It was the first day of the rest of my life. OK, so technically every day is, but this one was particularly special. At 5pm the day before, after more than 34 years of full-time employment, I walked away from my office job for the last time. Too many pressures both within work and outside of it… I’d simply reached the end of my tether.
I turned 55 in August and hope to be financially solvent for a few years. I travel a lot, always on a careful budget, but otherwise live a very low maintenance life. Whether this proves to be my retirement however, remains to be seen. What’s certain for the time being is I have just one job: life model. Words I never imagined myself saying.
How fitting it was then that my first life modelling job on the first day of the rest of my life was for Drawing the Star at The Star by Hackney Downs. I’ve been modelling here every year since April 2015 – for me, the longest such run at any venue. I truly love being here and always feel appreciated; the best foundation for a fresh start.
I’d worked with group organiser Catherine Hall only six days before at The Clapton Hart, venue for her new Clapton Drawing sessions. What chance I will model there every year for a decade too? Probably slim, as it’s hard to visualise myself still doing this till I’m 65, but then I’d have said the same of my current age 10 years earlier.
It’s a pivotal moment for me, maybe one of the biggest decisions I’ll ever make… yet weirdly it doesn’t even feel like a “decision” as I know I could not have gone on. This moment had to happen, whereas the future remains an open book, still to be written. I’m now looking only forwards. But it was wonderful to be here in the present.
Pose minutes, 7:30pm-9pm
Part 1 : 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 1, 1, 0.5, 0.5, 0.5, 10, 10.
— break —
Part 2 : 10, 10, 10.
Artworks
With apologies to artists I’m unable to credit.
Artwork by Riyadh.
Artwork by Riyadh.
Artwork by Riyadh.
Artwork by Riyadh.
Artwork by Louise Cowley.
Artwork by Louise Cowley.
Artwork by MISHLA.
Artwork by MISHLA.
Artwork by Catherine Hall.
Artwork by Catherine Hall.
Artwork by Catherine Hall.
Artwork by Catherine Hall.
Artwork by Mark Lindow.
Exciting times in north London! The ever-excellent Hackney-based Drawing the Star life drawing group on Tuesday evenings now has a Wednesday sibling in Clapton, at The Clapton Hart pub. The first Clapton Drawing session was on 4 September with multi-talented Stephanie Osztreicher modelling. I had the honour 3 weeks later.
As per Tuesdays, these sessions are led by exceptional artist, art tutor, facilitator and organiser, Catherine Hall. And like all the best experienced people, Catherine knows when you have a winning formula, you stick with. An abundant supply of art materials is available for artists, and reassuringly familiar pose times are called for models.
The focus is on quickfire dynamic poses: 5 minutes, 4 minutes, 3 minutes, 2 minutes, three of 1 minute, three of 30 seconds, then two of 10 minutes taking us to our break, after which we end with three more poses of 10 minutes each. So far, so similar. The big difference, of course, is this setting.
The pose space lacks the intimacy of sessions at The Star by Hackney Downs, but what a luxurious abundance of room there is for artists! And tables too, for those who like a broad flat surface upon which to work. Arguably best of all: a large skylight that will undoubtedly come into its own during the summer months.
As is frequently the case for new life drawing venues, the first few weeks range from being insanely busy to unexpectedly quiet, then rammed again, then less so. In time numbers will stabilise, hopefully to the comfortable and sustainable level required for another creative success story. All the ingredients are right here.
Artwork by Catherine Hall.
Artwork by Catherine Hall.
Artwork by Catherine Hall.
Artwork by Catherine Hall.
Artwork by LenkaLenka’s Imaginarium.
Artwork by LenkaLenka’s Imaginarium.
Artwork by LenkaLenka’s Imaginarium.
Artwork by LenkaLenka’s Imaginarium.
Artwork by Carole-Anne.
Artwork by Carole-Anne.
Artwork by Mark Lindow.
Artwork by Mark Lindow.
WC Fields is said to have advised: “Never work with animals or children“. Happily for life models, the latter is an absolute non-starter. Occasionally, however, a four-legged figure saunters unselfconsciously into the pose space. At The Beehive it was the pub cat that couldn’t resist taking the floor with me for Tottenham Art Classes.
My first act of preparation was to delicately shoo my feline friend from its comfortable situation on a low bar stool that had been provided for me. Once all set, I started with poses of 5, 5, 10, 10, 10 and 15 minutes, up to our break. Every now and then, either peripheral vision, second sight or animal instinct told me the cat was joining in.
When we resumed after the interval, poses of 2, 2, 10, 10 and 16 minutes completed my work. At the end, a paranoid part of me expected to see drawing upon drawing of only the cat. Instead, I was delighted to find I’d been captured beautifully, without any distraction… and happy that at least one artist caught the little fur ball with me. 🙂
Artwork by Chris.
Artwork by Chris.
How frustrating it is when one allows plenty of time to travel for a booking, one’s train arrives punctually at the station, but it then remains interminably inert by the platform because someone pulled the emergency chord and the driver can’t reset the doors…
I worked out an alternative route into the city, but valuable minutes had already been lost. Sadly it meant my 2-hour long pose at Mall Galleries for Hesketh Hubbard Art Society was truncated to just 1 hour 40 minutes this evening.
By the time I arrived, artists had settled into drawing short, medium and portrait pose models. I was immensely grateful that any opted to relocate and draw me: two at the outset, another four after the first half-hour medium pose, and one more later.
At the time of being booked I’d offered to stand for this pose. Usually models choose to lay down but, having rocked up late, there was more reason for me to go the extra mile. I stood for 40 minutes to begin; waiting 30 before shaking out my numbness.
