Village Community Hall, Tunbridge Wells, 6 December 2025 – part 1

18 Dec 2025

Over the years I’ve heard many reasons for cancelling life drawing sessions, yet here was a potential first: a whole town losing its water supply. Tunbridge Wells started to experience loss of water on 29 November. Several days later, its residents still had to boil their home supply. So how might all this affect Tunbridge Wells Life Drawing?

With local life so fundamentally impacted, the concern was whether artists would feel able to take time out. After consulting regular attendees, organiser Ben decided there was enough interest to proceed with my double booking for 6 December; short poses from 12pm to 2pm, then a long pose session from 2:30pm to 4:30pm.

Another point that Ben and I discussed in advance was: which artist to suggest as an inspiration for our day. From Ben’s shortlist, I picked Alberto Giacometti. I have long felt an affinity with Giacometti’s sculpture figures – all the more so since posing in the Giacometti style for a 2017 Tate Late event. I’m a Schiele and Giacometti kinda guy.

Cometh the day, given the late call to proceed, late advertising, ongoing water issues and competing pre-Christmas events around town, it was no surprise that attendance was down. Even so, the turn-out was still respectable with plenty of positivity. Ben set the scene and I threw myself into Giacometti-inspired shapes, plus a few of my own.

Tap water in the kitchen was declared out-of-bounds so our tea breaks were tea-less. Most of us brought our own bottled water, however (mine filled and imported from my Essex home supply). I needed hydration as the hall’s heaters were ferocious. It might even have been the first time I’ve ever suggested switching-off heaters in December.

So overall the short pose session (midday to 2pm) started well, progressed at a good pace, relaxed to a jolly mingle at the interval, and became a more meditative practice with a 40-minute pose to finish. I stood for the longer pose, knowing I would be sitting for the hour-and-a-half pose of part 2…