Holy Canvas: A Comedic Account of Sketching a Priest in the Buff

Exploring the Intersection of Art and Religion through the Human Form

Ladies and gentlemen, gather 'round for a tale of the weirdest life drawing class you'll ever hear of. I had the "pleasure" of experiencing it first-hand and let me tell you, it was a doozy.

It all happened in a small town in Lithuania, more than a decade ago. I was just a young art student, eager to learn and improve my skills. One day, I received an invitation to a life drawing lesson. Little did I know, this would be a lesson I would never forget.

I sauntered into the art studio, my pencils sharpened and my sketchbook at the ready. I was ready to draw, and draw I did. But not in the way that I had expected.

The model for the day was none other than the local parish priest. I kid you not, the man was standing there in the buff, ready for us to sketch his holy form. I couldn't believe my eyes, and neither could the rest of the class. But the real question on everyone's mind was: Is this even legal?

Now, I know what you're thinking. "But wait," you say, "priests are supposed to be chaste and celibate. How could he possibly be standing there in his birthday suit?" To that, I say, I have no idea. But let me tell you, the man had some serious dedication to the art of life drawing.

As we began to sketch, the priest regaled us with tales of his time in the seminary and the wild hijinks he and his fellow priests used to get up to. The priest was a natural poser and had us all cracking up with his witty banter and sarcastic jokes. It was like drawing a comedy sketch instead of a human body.

But as the class went on, I couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. Was it right to be drawing a man of the cloth in such a way? Was he even aware of what he was getting himself into? But as the class came to a close, the priest gave us all a blessing and sent us on our way.

In the end, I decided to just go with the flow and enjoy the experience. After all, it's not every day that you get to draw a priest in a life drawing class. But let's just say, I'll not be sticking to still lifes from now on.

Moral of the story: Always expect the unexpected in art class.

I have not been back to church since that life drawing class. Amen to that.

If you're looking for a good laugh, look no further than my experience attending a life drawing class outdoors in the middle of December in sub-zero temperatures. If you're curious to know more about my adventure, follow the link below for the full story.