The return of the real!

Yes! 

At last!

It's Thursday July 1st 2021 and probably some eighteen months since I was in the presence of a live life-model.

Somewhat apprehensive, not nervous, but unsure of the experience ahead of me. Spent some time over the past days looking back through this recording of my life-drawing journey. Why? To make reconnections if necessary. Not really necessary, as I know where I have been. Some of my drawings from 2016 stood out. Two special ladies, Natalie and Robin, curled up together in double-model poses, recollected for me the special relationship which it is possible to create not only between two models but between the artist and the muse. At this time I was well into my two-handed drawing method and technique, exploring within the depths of my paper by squiggles and searching mark-making how I was perceiving the human forms before me. But not only exploring the anatomical structures but at the same time delving into my perceptions and experiencing entering into the extraordinary channels of communication within the spatiality of the life-drawing setting (I've talked of this many time over the years ......... the symbiosis of model/artist dialogue, the artist entering into the depths of the paper/canvas, the shared and supportive culture created in the life-drawing studio, the meditative process of life-drawing itself, having an extraordinary mentor, etc.)

We are relocated up in the roof of the four storey19thC mill which houses Pegasus Art in Stroud. Climbing the staircase up into this space for the first time was a truly welcoming experience. The quality of light and the much greater floor area looked good. We were reduced in number due to Covid restrictions. Eight of us, and our mentor Paul Fowler, and then across the studio I met with Shelly. Her presence was an instant uplift to me and a complete restructuring of my hesitant anticipatory expectations. Why? You only have to scan back thro' this blog over the past three or so years to appreciate the part the Shelly has played in inspirational contributions to my journey.

So, off we went.