The Bull, London, 22 January 2019

At the time I decided on a long walk to The Bull in Highgate, I’d not reckoned on this winter’s first major snowfall hitting London that very evening… and hardly had I set off from the station when a paving slab tilted, filling one shoe with freezing water from the puddle beneath. Grimly, I squelched onwards through Christmassy prettiness.

I banged all the snow from my umbrella, brushed more from my coat, and entered the downstairs bar. The Jolly Sketcher life drawing would be taking place upstairs, and I had arrived with ten minutes to spare. Group organiser, Tanja Hassel showed me my pose space and I helped as best I could with her remaining preparations.

It was my first time visiting this pub. Something about its name – “The Bull” – had me imagining a gloomy spit-and-sawdust place, yet here I was nude beneath chandeliers with a soft carpet under my feet, enclosed by pale turquoise walls. Well, it’s Highgate after all. Oh, and the poses? Two of 5-minutes, two of 10, and two of 15 to begin.

A single hour-long pose – or more likely 55-minutes – completed the session after our break. I settled into a very comfortable seated position, so when Tanja offered me the chance to stretch midway through, I was happy just to carry on. Happiness increased further at the end when I found my wet shoe and sock had dried. Complete success!