I guess everyone who made it through the peak pandemic years of 2020 and 2021 at some point thought about their priorities in life. Towards the end of 2021, I knew I had to improve my work-life balance, so for 2022 I decided to limit life modelling bookings to an average of just three per month. I’ve kept to the rule fairly well, but it’s only early September and I’ll have had my year’s quota of 36 bookings by the end of October.
Despite exceeding my target I’ve had long periods without modelling. This booking at the Garrett Centre for Adrian Dutton was my first of any kind in 30 days, or 50 days since a comparable short pose session. And bizarrely although I’ve been a life model for over a decade, operating with an almost innate instinct in recent years, suddenly I found myself on the spot, bereft of pose ideas, and having to relearn the skills.
That’s lack of practice. In life modelling, an interesting physicality and a natural ability will get you so far, enthusiasm and commitment may take you further, but experience and constant creative re-engagement are what make it an instinctive performance. In the seven weeks since I’d last filled two hours with short poses, it appeared I had lost the instinct. Or rather I’d mislaid my subconscious menu of empathic manifestations.
When Adrian asked me to start with a 15-minute pose, I realised my response was to invent one – not wholly original in every aspect, but not dredged from memory either. The same was true in varying degrees for the the next five poses of 1-minute and the pose of 5-minutes that followed. It wasn’t until the subsequent 10-minute pose, and a 20-25 minute pose taking us to an interval, that I managed to remember what I do.
Not senility (yet), merely rustiness. As I say, poses were not totally uninformed by my past efforts, I just didn’t know what each would look like until my body had settled into position. It was fun – the whole not-knowing – and I managed to avoid pains too. After the break, I concluded the session with poses of 10 minutes and 25-20 minutes to the end. So now I ask: what next time? Do I mentally prepare, or just let it flow?
After there’d been no official World Naked Bike Ride (WNBR) in the UK during 2020 (just an unofficial one) and many rides were delayed in 2021, WNBR London finally returned to its traditional second Saturday of June in 2022. The following day, WNBR Brighton did likewise; reclaiming its second Sunday slot. We were back on a roll.
I went by train from London Bridge to Preston Park station, then cycled to the nearby eponymous parkland – the ride’s starting point. On the way I popped into Sainsbury’s for a sandwich, and there chanced upon Natansky with friends Anthony and Roberto. What luck! The trio had travelled from London together, and I now joined their group.
- protest against the global dependency on oil
- curb car culture
- obtain real rights for cyclists
- demonstrate the vulnerability of cyclists on city streets
- celebrate body freedom
Park life
We entered the start enclosure around 12:45pm, with the ride due to begin at 2pm. It was a glorious sunny day. Many people were already naked, both within and beyond the fencing. I left it relatively late to strip-off and, unlike at London, went without body paints on this occasion. My skin can only take so much post-ride scrubbing.
12:54pm at Preston Park: base camp
1:40pm at Preston Park: clothes off
1:55pm at Preston Park: Nat, Anthony, Roberto and me – © Natansky
Preston to Pavilion
Despite the novelty of having a digital countdown clock attached to the fence, we still somehow managed to be a few minutes late getting away. No problem, of course; we simply savoured our anticipation a little longer. Eventually, at 2:06pm, a section of the enclosure was rolled back and our fabulous flood of flesh flowed forth.
2:07pm at Preston Park: we begin
2:10pm at Preston Park: give us a wave!
Our route down to the coast was a familiar one. From the top of Preston Park, we set off in a steady procession anticlockwise on the wide pathway around its perimeter. At the southern end we waited for a couple of minutes as usual, gathering our numbers, ready to hit the streets en masse.
2:14pm at Preston Park: clean as a whistle
2:15pm on Stanford Avenue: to city and sea
At 2:15pm we made our move, turning left out of Preston Park onto Stanford Avenue, before a rapid right put us on Beaconsfield Road. Coasting smartly downhill, we soon passed beneath the towering railway viaduct then went left at The Hare and Hounds into Viaduct Road itself.
