The Monday Morning Art Circle in Highlands That Anyone Is Welcome to Join

Photo by SOHAM BANERJEE (@soham1991) on Unsplash

By Jon Tharp, Broker  ·  May 18, 2026

For somewhere between five and ten dollars, you can spend a Monday morning drawing from a live model in a studio at The Bascom in Highlands, alongside artists who range from total beginners to people who have been doing this for decades. No critique, no pressure, no class fee. Just work in your preferred medium and share the space.

That is Studio Alive, a figure drawing and painting group that gathers at The Bascom on select Monday mornings from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sessions run year-round, with the exception of March. All skill levels are welcome, and the coordinators mean it.

The group has roots going back to 1980, when a local artist named Catherine Christie started gathering fellow painters and drawers at private Highlands studios each week to work from live models. That tradition held for nearly three decades before the group disbanded in 2007. Six years later, Studio Alive was revived and found a permanent home on The Bascom campus. It has been meeting there ever since.

What draws people back week after week goes beyond technique. Drawing from life sharpens the eye in ways photographs cannot replicate, and the figure is one of the harder subjects to work through consistently. There is no shortcut. But more than craft keeps this group going. A room full of people doing the same quiet work has its own pull.

Artists bring their own materials and work in whatever medium suits them. The shared model cost keeps the barrier low.

The Bascom has been a fixture in Highlands for 40 years. The campus sits on six acres of a former horse farm at 323 Franklin Road and includes a 27,500-square-foot main building, a ceramics studio in a renovated barn, and exhibition galleries open year-round. Exhibitions are always free. The center draws roughly 25,000 visitors annually and supports around 300 working artists through residencies, exhibitions, and retail opportunities.

Studio Alive fits a different place in that picture. Not a ticketed workshop or a curated show, but a group that shows up most Mondays and has done so across nearly five decades, with one interruption. That kind of consistency is harder to build than it looks.

A group that has run for more than four decades is part of what people find when they start spending real time in Highlands. It tends to matter a lot to the people who eventually decide to stay.

If you have been thinking about what life in the Highlands area might actually look like, Jon Tharp is glad to answer questions about the real estate market and what it takes to make that move.

Sources consulted: Studio Alive at The Bascom | Highlands Chamber of Commerce event listing | The Laurel Magazine on The Bascom

 

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Studio Alive at The Bascom in Highlands, NC?

Studio Alive is a community figure drawing and painting group based at The Bascom, a visual arts center in Highlands, NC. The group gathers on select Monday mornings to work from live models, with each artist using their own preferred medium. The format is informal: there is no instructor critique, no structured curriculum, and no required experience level. Artists set up their own space, work alongside others, and share the cost of the model. It functions less like a class and more like an open studio session with a consistent community of people who show up regularly.

How much does it cost to attend Studio Alive at The Bascom?

There is no class fee to participate in Studio Alive. Bascom members attend at no charge beyond the shared cost of hiring the model. All participants contribute to that model fee, which typically runs between five and ten dollars per person per session. This makes it one of the more affordable recurring art experiences in the Highlands area. You bring your own materials and work in whatever medium you prefer. The one scheduling expectation is arriving by 9:30 a.m. to set up your space before the session officially begins at 10.

Do I need to be an experienced artist to join Studio Alive?

No prior experience is required. Studio Alive explicitly welcomes artists at every level, including complete beginners. More seasoned artists work alongside newer ones, and the group's culture is described as supportive rather than critical. Working from a live model is a practice that challenges everyone regardless of background, so arriving as a beginner is common. Sessions run from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on select Mondays, and participants work independently in their chosen medium without being evaluated, graded, or given formal instruction during the session.

When does Studio Alive meet and where is The Bascom located?

Studio Alive meets on select Mondays throughout the year from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in The Bascom's Adult Studio. The group does not hold sessions during March. Participants are asked to arrive by 9:30 a.m. to set up before the session starts. The Bascom is located at 323 Franklin Road in Highlands, NC, on a six-acre campus that includes a main gallery building, a ceramics studio in a renovated barn, exhibition spaces, and a nature trail. For the current Monday schedule, contact coordinators Penny Bradley or Billy Love at 828-787-2881.

How do I join Studio Alive or find out about upcoming sessions?

To join or get current schedule information, contact Studio Alive coordinators Penny Bradley or Billy Love at 828-787-2881. They can confirm which Mondays the group meets and answer questions about what to bring and what to expect from your first session. You can also check the events calendar at thebascom.org or the Highlands Chamber of Commerce website. No advance registration is required. The process is informal, and first-time participants are welcome to come and observe or work alongside the group before deciding whether to make it a regular part of their week.