life models – Dr. Sketchy's Baltimore

February 7, 2013February 18, 2013

Let’s have a KiKi.

KiKi Allure was the last model of 2012 and she was absolutely amazing. I’d never heard “Let’s Have A KiKi” by the Scissor Sisters before, but it might be one of my favorite songs now. Well, this month anyway. I wanted to use it in the video below, but figured it wasn’t worth getting us sued out of existence.

We had contests with prizes from our sponsors Atomic Books and Dupenny. I don’t know if you know this, but Atomic Books has been our sponsor for four years, which is almost from the very beginning. This was their last session sponsoring Dr. Sketchy’s and I just wanted to say it’s been an honor working with them, not only because they’re amazing people, but because we consider it a feather in our cap to be sponsored by what, in our opinion, might very well be the best indie bookstore in the country. If you haven’t visited them yet (they’re on the corner of Falls Rd and the Avenue in Hampden), you should. It’s like a toy store for grown-ups and is about as addictive as heroin.

Dupenny was a new sponsor for this session, and donated a snazzy burlesque-themed plate for us to give away as a prize. They design and produce exquisite wallpaper, beautiful homewares and fine ceramics with a refreshing twist. You should check them out. I think we’re going to get some coffee mugs. 🙂

This was also our last Saturday session for the foreseeable future. For most of our 4 1/2 years of doing Sketchy’s, we’ve traditionally had our sessions on Monday evening, the thinking being that there weren’t many other events to compete with and folks were often free. Over the years, a lot of interest was expressed in doing a Saturday afternoon session, so we gave it a shot for a few months. Unfortunately, the attendance just wasn’t as good as Monday with all the various interesting things going on in Baltimore on a Saturday afternoon, like, umm, hangovers and whatnot. Not only that, but Sketchy’s take so much time to set up and take down, that in the end, it basically equated to everyone involved only getting one day off that week, which made pastimes like going to the bookie, finding misplaced cars from Friday’s late night shenanigans, and hunting rabid nutria along backstreets of Fells with .357’s and a bottle of Jack EXTREMELY difficult.

Not impossible, but difficult.

Also, no more Saturday sessions unless there’s a special event going on that calls for it. We’re also reducing our sessions to once a month in 2013, versus the previous twice a month format. An individual session requires a lot of work on the front and backends to put on, to the point where we were finding it impossible to find time to improve things. Basically, our time was going to keeping the machine running with nothing to spare to make each individual session better and better. Plus, Alexis & I are getting married this year, and we need time to plan that monster out. 🙂

So, no more Saturdays, and only once a month from here on out, unless something special comes along (it always does).

Thanks to Kimberly Keyes Stark, Daniel Govar, Stephanie Burgee, Christian Tribastone, and Brandon Peavey for sending in the sketches below.

Special thanks to KiKi Allure for being our artistic muse of the evening, thanks to our sponsors Atomic Books & Dupenny, Zack & Russell of the Windup Space, Maeve for holding down the door and helping set up and take down, Alexis for hosting; and to all you folks who showed up to draw.

December 24, 2012August 4, 2017

Boom goes the dynamite.

Photo by Alexis de la Rosa

When I put together the Dr. Sketchy’s videos, after I’m done with all the pretty sexy stuff and the clips of folks drawing, and after I’ve tacked on all the logos and whatnot at the end, if I can, I’ll dig through the footage for something funny or weird to stick on the end of the thing. Valeria Voxx’s session? Jesus Christ, there must have been twenty minutes of stuff I could have thrown in.

Not only was Valeria Voxx of Black Tassel Boolesque bursting at the seams with amazing poses, not only did she put on a sexy and hilarious performance for the halfway point, but she managed, between her, Alexis, & Russell, to generate enough hilarious footage that I was in tears by the time I finished sorting through all of it. Obviously, I couldn’t use all of it in the little recap clip, but it’ll end up in the documentary or something before all’s said and done I expect.

Valeria put on a doozy of a session, folks—not only that, but a lot of Dr. Sketchy’s Baltimore sessions would be like wrasslin’ a big ol’ den of rabid badgers if she didn’t exist. She’s also pretty damn good at dragging passed-out bartenders away from the prying-eyes of the po-po in a pinch—but shhhh, I didn’t tell you that bit.

Atomic Books sponsored this session with some amazing prizes for our contests. They’re our favorite independent bookstore – check them out on Falls Road right off the Avenue in Hampden.