Tea and biscuits were taken after this first 40 minutes (everyone else’s 60). Following the interval, I completed the second hour with a shake-break every 20-minutes. I had learned the hard way that leaving it half an hour was just a smidgeon too long.
Artwork by John Williams.
Artwork by John Govett.
Artwork by Anthony Roe.
I’ve suffered on the long pose platform here in the past, but this session was actually quite beautiful. I felt genuinely appreciated by those who came to draw me, and I felt the same towards them. Such a shame I couldn’t have given them the full 2 hours.
This booking made in February 2024 was meant to be in Fitzrovia Community Centre on 15 August. With 2 weeks to go, however, we had to relocate as the Centre ceased being a venue for Adrian Dutton’s groups. I was sorry it came and went before I got my chance to add it to the list of 11 venues where I’ve previously worked with Adrian, but out of sorrow some good emerged – a return to the Garrett Centre instead.
Artwork by el_sav_art.
We began with a 5-minute standing pose then went quicker with two of 1 minute, two of 2 minutes, then lengthened to 5, 10, and 15 minutes. The final pose of our first half ought to have been 20 minutes but probably stopped after 17 minutes at eight o’clock sharp so we could partake of piping hot complimentary food. Adrian is still the best at feeding his artists and models!
Artwork by Freddie Crossley.
Artwork by Maryka.
Artwork by Maryka.
Artwork by Freddie Crossley.
Artwork by el_sav_art.
Artwork by Tosin~Sanni.
Artwork by Maryka.
Stuffed with dhal, flatbread, biscuits and tea, I resumed after the interval as if nothing had occurred and I was still as svelte as I’d been at the start. Second half pose times were one 10-minute pose, two of 1 minute, two 2 minutes and one 20-minute pose to finish. This wasn’t the busiest evening at the Garrett Centre, but the feeling round the room was warm, and the artworks were wonderful. A happy rescheduling.
Three weeks after I’d modelled for Catherine Hall and Farida Yesmin at a private life drawing session in Margate, the three of us reunited for another artistic collaboration. This time we were in Folkestone, hosted by Farida. Previously we’d worked outdoors with poses of 10 to 15 minutes, but here we would be inside for longer poses.
Artwork by Farida Yesmin.
Artwork by Catherine Hall.
Artwork by Farida Yesmin.
Artwork by Catherine Hall.
After a catch-up chat and some excellent brunch provided by Farida, we began with a simple 40-minute pose semi-reclining upon a chaise longue. The next pose – another of 40 minutes – was to focus on hands and feet, so I sat upright with limbs positioned to the fore. Complex angles, no problem to hold, exquisitely captured.
Artwork by Catherine Hall.
Artwork by Farida Yesmin.
Artwork by Catherine Hall.
Artwork by Catherine Hall.
Artwork by Farida Yesmin.
We finished with a few shorter poses: 11 minutes standing, 16 minutes sitting side-on and 7 minutes sitting with one arm reaching upwards. Whilst pose times in classes or group settings usually end with a five or zero, at private bookings artists can luxuriate in asking for an extra minute or two whenever it’s desirable… and sustainable. 🙂
Afterwards, Farida showed us around the seafront and art spaces of Folkestone. The town may not have the headline art attractions of Margate, but it’s every bit as vibrant for grassroots practising artists. Thanks to Farida and Catherine my own two summer sessions in Kent have been hugely enjoyable. Hope we can do it again some time!
Margate appears to have become the epicentre of arts in north Kent. The celebrated home town of artist Tracey Emin also now boasts the Turner Contemporary gallery plus many other independent galleries and artist studios. Indeed, no fewer than three life drawing organisers for whom I first modelled in London have relocated here. One is my good friend Catherine Hall, who still runs Drawing the Star in Hackney.
I’d visited Catherine in Margate a couple of times before, but this was a long overdue first visit to do some life modelling. The idea received fresh impetus when our mutual friend Farida Yesmin, who also lives in Kent, joined us at a Drawing the Star session in June. Plans were made, and the three of us duly converged for a summer Sunday morning of life drawing in the great outdoors. I disrobed beneath apple and fig trees.
Artwork by Catherine Hall.
Artwork by Catherine Hall.
Although nude outside in a residential area, I eschewed the use of a fig leaf. Even so, we started cautiously to avoid a scandal. I stood well concealed amidst foliage for the first two poses of 10 minutes each. But then I became bolder, emerging more into the diffused light of this overcast day: 15 minutes and another 10 minutes. As confidence grew, so did my roving; I crossed the lawn to recline on a bench for 10 minutes.
Catherine with reclining nude.
Artwork by Catherine Hall.
On the other side of the lawn I stood for a final pose of 14 minutes. I believe I noticed the top of neighbour’s head bobbing along behind the wall opposite but happily for all concerned, their eyes never peered over the top. Catherine and Farida are both such supremely gifted artists that their focus couldn’t be deflected by oblivious passers-by, nor even a few sparse raindrops. This was wonderful art-making in urban nature.
Artwork by Catherine Hall.
Artwork by Farida Yesmin.
It’s nice to do something out of the ordinary and off the London circuit. Even better in such great company, with generous helpings of Catherine’s legendary banana bread. The art didn’t end there as we took time to check out exhibitions by the Tracey Emin Artist Residency (‘The Final Show’), Vanessa Raw (‘On Earth We Weren’t Meant To Stay’), and Ed Clark at the Turner. Next stop: with Farida in Folkestone! 🙂
steve ritter 