The Star by Hackney Downs, 8 September 2015

“I can call the time after 5 minutes, if you like,” offered Carla. “No, it’s fine, let’s just do it,” I replied with excess confidence whilst part-squatting, part-kneeling in a precarious balance atop a high stool. “All right,” announced Carla, “this is a 10 minute pose.” The fire entered my limbs before we’d reached halfway, but our Radiohead soundtrack was the perfect balm…

This was my first pose after the break during what was my first visit to The Star by Hackney Downs since April. I closed the session with a rather more comfortable, if admittedly less interesting, seated pose on the edge of a couch. 15-20 minutes later we were done and the evening’s works could be admired in a vast spread occupying the whole of our upstairs floor.

When I’d arrived at the pub, the group’s co-coordinators – Catherine Hall and Carla Nizzola – had almost finished setting up. All new boxes of materials were ready and waiting for artists to help themselves. After a brief skirmish with the sound system, a quick cough and a drag, and the procurement of an art-enhancing bottle of red, they were ready to go.

Short poses preceded the break. In a departure from tradition, I started with 5 minutes reclining on the couch, then perched upright upon a low stool for 3 minutes. 2 minutes standing were followed by three 1-minute poses and three 30-second poses. After this energetic flurry, I was glad to be seated again for 10 minutes, and finally folded double on the floor for another 10.

The evening finished with seven of us – one model, two coordinators, two artists and two dogs – taking our tipples to the tables outside for a spot of après-art chit-chat. In such good company it would have been a fine night out even without our drawing and life modelling. Instead we had it all and I can’t wait for enough months to elapse that I can enjoy it again.