Royal Inn on the Park, London, 23 May 2019

I’ve been modelling long enough to know that heatwaves and life drawing don’t really mix. By some unwritten inverse law, a sudden surge in temperatures will be matched by an equivalent plummet in attendances at art groups. So, whilst it’s a dream for the model to be cosily warm, the advantage is reduced by a shortfall of artists. Such was the situation on my last visit to the Royal Inn on the Park.

As absentees presumably frolicked outdoors in the long light mellow evening air, I set about presenting my best shapes to the dedicated handful who’d paid to draw. Poses were timed at 10-minutes, 2, 2, 2, 5, 5, 15 and 15-minutes during the first half. After a half-hour break, we completed the session with two poses of 30-minutes each. First I sat on a chair, contemplating a balloon, then ended in angles, seated on the floor.

Barrie Novell

Perusing messages on my phone during the interval, I learned the very sad news that legendary life model Barry Novell had died earlier in the day following a major cardiac arrest. I’d only experienced his unique larger-than-life mischievous character a couple of times myself, but had long known him to be spoken of affectionately by all who met him – passionate about his life modelling, a gift to portraits, a true one-off. RIP Barrie.

‘Barrie’ by Antony Williams NEAC PS RP