Thank you to the artists who sent in their drawings: Darcie Brook, Tim Kelly, and John Schloman

Thank you to Valeria Voxx for being her glamorous self for our drawing pleasure (and a bad-ass performance!); thank you to our generous sponsor Atomic Books; thank you to Jeff Schock for many of the great photos you see below; thank you to Russell of the Windup Space for slinging the booze and tunes for us; and thank you to Alexis keeping a hold of the mic so it didn’t get loose and maul anybody in the front row.

July 11, 2011July 11, 2011

Ciao Bella!

Don’t know if you know this, but Maria Bella, “Baltimore’s Sicilian Princess” and founder of Gilded Lily Burlesque, is one of our favorite people on the planet. (Of course, you are our favoritest person . . . don’t get jealous, I don’t want this to turn into a thing.) She’s pretty much a superhero-nurse by day (she SAVES LIVES while I’m, I dunno, shooting rubber bands over the top of my cubicle), burlesque dynamo by night. Actually, she does both of them at night, so I’m not really sure what she does during the day.

That’s not the point.

The point is she’s cool—cooler than us mere mortals anyway. Oh, and she can hold her liquor. I’ve never really been much of a drinker [cough], but on that rare occasion I’m feeling a pint, she can be counted on not to let an old soldier stand alone.

Last session was a little hectic—our photographer Jeff had an emergency that Monday night and wasn’t able to make it—so Alexis and I pretty much ran around like mad and did our best with what we had. We aren’t professionals—well, actually, Alexis is pretty good; I, though, am not. Unfortunately I’ve been coasting through life on my good looks and never bothered to figure out which end of the camera is which, so if you see a crappy photo or two, I took those and Alexis took all the good ones.

To be honest, I haven’t even looked at the photos yet. Let’s take a look together, starting with the 1- and 2-minute poses.

Jeff Lance

Brian Dugan

Jeff Lance

Brian Dugan

Jeff Lance

Brian Dugan

Elstabo

We took a break so folks could get a drink, smoke, whatever (I don’t pay attention, as far as I know they were fighting with bottles out back), and then it was time for the 5-minute poses, the first of which is the opposite hand contest where, if you’re right-handed you draw with your left hand, and if you’re left-handed you draw with your right, and if you’re ambidextrous you get heckled by Alexis on stage, you freak.

The two winners received mysterious concoctions from Russell behind the bar. Nope, I have no idea what was in them. Probably something nasty.

Brian Dugan

Jeff Lance

Brian Dugan

Next up were the 10-minute poses, the first of which was, to go with Maria’s fabulous black widow costume (made by Marla Meringue!), the best incorporation of Maria eating her lover’s head. The winners received sketchbooks and calligraphy pens from Artist & Craftsman Supply which is just down the street on North & Howard. (By the way, this was the last session A&C was going to sponsor—they’re a great shop and we wish them well. 🙂 )

Jeff Lance

Brian Dugan

Hallsi Killian

Marjan Al Hameed

The 20-minute poses were next up on the docket, the first of which was the best incorporation of something J.J. Abrams-related since it was apparently his birthday. The winner received a gift card from Atomic Books on Falls Rd. just off the Avenue in Hampden. If you haven’t been there, you’re being silly. It’s pretty much a geek Mecca.

The last 20-minute pose of the evening was an “I Dream of Jeannie” incorporation, with bonus points for the inclusion of Peter Falk or Columbo. Yes, I know, it’s weird—we blame the alcohol.

Hallsi Killian

We’d like to thank Maria Bella for an absolute amazing session (and horrible hangover the next day); our amazing sponsors Atomic Books, Baby Tattoo Books, Artist & Craftsman Supply, and our brand new sponsor Flying Dog Brewery(!); Stiger and Fred for helping me with all those pesky chairs; Tiffany, who tried (all the way from Houston, Texas) to find us a last minute photographer; the many folks who let us know they could help in the future if there’s ever another emergency; Russell for slinging drinks & tunes; Little Luna and Lauren Marleaux of Gilded Lily Burlesque for keeping me company at the bar; and Alexis for deftly wielding the microphone on stage.

So what’s next? What’s tonight, July 11th?

Snake-charming flying belly dancer on fire Rio!

Well, no fire. Russell gets pissed every time I set something in the Windup on fire. But, there really might be a snake!