"This entity, which ensures the continuity of drawing in all its aspects, does not depend on anyone; it depends on its members," Parera emphasizes. "We are six hundred thirty members, who through a fee maintain the Cercle. Every four years a new board is elected. I am in the middle of my second term. The members choose the president and the board. On the current board, we have the set designer Josep Castells and the model Marimax Satsera, of Greek origin," he continues.
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We go up the stairs of the palace… "We don't know exactly what date the construction is from. We believe it is from the 17th century and was part of the property of the Monastery of Santa Catalina. It is also known that in 1714 a noble family from Girona occupied it. We share the building with the Coordinadora de Geganters de Barcelona. We share the interior patio. They have here the festive Entremeses, which are the big-heads, dwarfs, and bestiary; each beast has its own execution," he indicates.
The Cercle Artístic Sant Lluc settled on Mercaders street in 2009. Parera explains to us that it is a City Council building and that they have an administrative concession for fifty years: "We take care of everything and a mortgage of 500,000 euros with Arquia to cover part of the renovation costs of the building that was done between 2007 and 2009. We do not have a rent; it is a concession against this mortgage."
Honorary members
"Antoni Gaudí was a member of the board of Sant Lluc when the entity had a very important ecclesiastical nuance ---Parera highlights---. At that time, Gaudí was very mystical and coincided with the entity's line, and that is why he was involved in processions such as that of Corpus Christi, of which we keep a photo that is one of the few existing snapshots of him." The Llimona brothers, very close to the church, also played an important role: "Especially Joan Llimona, who was president, and Josep's daughter, Mercè Llimona, who was president in the fifties."
Sant Lluc was founded in 1893. Among the first members were the architect Sagnier, the Llimona brothers, and Alexandre de Riquer. It was born as a center dedicated to drawing, to promoting drawing and friendship. Joan Miró was a great regular because he was very interested in drawing, and when he died, his widow donated a drawing to the entity out of the love Miró had for Sant Lluc. Several of the drawings the artist made in Sant Lluc are also preserved.
Essential tool
"Drawing is essential. Many people tell us they knew how to draw but have forgotten. Sant Lluc is drawing. When you draw, you are bringing out your intimacy, your senses. Drawing is innate; the first thing any child does is scribble, express themselves with a pencil," says Parera.
All activities revolve around drawing. "We are not an alternative to anyone; we are complementary to everything, to design schools, to architecture schools, to illustrators… It is a place where you can practice what you need for your professional development. We offer daily sessions with models and spaces prepared for work. We have university professors willing to accompany all students," he details.
"The scientist Josep Perelló says he can only explain quantum physics through drawing, and doctors also use drawing to explain the patient's stomach condition," Parera reflects from the majestic hall of the palace.
Drawing cubed. There are courses to learn how to hold a pencil and face the paper; introduction to drawing, academic drawing, watercolor, engraving, comic… There are also collective exhibitions of what is done during the course. "If you sign up for a course, during that period you become a member of the entity with all its advantages, such as discounts to access museums like Macba, Mnac, and Picasso," points out its president.
Drawing in the 21st century
Parera is aware that the 21st century belongs to technology, but his enthusiasm does not wane because of it. He does get sad when he reveals that it is the first year the Generalitat has denied them the subsidy because they claim they do not meet "the requirements for historical entities nor as a training center because it is not regulated training."But nobody takes into account the social work they do in collaboration with the Barcelona Psychiatry Center with groups of borderline disorders and the support for students of the Artistic Baccalaureate from fourteen institutes in BarcelonaThe students of the Artistic Baccalaureate come here with their teachers and have special classes in a different setting from the institute and with good facilities with stands, platforms, and models.Pending subject, the website. Nowadays, an entity's website is its window to the world. "It's one of the urgencies we have; it's under construction… We hope that during this month of November it will see the light," says Parera.
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