” Fourteen years later, Dylan’s label, in conjunction with CMF Records and Columbia, have released the much anticipated The Lost Notebooks of Hank Williams, which features 12 artists — including Dylan on the cool cut “The Love That Faded,” recorded with his crack road band — putting music to “lost” songs of the Father of Country Music, which were discovered a few years ago within the pages of old notebooks left in a cardboard box. None have been previously recorded and all needed music and arrangements; some even additional lyrics. Along for the ride are Alan Jackson, Norah Jones (with Gillian Welch and Dave Rawlings), Jack White, Lucinda Williams, Levon Helm, Sheryl Crow, Bob’s son Jakob, and others keeping Williams’ flame glowing and imagining these tunes as he might have played them — if he had lived past the age of 29. — Jeff Schwachter  