Mall Galleries, London, 21 August 2026

13 Sep 2026

The act of sitting for portraits – that is, the very act itself – with Hesketh Hubbard Art Society at Mall Galleries is almost always the same. Upright, passive, hands resting at lap level, forward-facing, steady gaze, sustainably expressionless. Sixty minutes, a break of fifteen, another sixty minutes, done.

Last time here I dared to meddle with the format by positioning hands in prayer, but I don’t like to push my luck too far so I reverted to normal service. Variety this time was in the faces of those semi-encircling me. It being mid-August, peak vacation period, a few regulars were absent and one or two newcomers were filling gaps.

For me and, so far as could divine, the artists too, this evening went swimmingly well. Strong vibrant works were in abundance; I avoided the sitters’ curse of drowsiness; it was good to catch up with people I hadn’t seen in months, and better yet to see them in all smiling mood. So, yeah, my appreciation of portrait work very much continues.