Mall Galleries, London, 11 August 2025
This session for Hesketh Hubbard Art Society at Mall Galleries was challenging. A long pose, 2 hours with a 15-minute interval in the middle. I had already committed to making it a standing pose but, for reasons unknown, on my way to the venue I began to experience dizziness and nausea.
Despite feeling unsteady and queasy I went through with the standing pose mainly to satisfy my own professional pride. I stood without a break for the first hour; at the end of which I slid down the wall behind me and sat for several minutes to recover. When, eventually, I could walk again I managed to get a cup of tea and a custard cream.
During the second half I took standing breaks at the 20-minute and 40-minute marks. No dramatic motions to ease my body though as whilst bending and shaking relieved the tension in my limbs, it also increased my nausea. Overhead spotlights pointing at my eyes and bare walls of dazzling white all around didn’t help either.
Surviving to the end was such a relief. Only about nine people were drawing me, and some of those left early, which sadly meant by the time I was able to stand and move again I had little chance to see the finished drawings. Still it was nice to catch-up with those who stayed longer. The things we do for art…
Pose minutes, 6pm-8:15pm
Part 1 : 60.
— break —
Part 2 : 60 continuation.
Artworks
With apologies to artists I’m unable to credit.
Work in-progress at the half-time interval – artist not known.
Artwork by Henry Gilbert.
Artwork by John Williams.
steve ritter 