2:16pm on Beaconsfield Road: under the bridge
2:17pm on Beaconsfield Road: haring down Viaduct
A right turn at the end of Viaduct Road put us on Ditchling Road heading towards the seafront. The gentlest of doglegs at St Peter’s Place and Waterloo Place took us into Richmond Place, Grand Parade, Pavilion Parade and Old Steine. Everybody had felt such ecstatic joy here at last year’s post-lockdown release. Now I felt… contentment.
2:21pm on Ditchling Road: less gas
2:25pm on Pavilion Parade: looking back – © Mr Konehead
2:26pm on Pavilion Parade: parading past pavilion
Beside the seaside
Whilst we’re a popular presence all around Brighton, the biggest cheers always come as we exit Old Steine and tack right at the roundabout in front of the pier. Sunseekers and funseekers are out in force, lined-up in rows to spectate our extraordinary flypast and offer raucous appreciation as we gleefully soak up the extra attention.
2:28pm on Old Steine: end of the pier show
2:28pm on Grand Junction Road: police escort
2:33pm on Kings Road: i360 fly-by
From the pier, our ride followed the coastline westwards along Grand Junction Road, Kings Road and Kingsway. As ever in Brighton, police outriders (clothed) stayed with us, halting all westbound motor vehicle traffic so our part-protest, part-demonstration, part-celebration could proceed in safety. Thank you, Sussex Police.
2:38pm on Kingsway: westward Hove
2:40pm on Kingsway: end of part 1
Downtime
At 2:40pm, we left Kingsway for a break on Hove Lawns. This was our one chance to abandon the bikes and relax, snack, socialise, use the loos, or go walkabouts. I often find that bracing breezes make it quite chilly here, but today was nice. Our little group went down to the lawns’ sea-facing edge and bagged a few photos… ever the posers.
2:44pm at Hove Lawns: out of the saddle
2:52pm at Hove Lawns: body positive! – © Natansky
Alas, Natansky had to leave us here before the ride continued – domestic duty called her back to London. As we got underway again at 3:15pm, someone spotted Norman Cook, aka Fatboy Slim, taking photos of us from between two parked coaches. “Get your kit off, Norman!” went the cry as we resumed on Kingsway, up to St Aubyns.
3:16pm at Hove Lawns: off again
3:22pm on Kingsway: big smile into St Aubyns
Hove to Hall
St Aubyns takes us north up to Church Road, where a right turn sets us on course for our return to the city centre. Church Road leads to Western Road, which in turn leads to North Street, taking us past shops, cafés, bars, buses and pedestrians. In fairness, many people just carry on their day regardless, but even more stop and applaud.
3:27pm on Church Road: back to the centre
3:28pm on Church Road: still smiling
3:36pm on Western Road: don’t mind me
Weirdly, from North Street we turn south along West Street. This leads us all the way back to the seafront at Kings Road, but only briefly as we take the next left up Middle Street. A right turn puts us on Duke Street, which slides down into Ship Street, where we fork left on Prince Albert Street and Bartholomews, passing the Town Hall.
3:39pm on Western Road: North Street next
3:44pm on Ship Street: backseat driver
3:45pm on Bartholomews: peace, love, happiness
Lanes loop
Little East Street took us to Grand Junction Road for a final glimpse of the pier before we looped north on Old Steine, around Old Steine Gardens, and back past the Royal Pavilion. We went left on Marlborough Place, passing the pavilion’s North Gate, and then north again, making our approach to The Lanes along Gloucester Place.
3:48pm on Old Steine: pavilion reprise
3:49pm on Old Steine: left to Marlborough
Our passage through the narrow Lanes always begins with a left turn into Gloucester Street, and ends with a freewheel descent along Jubilee Street, but otherwise seems to vary each ride. This year’s in-between Lanes were Gloucester Road, colourful and chaotic Kensington Street, and a snippet of North Road.
