The Victoria Stakes, London, 12 October 2026

18 Oct 2026

My first nude life modelling in seven weeks – including several weeks away travelling around the Balkans – was back with old favourites, The Moon and Nude. It’s exactly nine years (18 October 2017) since I first modelled for them at The Victoria Stakes, and over twelve years since my debut for them at The Old Dairy.

Regular host Julia couldn’t be here this evening but her stand-in, Alex maintained her high standards. The classic format of pose times was unchanged, as was attention to the model’s possible needs. The start time was new (6:45pm instead of 7pm), but the biggest change was within my own body.

The day before this session I had an NHS ultrasound scan on my left shoulder. I was told the pain and mobility-loss, which began earlier this year and has since escalated sharply, is caused by “inflamed and thickened” tendons. Preliminary assessment: I’m likely to need a steroid injection and physiotherapy. So…

It’s good that I know the cause and (hopefully) a solution but it’s not a quick-fix. In the meantime, I have to re-learn my job as a model. As a rough estimate, sixty percent of what I had considered reliable ‘bread and butter’ poses that I could create at any time are (for the time being, at least) no longer possible. I have to protect the injury.

But this life drawing session in Muswell Hill wasn’t all about damage-limitation. It was still an evening of presence and positivity. It was great to see so many regular artists, even better that we had the biggest overall attendance I’ve seen here post-pandemic and, best of all, to have inspired such superb art whilst adapting to my new reality.