An unusual pastime....

Thanks so much to everyone for your good wishes and thoughts for my Dad following my last post...thankfully, he was able to come home fairly soon and is feeling much better. We're all so relieved and counting our blessings...and the weather has turned lovely & warm again as if in celebration!

Last night I went to my Life Drawing class....I'm the model! I know that a few of my Twitter friends  were a little taken aback to find this out a few weeks ago...so I thought I'd post & tell you a little more about it.

I've been sitting for the class for 14 years....and I really love it....but at first, I must admit, I was terrified! I got involved through a friend who worked in the same bar...we were chatting over a staff dinner and she told me about her art class and how irritated she got because they couldn't find life models, so she was having to pose instead of draw. I said (in one of those casual smalltalk ways...) that I've never understood people having a problem with taking their clothes off for art - as long as it IS art!! After all, many of the greatest artistic creations are based on the naked human form. I did believe all this - but it was just a conversation, or so I thought! A few days later, the lady who owns the studio rang me and said that my friend had told her that I might be interested in modelling for the Life Class!! I was so shocked...but I really couldn't think of good excuse and agreed to do it.

That first evening was horrendously embarrassing (for me!) I later found out that they had no idea that I'd never modelled before - & I assumed that they knew - so it was all very matter of fact. I turned up, with my robe and slippers and was shown to a little cubicle screened with a curtain. You can see it in the centre of the picture above. As I removed my clothes, I tried to quell my rising panic. I stepped out in my robe, determined to tell them that I was sorry, but I couldn't go through with it and would have to go home...

but when I looked around at the calm, kind, studious faces....fixed not on me at all, but their easels and other materials...fixing their paper, sharpening pencils and quietly chatting...I suddenly felt ashamed. How egotistical to think that these artists would be thinking of anything other than their work. To them, I was nothing more than a living, breathing bowl of fruit (maybe a few more curves!) and I was simply there as a way for them to practise and perfect their skills. So I took a deep breath, said 'Good Evening' and sat for my very first class. Many of those people are still there today...and have become friends on those Tuesdays. During the break (the class is 2 hours...1 hour, then a 15 minute coffee break before the final 45 minutes) I love to walk around and look at what others see when they study me! It can be quite revealing. For instance...everyone, since I was quite young, has always told me how much I resemble my mother. And I can see that I do! But I once looked at a beautiful pastel of my face that someone had done...and it was my father who smiled out at me! It was definitely me - but I saw my Dad's features there - and it was wonderful and amazing to me to see that side of myself.

Of course, some nights it isn't easy...the posing get more difficult as I get older, I seem to stiffen up much quicker these days! Strangely, I prefer standing to sitting down most times. But, I can tell you, EVERY position, however comfortable to begin with, starts to hurt after holding it for an hour. The head is really heavy! The hips & knees groan & creak at taking too much load on one side...I wouldn't give it up, though!

One thing I never am is cold ! Summer or Winter, there's always a huge fire burning in the wood stove...

and it throws out a terrific amount of heat (thankfully!) I take the chance to go through many things in my head while I'm sitting there, so still. Sometimes I replay whole Mozart concertos...or plot my novel...or plan new recipes....or run through things I wish I'd said in arguments! Once or twice ( and not for a few years now!) I've fallen asleep - to much hilarity!
Anyway, it adds richness and depth to my life....another layer of experience if you like. I hope that no one is offended by this post....I know that it's not something everyone would think is a seemly pastime. But I think that, without the long history of life models, much of the world's greatest works of art wouldn't exist! And in that spirit, I'm posting one of the drawings from last night's class. With the artist's permission, I hasten to add! I thought it was beautifully done, and felt proud of my part in it's creation!

Hoping your week is wonderful. Don't forget to enter my Giveaway -  I'll add any comments on this post from different readers into the draw, which will take place on Sunday!

xoxo