The Guardian: Look away, straight male gaze! How life-drawing became more inclusive

The Guardian: Look away, straight male gaze! How life-drawing became more inclusive

2022-04-29

Article by Jenny Valentish. Photograph: Katy Marks.

“It’s not about the typical male gaze,” says Twyford-Moore of the models. “And I also like to find people who appeal to the queer gaze.”

NAS alumni Bligh Twyford-Moore, an illustrator and a roadie, thought a life-drawing club would be a “cool throwback idea”. He took inspiration from clubs he’d seen in Melbourne, both in terms of having themes (Gladdy Drawing Club has covered Wonder Woman, Hulk and Wolverine) and booking models who have reputations in their own right.

“They’re exactly the vibe I’m after – queer-inclusive, models that look different to each other,” he says. “Even in life-drawing, Sydney is stuffy and conservative.”

Mitch Cairns is one of our talented NAS alumni whose work will be up for auction at the upcoming NAS Gala, Friday 21 November, and we were lucky enough to preview the work in his studio.

Buy your ticket for the NAS Gala at the link in bio for a chance to add a special artwork to your collection. Limited tickets available.

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Oct 15

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Mitch Cairns is one of our talented NAS alumni whose work will be up for auction at the upcoming NAS Gala, Friday 21 November, and we were lucky enough to preview the work in his studio.

Buy your ticket for the NAS Gala at the link in bio for a chance to add a special artwork to your collection. Limited tickets available.

RSVP now - final tickets remaining!

Join us this Thursday for `Afterglow`, The Neighbour at the Gate exhibition closing party (link in bio).

Headlined by Miss Kaninna, the free 18+ concert features performances by HYLANDER, Rocky Stallone, BRINA, Kuya Hennessy, and DJ Court Jester. RSVP is essential due to limited capacity of the Cell Block Theatre.

Afterglow
Thursday 16 October
Doors: 4.30pm
Concert starts: 7.00pm
Cell Block Theatre, National Art School

Please note: if the Cell Block reaches capacity, you’re welcome to enjoy the concert from the courtyard with food trucks and pop up bar until space opens up inside.

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Oct 13

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RSVP now - final tickets remaining!

Join us this Thursday for 'Afterglow', The Neighbour at the Gate exhibition closing party (link in bio).

Headlined by Miss Kaninna, the free 18+ concert features performances by HYLANDER, Rocky Stallone, BRINA, Kuya Hennessy, and DJ Court Jester. RSVP is essential due to limited capacity of the Cell Block Theatre.

Afterglow
Thursday 16 October
Doors: 4.30pm
Concert starts: 7.00pm
Cell Block Theatre, National Art School

Please note: if the Cell Block reaches capacity, you’re welcome to enjoy the concert from the courtyard with food trucks and pop up bar until space opens up inside.

‘A beautiful place to be with a moving story underneath’
‘Eye opening and very very thoughtful’
‘[This show] evokes feelings of acceptance and peace’
– quotes from NAS Gallery visitor feedback

Last week to visit `The Neighbour at the Gate`! - closing next Saturday 18 October. Visit link in bio to learn more about the exhibition and plan your visit to see the exhibition everyone is talking about.

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Oct 11

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‘A beautiful place to be with a moving story underneath’
‘Eye opening and very very thoughtful’
‘[This show] evokes feelings of acceptance and peace’
– quotes from NAS Gallery visitor feedback

Last week to visit 'The Neighbour at the Gate'! - closing next Saturday 18 October. Visit link in bio to learn more about the exhibition and plan your visit to see the exhibition everyone is talking about.

Join our online information session to find out exactly what makes our Bachelor of Fine Art (Honours) ideal for emerging artists.

New scholarships will be available to students entering the BFA (Hons), with further details to be shared later this year.

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Oct 10

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Join our online information session to find out exactly what makes our Bachelor of Fine Art (Honours) ideal for emerging artists.

New scholarships will be available to students entering the BFA (Hons), with further details to be shared later this year.

...and that`s a wrap! Congratulations to all our Year 11 Visual Arts students who participated in the 2025 HSC Intensive program, Module 2.

We loved welcoming you to our campus for the last five days of creativity and hard work.

Best wishes for all your future endeavours as budding artists. We can`t wait to see what you create next.

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Oct 7

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...and that's a wrap! Congratulations to all our Year 11 Visual Arts students who participated in the 2025 HSC Intensive program, Module 2.

We loved welcoming you to our campus for the last five days of creativity and hard work.

Best wishes for all your future endeavours as budding artists. We can't wait to see what you create next.

Fondly remembered by a generation of TV viewers as the creator of `Mr Squiggle`, Norman Hetherington OAM (1921-2010) was a student at the National Art School from 1937-1941.

Co-scripted by his wife, Margaret, `Mr Squiggle` ran on the ABC for 40 years becoming the longest running children’s TV program in the world.

Norman Hetherington’s daughter Rebecca Hetherington co-hosted Mr Squiggle and in 2002 helped her father with his first solo exhibition (curated by NAS alumna Toni Warburton) at the Blackheath Area Neighbourhood Centre in the Blue Mountains.

Rebecca donated many of Norman’s works to the NAS Collection, including his poster (designed and painted when he was 17 years old) for the first known film by NAS students. `Love Laughs at Death` screened at NAS from 30 September-5 October 1938, and while the film itself has been lost, a photo and newspaper article about it were kept by actor and NAS alumna Shirley Jones.

The National Museum of Australia in Canberra (@nationalmuseumofaustralia) is showing the free exhibition `Mr Squiggle and Friends` until October 13.

---
Norman Hetherington
(1921-2010)
NAS student 1937-1938; 1939-1941

`Mr Squiggle`, etching, 12 x 9.5 cm, Gift of Rebecca Hetherington, 2023, National Art School Collection

Photographer unknown. Students Jim Swan, Shirley Jones and Jack Edwards from the film `Love Laughs at Death`, made and screened at NAS in 1938. This photograph was displayed on the front page of ‘The Labor Daily’, 3 September 1938. Jim Swan was the producer, Shirley Jones an actor, as was Jack Edwards who played the ‘Crazy Scientist’.

`Love Laughs at Death`, 1938 , gouache on cardboard, 63 x 55 cm , Gift of Rebecca Hetherington, 2020, National Art School Collection

`Screws`, 1937, ink on card, 11.5 x 12 cm, Gift of Rebecca Hetherington, 2022, National Art School Collection

`Man in suit`, 1937, gouache on card, 32 x 14.5 cm, Gift of Rebecca Hetherington, 2022, National Art School Collection

`Colour for men`, gouache on paper, 38 x 27 cm, Gift of Rebecca Hetherington, 2022, National Art School Collection

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Oct 5

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The Guardian: Look away, straight male gaze! How life-drawing became more inclusive