Our Mission:

The Way We See It

Drawing is the most fundamental form of artistic expression—the first step for many budding artists and a lifelong practice for seasoned creators. With countless mark-making tools and limitless surfaces, drawing allows us to capture both the world around us and the imagination within.

Yet, for many artists—especially emerging ones—opportunities to practice with the human figure are limited. In many communities, coordinated figure drawing programs simply don’t exist. Sessions with professional or aspiring models are often restricted to university settings, bound by academic calendars and institutional requirements. This leaves many artists without consistent access to life drawing sessions near them designed around their needs.

What We Add

Milwaukee Figure Drawing was founded to bridge that gap. Our biggest contribution is creating a connected community of local artists. While everything begins with figure drawing, our vision extends into painting, printmaking, portrait drawing, and other visual art practices.

By offering flexible, community-centered life drawing sessions in Milwaukee, we aim to spark a ripple effect—building artistic confidence, inspiring collaboration, and encouraging greater participation in local art events. Our mission is not just to host drawing sessions, but to foster a thriving, sustainable creative network.

Stewardship & Community Leadership

Strong communities grow through strong leadership. Some artists thrive as instructors; others inspire simply by showing up with passion and persistence. Our goal is to make it easy for artists to connect, learn from one another, and sit side-by-side in supportive drawing sessions across Milwaukee.

Our Philosophy on Donations

We view donations as acts of generosity, and we treat them with the same respect. Every dollar you contribute goes directly toward supporting open figure drawing sessions—primarily by paying model fees.

Here’s how it works:

• We coordinate with MIAD and UWM to schedule specific Open Figure Drawing Sessions each semester.
• Donations are used to cover professional model fees on those dates. If funds remain, they roll over into future sessions.
• If contributions don’t fully cover costs, donations are divided so every participant benefits.

All sponsored sessions are published on this website, as well as our Facebook, Twitter, and email updates. Have questions about upcoming Milwaukee Figure Drawing sessions? Visit our Sessions Page or contact us. We’ll be glad to help.

Current Donation Focus:

• Covering professional model fees

Future Donation Goals:

• Continue funding model fees for community sessions
• Establish a permanent space for Milwaukee Figure Drawing events
• Host an Artist Talk Series to spotlight local creatives
• Develop online educational materials for artists at every stage