This month’s Neotists Drink and Draw swapped patterns for portraits, and the room was buzzing for it.

Guest host Paul Berryman introduced a format built around ten-minute portrait sessions, with sitters rotating from the group each round. Everyone in the room got a turn both drawing and sitting, which meant fast decisions, loose lines, and no time to overthink. Eighteen local creatives came along to have a go.

Meet the host

Paul Berryman is a self-confessed portrait and life-drawing addict, with a practice built around capturing the human face and figure from life. His style is likeness-led, but he’s just as interested in stripping an image back to its barest form while still giving the viewer a pinch of the “wow” factor.

Paul has facilitated over 400 events, running his own art group, delivering demos and workshops for other groups and corporate clients, and working as an associate artist on the learning team at Milton Keynes Gallery. He’s DBS registered and delivers sessions for all ages, working across commissions, workshops, private tuition, corporate team events, pop-up art classes, demonstrations and talks from his base in the Milton Keynes, Bedford and Cambridge corridor. Find out more at paulberryman.art.

How the night went

The rotating-sitter format kept the energy up all evening. Drawing someone you’d just been sitting for a few minutes earlier changed how people looked at each other, and the results were looser and more expressive than a typical longer pose.

The feedback afterwards said it all. Attendee Judy Moore wrote:

“This was a great session, thanks Neotists and Paul Berryman! I think there would be scope to have more sessions like this in the St Neots area, please!”

We couldn’t agree more, Judy.

What’s next

Drink and Draw exists to give St Neots creatives a relaxed, welcoming space to meet, share ideas and try something new, and this month’s session was a good example of why that matters. Off the back of the response to Paul’s session, we’re looking at bringing more portrait-focused workshops to the town. Keep an eye on our events page for the next date.