The Victoria Stakes, London, 11 February 2019

Duo bookings tend to be infrequent as the cost of paying two model fees is prohibitive for many groups. As a life modelling couple, however, Esther and I do sometimes get more work in the weeks either side of Valentine’s Day. In fact the increase in demand is such that we were booked by The Moon and Nude for this life art session at The Victoria Stakes way back in November. Shop early to avoid disappointment!

Group organiser, Julia greeted us when we arrived but then, as she was feeling rather poorly, left us in the very safe and capable hands of her partner, Edward. The three of us together agreed pose timings for the evening, and at 7pm we started with warm-up poses – two of 2-minutes. This is way too short for capturing two figures so we began solo and swapped ends of the room at the change-over.

The structure for our poses together was to be three of 15-minutes each, taking us to an interval, then two of half-an-hour to complete the session. For the first of these, we stood in an embrace. Posing in the round, however, we can’t cuddle fully front-to front as all any of the artists would be able to see is our backs. Ergo we arrange ourselves into a sort of semi side-to-side alignment. It’s less comfortable but more drawable.

For the second 15-minute pose we sat close together on the floor, gazing face-to-face but bodily apart, with just hands making physical connection. The first half ended with Esther sitting on a stool and our bodies once more hugging sideways. After the break we resumed with Esther standing and me wrapped round her legs, and finally I sat on the floor while Esther lay across my lap. Serene.

The session overran, but we were quite content. Our efforts appeared to be very much appreciated by those drawing us, and there were some superb artworks to show for it. Edward and Julia are among the nicest, most attentive and considerate organisers for whom we have the pleasure of working. Lastly a word about the creation below, called a “landscape of limbs” by the chap who drew it. I like to think of it as… a ‘limbscape‘.