The Victoria Stakes, London, 23 October 2023
This was a joy to behold. The first-floor function room of The Victoria Stakes was as busy with life drawing artists as I could ever recall seeing it. I have been working with The Moon and Nude for more than 10 years – multiple venues, always happy times, truly nice people – so it’s great to see business doing well. Time to give of my best!
Artwork by mi_sketches_
As ever, organiser Julia was attentive in asking me whether the room was sufficiently warm and checking that I wasn’t just playing the old soldier in saying ‘yes’. We began at 7pm with quickfire poses: 1 minute, 2 minutes, 3 minutes, 4 minutes, 5 minutes, all in the round; reorientating, repositioning, re-energising.
Artwork by Rosalind Freeborn
In my mind, poses up to 5 minutes in length are ‘quick’, whilst 10 minutes to half-hour is ‘medium’ and anything more is ‘long’ insofar as breaks may be needed. We moved to medium with a 10-minute pose, after which a 15-minute pose ran on to 20 minutes so the final pose before our half-time interval was shortened from 20 to 15.
Artwork by Rosalind Freeborn
We ended with a 40-minute pose. Feeling in a good place, both within myself and the room, I offered to stand. Julia announced this to the artists, noting that offers to stand for the long pose are: “rarer than Willy Wonka’s golden tickets“. It was my pleasure to be their golden ticket; I felt connected and appreciated.
Artwork by alexander english
Artwork by Rosalind Freeborn
This aura of positivity preserved me from needing to pause for a stretch. A slight shift of thumb position on my left hip plus occasional micro heel-lifts were all I required. As the session concluded, magnificent artworks and many a kind word from artists were ample remuneration for an auric admission. Hope to be back in February!
steve ritter 