My time at Draw Brighton

Bold title right… straight to the beginning then I guess?

It’s April 2019 and I had been back from living in China for about three months. I had gone out there to build my portfolio in the hopes to come back and hit the ground running in being a fully fledged self-employed artist. Obviously it was a lot harder to get my entire month’s income from art, with no direction let alone being established. I had been working at my local pub The Ancient Mariner, for a little cash in hand (shhhh!) but as the weeks went by they had to put their foot down and said they needed to put me on the books, I panicked down the phone to my manager “No no! don’t do that, don’t give me anymore shifts, I’ll figure it out”. I was in debt with my mum for my ticket home and two months behind on my rent. I was desperate to have come back and take my dream seriously.

I recalled a conversation I had with a friend a few years prior, who told me about Life Modelling, at the time I had no idea this job existed, let alone something you can get paid from. She sold it to me with three points, 1. The pay is great 2. The hours are short, giving you time in the day to work on your own projects 3. you can say no to a job without giving a reason. I was sold. Anything but a 9-5 please.

I’d been to one life drawing class in my life at Draw for one of Jake Spicer’s sessions. It had been maybe a year or possibly two since that one session. I went on to the Draw website and wrote on their contact page “Hi, I was wondering if you were ever in need of a life model? I look forward to hearing from you! Thank you, Jade”.

I’ve actually managed to find the email thread and my first session wasn’t April, it was actually Wednesday 27th March 7:30-10pm. “Mixed Pose (5x3min/2x20min/1x45min) £10ph = £25+tips”

We were in a different studio than the one we ended in, and the changing room was in a different spot, I had to sort of walk from behind the artists into the spotlight next to where Jake was standing and tutoring. The class was packed, I think there was about 30/35 people, but that was kinda normal pre-covid.

I remember my first thoughts during that session as I walked round to the spotlight, I thought, once I drop this robe, they would have seen everything, even if you panic last minute and pick it back up, it doesn’t make them un-see what has been seen. So as soon as that robe is dropped, let’s go for it, and so I did!

I can’t really remember any of the short poses I did, but I do remember the 20 minute one I did. I decided to sit with my legs in a crossed position, close to my body. It was dark outside but the blinds were open and I could see my reflection in the window. Just dead-staring at myself for 20 minutes silently screaming inside. I didn’t know at the time but I would become familiar with that internal scream.

After my first few session I was booked in to model for a previous Draw tutor; Liv. They asked me if I was serious about modelling, I responded with a vigorous nod, they wrote a list of tutors and studios, and from that point, I modelled every single day for the rest of the year. Within 6 months I was able to pay mum, and start a savings account. I also had the mental and physical space to create and work on building my career. Of course, little did I know, this would be my career for the next [ONGOING] years.

In 2019 I was honoured to be asked to model for Jakes book ‘Figure Drawing: A complete guide to drawing the human body’. I had only been modelling for a matter of months at this point, and I had taken to it like a duck to water.

It’s funny because, when I look back at the pictures I think my physique looks incredible, my body goals in fact, but having not long come back from China where peoples builds were a lot more petite in comparison, If felt larger than what I see today.

One thing Life Modelling has made me incredible grateful for was the acceptance that grew around how I saw my body. I have always struggled with my weight and it took me many years to realise and accept that my weight fluctuates, but no matter whether I was on the slimmer or thicker side, it was always a pleasure to draw. I can now enjoy my naked body in all its forms and it’s completely due to Life Modelling.

In my first year of Life Modelling I worked every day. I was killing it and loving it. I was even being asked to cover some (untutored) sessions for tutors on holiday, I was being pulled into the fold and felt I was truly in my element. Then came March 2020 and everything came to a standstill. But I was lucky on two counts, the first was that I was already signed up to Universal Credit so didn’t need to worry too much about finances. The second count was the wonderful forward thinking of Jake Spicer.

Within a month Jake had already planned for 3 potential years of lockdown and started booking models for photoshoots to set up a Patreon, creating an instant online world for artists to draw from home, with art reference photos and zoom classes. He had set it up so all of the profits went to models on a monthly stipend basis. I had never met someone who was so well planned, patient, giving and someone who was equally business-minded as they were creative. I felt a certain respect exchanged between Jake and I for having such similar ways of operating.

As the years went by and Draw became a regular work place, it also became a safe space for me. I was in my mid-twenties when I started in this field and life was teaching me lessons, testing me and throwing me curveballs, but the Draw studio was my sanctuary.

And it wasn’t just the space itself, it was also the serendipitous people I met. Of course there’s the wonderful Jake, but I also met Ariane, a fellow model that I met at one of Frankie’s enrichment sessions, we found we both had a love for poetry and became very close. I also met Priss, who I now hold as one of nearest and dearest; she has modelled for me countless times as well as supporting me in my own Life Modelling career. Lance and Shelley; who I’ve always loved to model for and have a high respect for both their artistic skill and professionalism. Laura who I loved to have a giggle and gossip with. Oh Bo, lovely Bo, who was my Drawversity volunteer for the last year at Draw. And Sara Reeve, who I became so close with in such a short space of time, my sister session leader, who like me, ran her sessions with an iron fist in a silk glove. Not only have I mused for her across East Sussex (and on television) but she regularly supported my classes in attendance and always recommended me to artists. You know when your work has that wonderful moment in time of the perfect people in staff; everyone gets along and respects one another and when it comes to work get togethers, everyone turns up because you enjoy spending time with one another that much… yeah that’s what it was like.

During my time at Draw, I have modelled, been a cover tutor, founded my own Life Drawing sessions – Drawversity – and other art classes. I shot a music video and I learnt how to oil paint. Draw has been a very uplifting and treasured space in my creative journey.

As I would climb the spiral staircase up to the front of New England House, swipe my door key multiple times because it never worked the first time and travelled the elevator from the 3rd floor to the fifth. Opening the door to the studio I would always take the biggest exhale. With all of its greenery hanging from the windows, stacks of back drops and quaint props, well worn armchairs and the smell of fresh coffee. I’m going to miss dressing the backdrop for the sessions I’m running and I’ll miss coming in to model with a new hairstyle to see everyone’s eye’s light up with excitement.

It wouldn’t matter if I had a falling out with my mum that day or just got dumped by my boyfriend. What would it matter if my friends hadn’t replied to a message for more than a week or if I my pet had destroyed a family heirloom. When I was in the studio, behind or in front of the easel, non of these things came over the threshold with me, and if it did, I could use my time modelling, meditating on nothing or everything, but ultimately I am sitting with myself, and the physical space that was the Draw Studio allowed me that, it taught me patience, a higher level of kindness and gave me space to be creative and I will forever be grateful.

I was blessed with the honour of modelling the last ever short pose session to run at the Draw Brighton studio; Lance’s popular Thursday evening session 7-9pm on the 28th of August where tutors and artists alike from past to present, far and wide, came to draw.