3:53pm on Gloucester Road: Basketmakers Arms aloft
3:54pm on Kensington Street: hues and cries
3:57pm on Jubilee Street: leaving The Lanes
Eastbound
Wheeling on from Jubilee Street to New Road, then swinging left on North Street and thence Castle Square, we twice traverse Old Steine via St James’s Street to start our journey east through Kemptown. St James’s Street leads to Upper St James’s Street, which leads to Bristol Road, which leads to St George’s Road.
4:00pm on North Street: bums and buses
4:04pm on St James’s Street: rainbows and greens
4:08pm on St George’s Road: cheers!
On St George’s Road a couple beside me asked, “Weren’t you painted silver all over on the London ride yesterday?” Yes, indeed! I was impressed they’d recognised me after such a substantial, all-over transformation. We continued right from St George’s Road into Eaton Place, the sea in view ahead of us, then left onto Marine Parade.
4:09pm on St George’s Road: orderly queue
4:11pm on Eaton Place: back to the sea
4:12pm on Marine Parade: down Duke’s Mound
Mound and round
From Marine Parade, we’re just one big zigzag ‘Z’ from our finish line. Top of the ‘Z’ is Marine Parade itself, but a sharp right puts us on the slash of the ‘Z’: a steep downhill roll along Duke’s Mound. At the bottom, if our brakes are working, a sharp left puts us on the lower parallel of the ‘Z’: Madeira Drive, our home straight.
4:13pm on Duke’s Mound: legs wide
4:14pm on Duke’s Mound: round the outside – © Ðariusz
4:15pm on Madeira Drive: nude not crude
Unexpectedly, rather than an exhilarating end, we then came to a grinding bottleneck halt. Although not clear at the time, apparently the petty ultimatum of a local business meant our traditional destination, Black Rock car park, couldn’t be used. Instead we had to funnel single-file through a tiny gate leading across Volk’s Electric Railway.
4:19pm on Madeira Drive: frustratingly funnelled
4:23pm from Madeira Drive: one by one
4:27pm at the naturist beach: our end
It seemed to take forever – hundreds of naked people pushing bicycles one-at-a-time through the narrow opening – but it also gave a pleasing sense of finality. The railway tracks were, after two and a quarter hours, over 9.6 miles, a true finish line. For many riders, the goal now was fun on the naturist beach. Me? I just rolled happily home.
Our route from Preston Park to the nudist beach
Bygone blogs
Previously on the Brighton Naked Bike Ride:
Long pose sessions for Hesketh Hubbard Art Society at Mall Galleries have a way of turning into a test of endurance. I’ve written previously about some of the localised dynamics that must be negotiated or tolerated. Artists this evening were considerate, respectful, attentive and kind, right from the outset. The fact that it ultimately became an excruciatingly awful experience was entirely my own fault. Well, mine and a fly’s…
At the interval.
At the interval.
Having been given a long, broad, well-padded seat on which to pose, I took it in mind to pull up my legs and form a kind of side-saddle posture, left hand on left ankle, right hand resting on an edge of the seat. Ten minutes into the first hour, I began to feel an ache in my right palm that no amount of miniscule shuffling would alleviate. And most annoyingly, I was buzzed and crawled over by a housefly for the whole 60 minutes.
Artwork by John Williams.
When we resumed after a 15-minute interval, the fly abandoned me to my own pains. During the first half the artists had offered me a stretch break but, maybe because I’d declined, no further offer was made. The aches in my right hand, and now my left leg became agonising. At the end it took me several minutes to stand and even longer to walk. I think I left in a haze of low-level post-torture shock. Great pictures, though!
This return to Arts Theatre for City Academy came so soon after my previous visit that I found paintings of me in oil, still hanging up to dry. Those were clothed portraits whereas this would be session 3 of 5 in a Painting the Figure course. When I arrived, tutor Lawrence F Crane was busily preparing the ‘Pigeon Loft’ studio space.
