3 The Dartington Shed

The setting for this shed event was completely different from the last two. It took place in a shed that had been stored out of the way until Summerschool whereupon its brought out and used as a tuckshop. For our event, the shed was located at the back of a building and at the bottom of a small gravel slope that lead up to the top car park.

Questions from Female Model to Male Model

Q: Given that the shed was in a public place, accessible to any member of the public, including students, were your feelings any different before or during the session compared to any other session?

A: Yes but less because I thought that anyone would just turn up to draw and more because I could hear the cars heading to and from the car park. I felt a bit like I was naked in a road side café. This was the only place that I thought someone might just turn up by accident. I began modelling first thing at 10am and there was only one artist at that time. In the shed, I couldn't see what was going but I could hear a car stop, the door slam and then lots of heaving around like something was being dropped off or picked up. I did find it disconcerting that whoever it was might suddenly stumble upon us. How was I going to explain this one? What is ok and normal in one context, ie being a naked model for a life drawing session is not at all normal in another context, ie being stumbled upon naked in a shed by the bin man. Would that be indecent exposure or would I have to run over to the bin man or coerce him to come over to the shed for that to be the case?

Q: Did you feel inhibited about showing drawings of yourself to the public who were looking at the washing line - If so, why?
A: No it didn't occur to me to feel inhibited about showing pictures of myself however I did feel nervous about hanging up the pictures I'd drawn because they weren't up to my usual standard! I found that by modelling and drawing and curating, I couldn't get into the drawing as much as I would have liked. To draw, I find that I need to be able to really switch off so I can immerse myself in the drawing, to express feel and sense what is in front of me. So is it advisable to draw, model and curate for me to get the best sense of drawing? - No.

Q: Were you conscious of the cars going by?
A: Yes, as explained above.

Q: Were you conscious of people stopping to look at the pictures on the washing line - and if so what affect did they have?
A: Yes I was aware of people stopping to look. I felt happy and exited that we so many people did stop. I heard it provoke debate as such questions were asked as, 'Where's all the life drawing gone at Dartington?' It seemed to provoke nostalgia and a harking back to the days when fine art was a degree course. Lots of people said it was a really good idea and some wanted to know if it was going to happen again.

Q: Do you feel you would have felt any apprehension should one of our ACM students have decided to draw you, and if so why?
A: Yes certainly in the morning before I got to the shed, I was concerned about a fellow student coming to draw. I didn't want to be seen as an exhibitionist or weirdo and since most of the other students are younger and slimmer than me, I was scared of being judged. Fortunately I did realise these were irrational fears and my overriding drive was to go ahead anyway whoever turned up. But I did feel the most out of control in this session because it felt the most public. Who would turn up? Anybody. I didn't know. The arena was wide open.

Q: Did this session feel any different to any of the other two this week and if so why.
A: Yes as explained above. It also felt more backstreet like it wasn't organised but just happened a bit like being naked behind the bike shed.

Q: Were you conscious of the artists looking in on you through the hatch?
A: Yes. That was kind of strange but also seemed perfectly natural. The hatch was down so obviously the artists were going to use it as a place to draw from. It provided a perfect resting place to lean boards and drawing pads on.

Q: Were you any more self-conscious of your body with the artists being that much nearer to you? If so, did this make any difference to the poses you chose?
A: No, not like the beach hut. Because there was a wall between us I felt like the artists were a good distance away. At first though I sat on a chair on a table and felt like I was an exhibition on show. That was a little strange at first as I peered down from my plinth but I soon got used to it.

Q: Do you feel that modelling out doors is any different to modelling indoors, and if so why?
A: Yes because it's much more public. Modelling outside is more exposed. Almost anyone could turn up and there would be no protection. And because of that, ironically it brings greater freedom.

Q: Having modelled outdoors and in the public arena, and with the private shed in Hebden Bridge coming up, what other aspects of life modelling would you like to investigate?
A: I would like to have a modelling in the town square day. I'd like models to be dressed in naked suits and for people to be invited to draw. What questions and responses might arise from such a session?

Q: Have any of the sessions this week meant more to you in terms of pushing boundaries than the others and why?
A: I'm not sure if one was more significant than the other more. They all pushed boundaries in different ways; the greenhouse because I've never known modelling in a glass house; the beach hut because it is such a small space and you can hear children outside which brings up questions of naturism and acceptability around children and the car park shed because it was in a car park! And so it brought up more feelings of safety and what would the consequences be if anyone just turned up.

Q: Which one of this weeks sessions do you feel pushed boundaries the most for the artists and why?
A: My most noticeable observation was of the first artist in to the beach hut. He was very nervous and it looked like that nervousness arose from being directed through a curtain into a very small space with a naked model on a deck chair. Where else are you directed through a curtain into a small space? Amsterdam??

Q: Will the session in Hebden Bridge alter as a result of the sessions in Devon - if so why?
A: Yes the session in Hebden Bridge will be in a larger space. Originally I wanted to hang up a curtain so it can be peeped through. Now I want to get deeper into the shed theme and create a paper shed within the shed so the artist can be in the shed. I like the idea of focussing on the artist actually in a separate space with the artists being invited into that space in one way or another. Because the shed will be made of tissue paper, issues of light and shadow will arise. How will this affect the drawing and the experience for both artist and model?


