Berlin Drawing Room 2021 Highlights

We are proud to share some of our accomplishments and highlights from 2021! This past year was filled with uncertainty as we learned how to adapt to the changing circumstances and regulations, as well as dipped our toes a couple times into the pool of normalcy.

While it gives us great satisfaction to review some stats and milestones, our greatest accomplishments remain intangible. Guiding you towards new ways of seeing, new forms of expression and encouraging confidence in your own creativity is our greatest joy and honor. No matter what life throws at us, we will always be here for you to support your creative journey.

Now let’s look back at the year and take this moment to feel gratitude! Some numbers from 1 – 2,000.

• 1 video course, including the implementation of a whole new e-learning platform on our website setting the stage for more to come.
• 5 amazing Artist-Instructors: Mira O’Brien, G Caruso, Ali Fitzgerald, Julia Herfurth and Anita Kroo. 
• 13 Free Classes with hundreds of participants online.
• 35 Workshops taught by professional artists – in the studio, online, outdoors and in museums!
• 119 Students! They come from all over the world: France, Denmark, Italy, Great Britain, India, United States, Canada, Spain, Portugal, Switzerland, Malaysia, Ireland, Sweden, Slovakia and the Netherlands…
• 2,000 Subscribers to our newsletter! Thank you all for joining our Berlin Drawing Room Community. 

Our Students!

It is with great pride that we highlight first our amazing students. They completed sketchbooks, found new perspectives, adapted to changing formats, had fun and created together! We are so grateful to have such incredible humans in our workshops.

• We had Three Generations Paint Together during a time of separation.
• In our Portrait Painting workshop one of our students found Time to Slow Down.
• Students shared their Sketchbook Flip-Throughs with us after filling up their sketchbooks during a yearlong workshop series.
• We had our first Figure Drawing Scholarship Awardee Maku Azu, a talented artist from Ghana!  Who will it be next year?

Figure Drawing Essentials: Our first Video Course!

In 2021 we launched our first online video course.

The Figure Drawing Essentials Online Course was such a pleasure to make and a big learning experience in creating a video course. From what we have learned we want to continue growing our video course offerings and we are currently in the process of making a new one, so keep a look out!

Youtube Channel

We launched a Youtube Channel! And it’s growing rapidly. You all can draw with us even if you miss the class or just want to practice more.

Fine Art Botanical Prints

We realized our first round of Botanical Prints in 2021.

These Fine Art Prints are from original watercolor painting by Mira O’Brien, our amazing Founder of the Berlin Drawing Room. Mira collected and painted specimens of medicinal weeds during the first lockdown in Berlin as a deep exploration of her immediate surroundings.

Next year we plan to experiment with other print mediums and motifs.

Here are some final comments from students!

Out of all of the art classes that I’ve taken this was the one that I could see my skills progress the fastest. My instructor G taught at a great pace, had such care for their students, and patience. You guys rule!!
– Shaye Garrigan (Portrait Painting Workshop, 2021)

 We’ve all loved it and felt it was perfectly tailored to suit all of our levels.  Having time to quietly paint together was a real joy, and we’ve learnt so much, not just in terms of technique gleaned from observing Mira’s demonstrations, but also from the introductions she gave at the start of each class which covered the history of botanical art, prominent artists, and different approaches to depicting horticultural specimens. 
– Clare Wigfall (Botanical Watercolor Workshop, 2021)

…The teaching was clear and very informative and our teacher G Caruso is very knowledgeable about how the human body is built ,and more than that they are very gifted in transmitting this knowledge to their students.I really enjoyed having the class because who were able to grow steadily and share our works in progress every week in a relaxed and supportive environment. 
– Maku Azu (Figure Drawing and Painting Workshop, 2021)