Mall Galleries, London, 15 June 2018

On a mellow late-spring evening at Mall Galleries, I was in the mood to chance a few aches and pains in the pursuit of better poses. I would only be required to provide four, each to be sustained for 30-minutes, so I wouldn’t get too carried away – just an extra arm reach here, a extra lean there, more of a head tilt perhaps…

I think slightly fewer Hesketh Hubbard Art Society artists were with me compared to the three female models on 15-minutes, long and portrait poses, but that never makes me envious, just more determined to do well for those who’ve opted to draw me. First I stood reaching out in a stride, then sat leaning forward with legs extended.

After a break I sat leaning back upon my wrists, then closed with a familiar favourite of one arm across my head and the other behind my back. The only previous time I tried holding the latter for 30-minutes my arm went numb after 25 and I was left balancing a dead weight. History repeated itself here, so now know my limit for that pose!