Three artists joined us, all very capable mark-makers and highly receptive to the flow of theoretical and practical knowledge that Lawrence eagerly shared. We started with four 2-minute warm-up poses for sketches in charcoal. Then I got myself comfortable on a chair, angled sideways with one arm over its back; the evening’s long pose.
I sat for 45 minutes, had a break, then resumed for 35 minutes to the end. Aside from being absorbed by Lawrence’s enthusiasm, focus and clarity (not everyone has it all), most impressive was how quickly and effortlessly the artists captured my proportions, allowing them to focus primarily on exercises with oil colours. A fascinating session.
This was another post-pandemic embrace of an old familiarity in a new-normal guise. The economic and psychological jolt of having to survive both a deadly virus and two years of restrictions has seen many life drawing groups emerge with renewed vigour, fresh focus and fine tuning. So it seems with Adrian Dutton’s groups.
The last of my 23 previous bookings at the Garrett Centre had been February 2020. Twenty-nine months on, I sense a new energy. Shifts in arrangements are subtle, but enthusiasm for the practice amongst all in attendance felt palpably greater; or maybe it was just me. Whatever the case, it was nice. We began with three 5-minute poses.
Friday evenings had always been long-pose sessions. Now rather than a single pose of an hour-and-a-half, the format has two 45-minute poses either side of a break. For the first of these I stood with an open stride, left fingers on left shoulder, a twist to my torso, and eyes directed to my claw-like slightly-outstretched right hand.
With socialising, hot food, teas, biscuits and sweets in abundance during the interval, it was hardly a surprise we overran. Nonetheless, a few artists appeared impatient to resume so I took the initiative and started the final pose unbidden, sitting up the floor. After 35-minutes, at 9pm we were done. Good times are back in Bethnal Green.
The eighteenth London World Naked Bike Ride (WNBR) was to be my twelfth. I had started the last seven from Trinity Square Gardens at Tower Hill, even volunteering to lead the pack as an official WNBR London marshal for the last four. Now I needed to reboot my love of the ride, have a fresh start, and reimmerse with the masses.
World Naked Bike Ride (WNBR)
WNBR is a worldwide campaign that demonstrates the vulnerability of cyclists and protests against car culture. Its linked objectives are to:
- protest against the global dependency on oil
- curb car culture
- obtain real rights for cyclists
- demonstrate the vulnerability of cyclists on city streets
- celebrate body freedom
As per last year, the ride had eight different start points. I opted the one farthest from the centre. At 11:35am, Saturday 11 June, I wheeled my bike off a Southeastern train at West Wickham station. Still clothed (at least for the time being) I cycled southwest down towards Addington, to number 233 Shirley Church Road; the Croydon start.
11:44am on Wickham Road: a new beginning
When I entered the vast secluded grounds, I found naked people in various stages of preparedness. Some were body painted, one was a work in progress, others awaited their turn. And me? I found a private corner of garden, undressed, opened my tube of Kryolan liquid brightness, and made myself… well… more noticeable.
Addington to Croydon centre
A few minutes past 1pm, after a pep talk from our ride leader, we set off. I reckon our group numbered just twenty-five, so at this stage it felt more like a small regional ride than a London epic. We began semi-rural: Shirley Church Road, Upper Shirley Road and Shirley Road, then across the Croydon tram tracks on Addiscombe Road.
1:04pm on Shirley Church Road: off we go!
1:14pm on Shirley Church Road: to Upper Shirley Road
1:24pm on Addiscombe Road: crossing the tram tracks
To avoid accidents, our route was designed to stay away from tram lines as much as possible; Addiscombe Road was one of only two encounters. We continued south on Chepstow Road, west on Fairfield Road and Barclay Road, back south on Park Lane and St Peter’s Road, west on Aberdeen Road, and (ironically) north on South End.