Questions from male to female model

Q: Given that the shed was in a public place, accessible to any member of the public, including students, were your feelings any different before or during the session compared to any other session?

A: Yes but less because I thought that anyone would just turn up to draw and more because I could hear the cars heading to and from the car park. I felt a bit like I was naked in a road side café. This was the only place that I thought someone might just turn up by accident. I began modelling first thing at 10am and there was only one artist at that time. In the shed, I couldn’t see what was going but I could hear a car stop, the door slam and then lots of heaving around like something was being dropped off or picked up. I did find it disconcerting that whoever it was might suddenly stumble upon us. How was I going to explain this one? What is ok and normal in one context, ie being a naked model for a life drawing session is not at all normal in another context, ie being stumbled upon naked in a shed by the bin man. Would that be indecent exposure or would I have to run over to the bin man or coerce him to come over to the shed for that to be the case?

Q: Did you feel inhibited about showing drawings of yourself to the public who were looking at the washing line - If so, why?
A: No it didn’t occur to me to feel inhibited about showing pictures of myself however I did feel nervous about hanging up the pictures I’d drawn because they weren’t up to my usual standard! I found that by modelling and drawing and curating, I couldn’t get into the drawing as much as I would have liked. To draw, I find that I need to be able to really switch off so I can immerse myself in the drawing, to express feel and sense what is in front of me. So is it advisable to draw, model and curate for me to get the best sense of drawing? – No.

Q: Were you conscious of the cars going by?
A: Yes, as explained above.

Q: Were you conscious of people stopping to look at the pictures on the washing line – and if so what affect did they have?
A: Yes I was aware of people stopping to look. I felt happy and exited that so many people did stop. I heard it provoke debate as such questions were asked as, ‘Where’s all the life drawing gone at Dartington?’ It seemed to provoke nostalgia and a harking back to the days when fine art was a degree course. Lots of people said it was a really good idea and some wanted to know if it was going to happen again.

Q: Do you feel you would have felt any apprehension should one of our ACM students have decided to draw you, and if so why?
A: Yes certainly in the morning before I got to the shed, I was concerned about a fellow student coming to draw. I didn’t want to be seen as an exhibitionist or weirdo and since most of the other students are younger and slimmer than me, I was scared of being judged. Fortunately I did realise these were irrational fears and my overriding drive was to go ahead anyway whoever turned up. But I did feel the most out of control in this session because it felt the most public. Who would turn up? Anybody?. I didn’t know. The arena was wide open.

Q: Did this session feel any different to any of the other two this week and if so why.
A: Yes as explained above. It also felt more backstreet like it wasn’t organised but just happened a bit like being naked behind the bike shed.

Q: Were you conscious of the artists looking in on you through the hatch?
A: Yes. That was kind of strange but also seemed perfectly natural. The hatch was down so obviously the artists were going to use it as a place to draw from. It provided a perfect resting place to lean boards and drawing pads on.

Q: Were you any more self-conscious of your body with the artists being that much nearer to you? If so, did this make any difference to the poses you chose?
A: No, not like the beach hut. Because there was a wall between us I felt like the artists were a good distance away. At first though I sat on a chair on a table and felt like I was an exhibition on show. That was a little strange at first as I peered down from my plinth but I soon got used to it.

Q: Do you feel that modelling out doors is any different to modelling indoors, and if so why?
A: Yes because it’s much more public. Modelling outside is more exposed. Almost anyone could turn up and there would be no protection. And because of that, ironically it brings greater freedom.

Q: Having modelled outdoors and in the public arena, and with the private shed in Hebden Bridge coming up, what other aspects of life modelling would you like to investigate?
A: I would like to have a modelling in the town square day. I’d like models to be dressed in naked suits and for people to be invited to draw. What questions and responses might arise from such a session?.

Q: Have any of the sessions this week meant more to you in terms of pushing boundaries than the others and why?
A: I’m not sure about more. They all pushed boundaries in different ways; the greenhouse because I’ve never known modelling in a glass house; the beach hut because it is such a small space and you can hear children outside which brings up questions of naturism and acceptability around children and the car park shed because it was in a car park! And so it brought up more feelings of safety and what would the consequences be if anyone just turned up.



Q: Which one of this weeks sessions do you feel pushed boundaries the most for the artists and why?
A: My most noticeable observation was of the first artist in to the beach hut. He was very nervous and it looked like that nervousness arose from being directed through a curtain into a very small space with a naked model on a deck chair. Where else are you directed through a curtain into a small space? Amsterdam??

Q: Will the session in Hebden Bridge alter as a result of the sessions in Devon – if so why?
A: Yes the session in Hebden Bridge will be in a larger space. Originally I wanted to hang up a curtain so it can be peeped through. Now I want to get deeper into the shed theme and create a paper shed within the shed so the artist can be in the shed. I like the idea of focussing on the artist actually in a separate space with the artists being invited into that space in one way or another. Because the shed will be made of tissue paper, issues of light and shadow will arise. How will this affect the drawing and the experience for both artist and model?