Today we’d like to introduce you to Jennifer Fabos Patton.
Jennifer, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Well, I guess it all started when I was 19 and was dating a magician named John. We would street perform on Colorado Blvd. in Old Town Pasadena. One day during one of these performances, this short bearded old man was watching me instead of the magician. When John was done performing, the old came over and gave his pitch. He wanted me to pose for him.
At first, I know I was thinking ‘dirty old man’, but after he left this student artist from Pasadena City College came over to me and told me who he was. He was the famous bohemian artist Jirayr Zorthian. It still took me a couple of weeks to get up the nerve to call him because I knew he wanted me to pose nude. Now I had been modeling already for 3-4 years but for fashion, never nude. So the day comes that I go and meet him. He has a huge artistic ranch with all kinds of structures and recycled, repurposed things made into art. It is quite a place to see. We hit it off and I worked for him for about three years straight. Another amazing thing about this was that he had stopped drawing and painting for eight years before he met me. I helped him do a whole series of work in his later life.
That is the story of how I got into the Art Modeling world. After that, I was pretty well known. Everyone wanted to work with me and I was written up in papers and magazines. I have since worked in this world for over 30 years and have helped to develop and expand it to a thriving industry that it is today. I’ve helped hundreds of models as well as helping artists, schools, animation, movie and gaming studios with finding the best models in LA. But most of all by connecting everyone in a world where artists are sheltered in their studio or cubicle for hours and days. I did this by producing art events where models pose in fun themes, cool music is playing and drinks are available. These Drawing and Painting events were so fun and creative that artists and models would come out of their shells and socialize and create. Models, other artists and other creative people would meet and get married, do a comic book together and create memorable times that would live with them forever. I have been creating these fun events since 2004 and we are still going strong.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
There have definitely been ups and downs, mostly due to no investment capital and using all my own money and time to get it going. It is a one woman show when it came to producing, advertising and promotions, accounting, and hiring and being the talent. etc. But it was all worth it. I know how to do it all and I own it all.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Gallery Girls – what should we know?
The Gallery Girls is a Los Angeles-based company offering professional model themed drawing and painting events for artists. NOW OFFERING ONLINE EVENTS. Come and get creative at our next drawing and painting event. Everyone is welcomed to attend and no artistic experience necessary – Get your art supplies ready and let’s have some fun!
Before (and after) the pandemic, we would have fun art events in bars, galleries, schools and studios with models in fun costumes, props and themes. Thinks like DRINK & DRAWS and Art Brunch Painting Sessions.
Since the pandemic, we offer 3 ONLINE Drawing & Painting Events a week to help keep you creative…
WEDNESDAYS 6:30-9:30pm PST- LONG POSE – https://paintingonline.eventbrite.com
THURSDAYS 5-7pm PST – QUICK SKETCH – https://zoomlifedrawing.eventbrite.com
SATURDAYS 5-8pm PST COSTUME DRAWING https://zoomdrinkndraw.eventbrite.com
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
I really did the whole business myself but the models I work with really are the best in the world. They really help us create and bring an exciting event to the artists that make fun of art and something they will remember. One model in particular who really influenced me is my dear friend Sara Streeter.
Pricing:
- With Covid we have 3 ONLINE Drawing & Painting Events a week… $7-$10 http://Gallerygirls.eventbrite.com
- WEDNESDAYS 6:30-9:30pm PST- LONG POSE – $10 https://paintingonline.eventbrite.com
- THURSDAYS 5-7pm PST – QUICK SKETCH – $7 https://zoomlifedrawing.eventbrite.com
- SATURDAYS 5-8pm PST COSTUMED DRAWING – ONLY $10 https://zoomdrinkndraw.eventbrite.com
- With Covid, we have one In-Person event we do with a partner in Woodland Hills on Wednesdays 7-10pm Valley Art Academy $10-$15
- When we are back from Covid, we will have sessions in bars and other larger events all over Los Angeles and beyond. Things like Drink and Draws and Painting Salons. They usually range from $15-$25
Contact Info:
- Website: www.gallerygirls.com
- Phone: 818-535-5761
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gallerygirlsla/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheGalleryGirls
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/thegallerygirls
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/gallery-girls-los-angeles-2
- Other: https://www.meetup.com/gallerygirls/ and http://Gallerygirls.eventbrite.com
Image Credit:
#1, 3, 4, 7 Drawing from a DRINK & DRAW at the Other Door Bar in North Hollywood with models Jennifer Fabos Patton and Miaka Sozo. #2 Model Kiki Brook as a ghost from a drawing event at the Hive Gallery in Downtown LA. #5 Models Vailence Martyn as Poison Ivy and Lucy Marie as Harley Quinn at a drawing event at an outside art event RESEDA RISING www.1111acc.org/resedarising. #6 Jennifer Fabos Patton in Steam Punk at a DRINK & DRAW. #8 Katherine Carnes as a housewife on one of our online drawing events. #9 DRINK & DRAW at the Other Door Bar in North Hollywood with models Jennifer Fabos Patton and Miaka Sozo as Bondage Girls. #10 DRINK & DRAW at Casey’s Irish Pub in Downtown LA with models Vailence Martyn as Harley Quinn and Lizbeth Ruiz as Poison Ivy
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