1:28pm on Chepstow Road: Fairfield Road ahead
1:34pm on St Peter’s Road: right turn to Aberdeen Road
1:37pm on South End: north start
Croydon to Streatham
South End was the beginning of our long ride north, not only into central Croydon but also pretty much all the way to Lincoln’s Inn Fields. We passed seamlessly onto High Street then, just before it became pedestrianised, headed right onto Katherine Street. A left at Park Lane (again) took us to our second and final crossing of the tram lines.
1:40pm on High Street: through central Croydon
1:43pm on Park Lane: oh, did I mention? I’m silver!
Leaving Croydon behind us, we embarked on a naked tour of south London suburbs, starting with Thornton Heath, Norbury and Streatham. In bright sunshine and good cheer, we made our way along Wellesley Road, St James’s Road, Hogarth Crescent, Whitehorse Road, High Street (Thornton Heath), Parchmore Road and Green Lane.
2:00pm on High Street: at Thornton Heath clock tower
2:08pm on Green Lane: residential interlude
From Green Lane we turned right on the A23 – Streatham High Road, which became Streatham Hill. The lead riders and support riders were doing an absolutely excellent job keeping us all together and threading us safely through the major junctions. More than anyone, they deserved our rest-stop when it came, at Christchurch Road.
2:25pm on Streatham High Road: into Streatham central
2:40pm on Christchurch Road: silver smile
Tulse Hill to Vauxhall
Our break lasted little more than 5 minutes. but after an hour and a half in the saddle, it was much appreciated. When we resumed, Hardel Rise led us onto Tulse Hill, and Norwood Road took us in to Herne Hill. On Dulwich Road, I waved and whistled The Prince Regent pub, where I’ve life modelled for SketchPad Drawing since 2015.
2:52pm on Dulwich Road: The Prince Regent
Next we took to Brixton: Brixton Water Lane, Effra Road, St Matthew’s Road, Brixton Hill and Brixton Road. Cheering, waving, tooting car horns, cries of astonishment and occasional covered eyes or muttered disapproval followed us everywhere. We cycled under the ‘Stay in Peace‘ painted railway bridge, then went left into Stockwell Road.
3:02pm on Brixton Road: Stay in Peace
3:04pm on Stockwell Road: the O2 Academy Brixton
Stockwell and Vauxhall were our last south London districts before the Thames. We passed through on quieter roads: Clapham Road, South Lambeth Road, Parry Street and Wandsworth Road. After two and a quarter hours’ naked bike riding, the Croydon crew finally reached the river… at MI6, which had probably monitored us all the way.
3:16pm on South Lambeth Road: into Vauxhall
3:18pm on Wandsworth Road: at spook central
We crossed the river via Vauxhall Bridge. At the north end of the bridge, while waiting for red traffic lights to change I glanced left and was astounded to see a line of naked bike riders waiting to merge with us. I guess they started at Kew Bridge and Clapham Junction. Was this a coincidence or brilliant coordination? Let’s say the latter.
3:22pm on Vauxhall Bridge: eyes left for more naked riders
Millbank to Forum Magnum Square
After cycling more 25km as a small posse of just 25 nude bodies, we suddenly found ourselves absorbed into a much larger group. Now, truly, I was ‘back in the pack’. We headed north on Millbank, passing Tate Britain, but only as far as the next crossing; Lambeth Bridge took us back south. We’d tasted just 10 minutes of north London.
3:27pm on Millbank: me and Tate Britain
3:32pm on Millbank: south so soon on Lambeth Bridge
We exited left on Lambeth Palace Road then continued to where Westminster Bridge Road curves south around the Park Plaza Hotel. Here for the first time I found myself on highways familiar from participation in bygone London rides. Addington Street and York Road took us to Forum Magnum Square; already an ocean of flesh and bikes.
