A healthy breeze blew through the trees on a recent Tuesday morning at Featherstone Center for the Arts in Oak Bluffs. The various buildings strewn about the green glens and pasture land of the 6.5-acre campus were empty excepting the art studio, wherein a small group of friends were quietly assembling for what has become, for many artists, an integral part of their weekly schedule.

The Tom Maley Life Drawing Group has existed, in one form or another, for more than 30 years. Originally held in the West Tisbury home of beloved Island artist Tom Maley, the group has changed location but never changed in structure. The group’s latest incarnation here at Featherstone is the result of heartfelt efforts by Anne Gallagher.

“The mission of this group is to provide a space where artists, whether beginners or professionals, know there will be a model for two hours every week, without an instructor, and without critique. And the price of attending is only to cover the cost of the model,” said Ms. Gallagher. Ms. Gallagher has been an active member of the Maley group since it was known as the Red Couch Group, and held in the Maleys’ living room. A sprightly, energetic woman, Ms. Gallagher’s eyes begin to sparkle as she recalls the group’s history.

“We all started there, and then when the Maleys passed away, we moved around. We were at my house for awhile, and then there was that barn it’s got to be in a place where you can make a mess.”

Three years ago, Ms. Gallagher, a member of the board of directors at Featherstone, suggested that the Tuesday morning meetings be held at the art studio there on a regular basis. When her idea found a positive reception with the board, she asked Tim Maley, son of Tom, for permission to use his father’s name, which he granted. The move to Featherstone has been a success.

“This is nice and central,” said Ms. Gallagher, as she served tea and homemade cookies during the session’s mid-morning break. “We have a terrific studio, a kitchen and a john. And the lighting well, you can see, it’s perfect.” Liz Taft, a longtime member of the group, added, “The only disadvantage is not being in my living room anymore!”

On a typical Tuesday morning, the session begins with a number of short warm-up poses by the model, from two to five minutes. During this time, the artists might chat about everything from the rising cost of the Chappy ferry to the weather.

“Nothing like a week away to get you more than rusty,” remarked Ms. Taft toward the beginning of the session. Dana Nunes, the model, replied without breaking her pose: “I guess that’s why I’m happy that I don’t draw.”

Chuckles fill the room. Experiencing the session for the first time, one is struck by a casual intimacy, a sense of community. More than a drawing group, this is a group of friends sharing something they love in a beautiful setting.

Ms. Nunes is a first-class model, holding difficult poses with statuesque stillness, while simultaneously exchanging lively banter with the artists drawing her. “I haven’t seen you in a while, Bob. I’ve missed you!”

“I’ve missed you all!” replied Mr. Robert Osbourne, a nine-year veteran of the group. And once again, one is reminded of the real wonder of the Tom Maley Life Drawing Group: its consistency.

Sessions are held year round, rain or shine, every Tuesday. Ms. Taft, who sometimes organizes the off-season meetings, said, “Sometimes in the winter it will be just Dana and me.”

It is this consistency that has allowed the group to stay intact after thirty years, and it’s this same consistency that many summer people look forward to. Ms. Shirley Carter, who has been attending seasonally almost since the beginning, said, “It’s wonderful to know that it’s here, and that there’s no instructor, no signup, no critique. And I love the casual way in which we all got to know each other.”

Ms. Gallagher emphasizes that while there is a core group of artists who return week after week for years, there is also a large contingent of surprise visitors. She recalls the time a newcomer came in a Coca-Cola truck, and timidly confessed to her that he was a total beginner. He turned out to be a quick learner, because not long thereafter he was featured at a two-man exhibition in an Oak Bluffs gallery. “You never know who’s going to walk through that door,” she said.

Another moment she recalls fondly was the morning an elderly woman came in, lugging an art box on wheels. Even though one of the core practices of the group is to avoid critique, Ms. Gallagher was so struck by the quality of this woman’s work that she simply had to tell her so. It turned out that the woman was a professional portrait painter from Manhattan.

It’s these surprises, coupled with the regularity of the meetings, that make facilitating the Tom Maley Life Drawing Group a passionate endeavor for Ms. Gallagher. “As busy as I get, I don’t think I’ll ever give it up,” she said.

Classical music plays in the background, as the sun streams through the large windows of the studio. Ms. Nunes, the model, is seated in a chair on a raised platform, executing a markedly relaxed pose. For a moment, there is some disagreement among the artists over how long Ms. Nunes should hold this particular pose, to which the model replied, “It’s up to you all. I just sit here naked.”

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