Dr. Sketchy's Anti-Art School

Not for nothin’ does Providence/ Rhode Island reputedly have the highest number of artists per capita than any other city/state in the country. But now there is an additional somethin’. The latest inducement is DR. SKETCHY’S ANTI-ART SCHOOL, Providence division. Not only has the unsmiling seriousness been taken out of the tradition of boring live-model drawing classes, a good dose of humor has been added (as well as a band), as art students sketch local burlesque artistes, fishnet stockings, garter belts, maybe a feather boa and all — but not quite in the altogether. Created three years ago in New York by artist Molly Crabapple, the enterprise has spread to nearly 50 cities, from Tokyo to Kansas City to Paris. Last fall artist Gail Schilke set up shop in an appropriate spot, the Hi-Hat. No drawing instructor, but only five bucks.

DR. SKETCHY'S ANTI-ART SCHOOL AT THE HI-HAT | 3 Davol Square, Provi¬dence | 401.453.6500 | thehihat.com | myspace.com/provsketchy