3:38pm on Lambeth Palace Road: now we are many…
3:44pm at Forum Magnum Square: …and now we are huge
Here the splinter groups from all eight start points would gather before proceeding as one. It was also a chance to suspend my anonymity in the herd and catch up with old friends. Marshals tend to gather at the north end of the square, so I threaded my way yonder and duly found Cy Wol and Natansky, who’d marshalled from Tower Hill.
3:46pm at Forum Magnum Square: hunting for friends… – © Notts Naturist
3:51pm at Forum Magnum Square: …caught by Cy Wol… – © WNBR London
3:53pm at Forum Magnum Square: …selfied with Natansky – © Natansky
Waterloo
After about fifteen minutes’ rest at Forum Magnum Square, during which time the last start group arrived (Regents Park, I believe, having needed an unexpected detour for roadworks), it was time to get back on the saddle. Despite having quit as a marshal, I still couldn’t resist booming out that it was time to get moving again. Always on duty.
3:56pm on Belvedere Road: leaving the square
4:02pm on Concert Hall Approach: WNBR London legend, Cy Wol
4:04pm on Concert Hall Approach: WNBR London legend, Natansky
We exited by the usual means of Belvedere Road and Concert Hall Approach. I didn’t know at the time but the passage from Forum Magnum Square to Lincoln’s Inn Fields was the only section of the entire route that would be a repeat of my previous London rides. Crossing Waterloo Bridge, we passed dozens of ride-savvy photographers.
4:06pm on Waterloo Bridge: panoramic photo – © Michael G Spafford
4:08pm on Waterloo Bridge: group photo – © Ian Press
4:09pm on Waterloo Bridge: super close-up – © Stuart-Lee
Aldwych to Lincoln’s Inn Fields
Roads may have been familiar but not all the sights were. For example, the Christian Orthodox priest at Aldwych denouncing everyone as shameful, or the naked guy who had a dog in his backpack. We continued: Lancaster Place, Strand, Aldwych, Strand, Fleet Street, Chancery Lane, Carey Street and Serle Street, to Lincoln’s Inn Fields.
4:13pm on Aldwych: hey, a dog in a bag!
4:15pm on Strand: clouds over the Royal Courts of Justice
4:20pm on Lincoln’s Inn Fields: Inn we go
I arrived at our designated corner of Lincoln’s Inn Fields with Cy, but immediately lost sight of him. During the next half-hour I found no other familiar faces but was greeted by people who recognised me from past rides, or my life modelling, or even this blog! Here was downtime. While some danced, I just wandered, sat on a wall, snacked.
4:34pm at Lincoln’s Inn Fields: can you see me? – © Ðariusz
4:36pm at Lincoln’s Inn Fields: a view from a wall
4:38pm at Lincoln’s Inn Fields: on my perch – © a_rider
Trafalgar
At 4:47pm, we began the final leg of the ride. Our destination was Wellington Arch as per previous years but our route there would be new – Covent Garden is always best avoided and The Mall had been closed since the Platinum Jubilee. From Newman’s Row and Lincoln’s Inn Fields we exited via Sardinia Street, turning left on Kingsway.
4:51pm on Kingsway: Bush House ahead
4:53pm on Strand: flags for QEII’s Platinum Jubilee
4:56pm on Strand: by Charing Cross Station
At the end of Kingsway we turned right onto Aldwych (no denouncing priest this time) and then Strand. Here, we made painstaking progress through traffic and traffic lights to the last red lights before Trafalgar Square. Somehow I’d drifted to the front, yet as the riders ahead disappeared from view, I realised I had no idea where to go next…
4:57pm on Trafalgar Square: near the front of a group… – © Ian Hollaway
4:58pm on Trafalgar Square: …and then suddenly I’m leading – © Ian Hollaway
Wild West
This was a genuine problem. I took a punt at leading us up Cockspur Street and then to Pall Mall, but it was anyone’s guess from there. No riders nearby had a clue either, so there was only one option: I dashed back down Pall Mall to find a marshal. Luckily marshal Joe wasn’t too far distant. I explained the situation and he scooted up front.
