First Big Draw LA Brings Art to Life This October

Ryman Arts Invites Angelenos to "Make Your Mark in the Park"

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 26 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The inaugural The Big Draw LA event will be held during the month of October as a citywide celebration of drawing, creating opportunities for people of all ages to discover that drawing enhances how they see, think and invent. The Big Draw LA, inspired by the highly popular United Kingdom program launched in 2000, will be the first event of its kind on the West Coast. The Big Draw LA is presented by Ryman Arts—an arts education program that fosters the education of gifted young artists in Southern California.

"It's more important than ever to make art accessible to people of all ages and walks of life," says Diane Brigham, Executive Director of Ryman Arts. Citing the decline of arts education in schools, as well as funding cuts to local community arts organizations, she adds, "Drawing is an important tool in a variety of fields, and The Big Draw LA will get everyone—young people, professional artists, seniors, scientists and our teens—drawing together."

As a result, The Big Draw LA will inspire Angelenos to expand the boundaries of drawing, experimenting not only with pencils, paint, and charcoal, but also with sand and choreographed movement—and anything else that makes a mark. For more information and to learn about drawing events throughout Los Angeles visit www.thebigdrawla.org.

Make Your Mark in the Park

Ryman Arts' event for the month-long celebration will be the "Make Your Mark in the Park" activity. The event is being held on Sunday, October 17 at 1 p.m. in Exposition Park, in collaboration with Exposition Park, the museums in the park and the University of Southern California. Ryman Arts' students and teaching artists will help the public create a continuous drawing on paper that rolls out and winds its way around the park, through the Rose Garden, by the steps of the Natural History Museum and past the California African American Museum, around the dinosaur sculptures and past the soccer field. The continuous drawing project will be photographed and ultimately be showcased as a "scrolling panorama" online.

According to Brigham, participation in The Big Draw LA is open to organizations of all sizes and types—from established institutions to small groups—and all are invited to organize an event during the month of October. Organizations to date who have signed up to organize their own The Big Draw LA events include the Huntington Library, Garden and Art Collections; Skirball Cultural Center; and Fowler Museum at the University of California at Los Angeles. Organizations who are interested in participating in The Big Draw LA or sponsorship opportunities are invited to visit www.thebigdrawla.org for more Information.

About The Big Draw and The Campaign for Drawing

The Big Draw was started by the Guild of St. George, a nonprofit organization founded by 19th century critic and educator John Ruskin. Now led by the Campaign for Drawing in London, the aim is to raise awareness of drawing's power as a tool for learning, observation, creativity, and social and cultural engagement. In 2009, more than 1,300 Big Draw events took place across the United Kingdom and internationally.

About Ryman Arts

Ryman Arts provides gifted teens the opportunity to reach their artistic potential through free high-level art education in a rigorous and nurturing studio environment. In addition to artistic training, Ryman Arts students build self-discipline and confidence, and receive college and career guidance that helps position them for success in their careers and lives. Ryman Arts currently teaches talented high school students from more than 200 schools in Southern California.

The program began in 1990 to honor the memory of legendary Disney artist and mentor Herbert D. Ryman. The core program includes sequential studio courses that emphasize advanced drawing and painting skills. Courses, taught by professional teaching artists, foster students' artistic development and provide the knowledge they need to pursue higher education and careers in the arts.

Photos available upon request.

Contact:  Susan Dunn, Dunn Communications, 818-762-4708

SOURCE Ryman Arts