Meet my guest for January's Live Zoom

French artist Marielle Durand has been sketching for more than 20 years, but when she started her career as a professional artist she never imagined the job would open doors like the ones that lead into the French Parliament.

Since October 2022, Durand has belonged to a very small group of artists allowed to draw the political debates from a dedicated bench inside the National Assembly chamber. [See archived post]

Durand’s reportage has generated a lot of media attention, adding to the pressure to deliver the best results.

Her Parliament sketchbook is filled with animated scenes peppered with bits of dialogue from the debates …

Delightful portraits of politicians sporting three-piece suits and fancy bow ties …

And impressive drawings of the majestic architecture inside the building …

Durand will discuss this privileged but challenging reportage opportunity with us on Zoom January 25 at 9 a.m. PST.

She will share tips on how to prepare for similar jobs, how she plans to use this body of work as she continues to document the debates, and take any questions you’d like to ask her.

She will also give us a sneak peek of her upcoming book, “1 km, 1 heure, 1 dessin: une échappée dans Paris XIII” (@elytis.editions, 144 pages, March 22, 2024), an urban sketching project exploring Paris neighborhoods.

Don’t miss this opportunity to hear from one of the most accomplished on-the-spot artists of our times. (Members: Find the link to register at the bottom. Non-members: You can book a $10 ticket on the Sketcher Press website to receive the Zoom link.)