The Star by Hackney Downs, 2 September 2025

6 Sep 2025

As this is the first session I’ve written about in three weeks, since 11 August, you’d be forgiven for thinking I’ve not modelled much this summer. In fact I’ve been sitting for a portrait oil painting undertaken in the classical style; 24.5 hours so far, with a lot more to come. I’ll write about that one when it’s ready for an exhibition in January 2026.

What I’ve missed, however, is dynamic short-pose work. This evening at The Star by Hackney Downs with Drawing the Star was my first such booking in a month. I was rusty but happy to be rusty as it meant I didn’t start out with my head full of over-used poses. I decided not to think exactly what shapes I would make till each was due.

Proceeding in this way has its risks, which I anticipated and duly found. The upside is when great original poses manifest spontaneously. The downside is inevitably getting into an occasional pain-endurance predicament. On balance one hopes for more ups than downs, and that’s probably what I got… just about.

The final pose was a hurty one, as were a couple of the 1-minute / 30-second poses, but I survived. At the end I dressed in a side room then rejoined organiser Catherine Hall and all the artists to admire their creativity. So much freedom of expression, with confident lines and colours in abundance. I love working here. Good to be back.