The Winchester, London, 6 January 2026

12 Jan 2026

My third modelling job of 2026 was with Living Art Life Drawing at The Winchester pub in Highgate, north London. I was particularly excited about this booking, not only because it was a new group for me but because of the couple who run it.

Alex and Françoise together are renowned for organising great art events. Each is a sublimely talented creator of visual art in their own right, with Françoise also being an extraordinary accomplished performance artist and life model.

In other words these people know what they’re doing and the right way to go about it. That’s not to say there is anything revolutionary about how they facilitate life drawing, but extra levels of consideration shown both beforehand and on the day were telling.

The session itself comprised pose times from 3 to 20 minutes – perfect for the kind of angular dynamism that’s become my trademark. A great playlist of dark, edgy, moody sounds suited me nicely too. This was not a session for delicate Classic FM fans.

The next day I sent thanks for a very enjoyable and inspiring evening. I say ‘inspiring’ because some sessions, by the nature of their set-up and the energy from the artists, give added inspiration to put as much as possible into the poses. This was one.

It doesn’t happen by accident. The right environment has to be created. Maybe this is an ability innate to some people, but effort is still required to put ideas into practice, to build and sustain and care to do things appropriately. Full respect.