The Birds, Leytonstone, 30 August 2023

Having modelled at The Birds for Leytonstone Life Drawing in late June this year, I hadn’t imagined another booking would be forthcoming this side of 2024. Sometimes, however, whims and wheels work in weird ways. I was blessed both with this session and another in November this year. Oh, I do love this group!

Artwork by Paul Green.

Group organiser, Jennifer had been away taking a well-deserved holiday in June, but was back at the helm for this session with her special lighting and life-size skeleton. I sense she sees similarities between me and the skeleton, so uses me for anatomical comparison when offering guidance to her artists.

Artwork by Paul Green.

We’d begun with warm-up work: three poses of 1 minute each, then four of 3 minutes each. Next I went face-down on the floor for 5 minutes in a kind of push-up style, with one knee forward. I stood for 5 minutes in a wide stride with right arm up and left arm out. And I sat side-saddle on the floor with twisted torso and both hands grounded.

Artwork by Paul Green.

Two poses of 25 minutes each would complete our session after the midway interval. For the first I stood with my right hand on the back of my neck and my left forearm on the arch of my back. Finally I sat atop two long benches in an old favourite pose, with one arm supported by a raised knee while the other hand rested behind me.

Artwork by Paul Green.

Another very satisfying session at The Birds. Nice people all around the room. Whilst they were drawing, Jenny circulated and advised and occasionally pointed her phone in my direction. She knows I’m comfortable with photos, but I hadn’t expected a great montage reel to appear on Instagram (below) that very same evening. Bonus!