5:01pm on Pall Mall: about-face in search of a marshal – © Photographic Detail
It makes a huge difference when the person leading the way actually knows the right route. Certainly I never would have guessed to turn: right at St James’s Street, left at Piccadilly, right at Dover Street, left at Hay Hill, right and left around Berkeley Square into Fitzmaurice Place, right at Curzon Street, bursting out gloriously on Park Lane.
5:06pm on Pall Mall: back on track at St James’s Palace
5:10pm on Dover Street: a detour from Piccadilly
5:15pm on Curzon Street: a Piccadilly parallel
5:17pm on Park Lane: nearly there!
Wellington Arch
Park Lane led to Piccadilly and Duke of Wellington Place, at last. From Addington I’d cycled 35km to: Croydon, Thornton Heath, Norbury, Streatham, Tulse Hill, Herne Hill, Brixton, Stockwell, Vauxhall, Millbank, Lambeth, Waterloo, Strand, Aldwych, Charing Cross, St James’s, Mayfair… a whopping 4 hours 20 minutes, for this ultimate goal.
5:19pm on Duke of Wellington Place: end’s in sight
5:20pm at Wellington Arch: crossing the finish line – © Boutique_Studio
Ride organisation and marshalling from the Croydon start had been truly exceptional. We enjoyed warm sunshine all the way, got an overwhelmingly positive reaction from passers-by – even motorists – and each convergence with other groups was spot-on. For me, barring a brief disengagement at Trafalgar Square, it was a superb WNBR.
5:24pm at Wellington Arch: packing away – © Hedyelyakim
I didn’t stick around long at the end – I didn’t fancy the afterparty and I certainly didn’t have enough energy to join the hardcore group riding back to Croydon. Instead I was happy to catch-up with friends again – Chas, Nat, et al – and say farewell for another year. Thanks, London; thanks, WNBR team. You didn’t miss this old ex-marshal. 🙂
Our route from Addington to Wellington Arch
More on WNBR London 2022
Bygone blogs
Previously on the London Naked Bike Ride:
- London Naked Bike Ride 2021 – Safety first
- London Naked Bike Ride 2019 – Back to Bare
- London Naked Bike Ride 2018 – Peaceful Protest
- London Naked Bike Ride 2017 – New Bridges
- London Naked Bike Ride 2016 – A Silver Lining
- London Naked Bike Ride 2015 – Feel Good Painted
- London Naked Bike Ride 2014 – A Fresh Start
- London Naked Bike Ride 2013 – Arch to Arch
- London Naked Bike Ride 2012 – Into the Light
- London Naked Bike Ride 2011 – Re-wrapped
- London Naked Bike Ride 2009 – First Time
After my Monday long-time-no-see booking with Adrian Dutton (first since February 2020), this Friday job rolled away the years even further. For the first time since June 2018, I was back with City Academy at Arts Theatre. Arriving early, I applied myself to navigating the route from the side entrance via labyrinthine staircases and multiple security doors, up to the top-floor ‘Pigeon Loft’. I swear it’s more complicated now.
The course was portrait painting, with tutor Jenny Boat. Jenny greeted me cheerfully and we chatted about art till the students joined us: three in time for our 6:45pm start, and a fourth very soon after. For warm-ups, they were asked to create three 1-minute ‘negative space’ drawings on one sheet of paper – impressive results all round – then three separate 5-minute drawings with an emphasis on observation.
After the 5-minute poses, I settled down for the main pose of this session: roughly an hour and a half sitting on a simple but comfortable-enough chair, staring at nothing in particular. It must have been comfortable-enough because I only needed one stretch. Meanwhile the students – and Jenny – toiled at capturing my likeness in oils; a tough ask. But it went well. And somehow I avoided the portrait curse of nodding off. 🙂
steve ritter 