What does a life model think about?

Hi everyone!

This is me last Saturday modelling at Bury Art Gallery for a drawing class. 

As a former burlesque performer I still have a great collection of costumes and accessories, in fact they even have their own wardrobe! This is my Bavarian Goat Herder look. You can see where this costume originated from in one of my performance videos HERE. 

From time to time I get asked to model for art classes and Manchester's Dr Sketchy's events, which are a fab combination of burlesque and life drawing. I love doing these kind of things, because it gives me a chance to still dress up and act out a fun character in front of an audience.

But it also requires the ability to hold a pose, and sometimes hold it for up to 30 minutes or more, which gives you quite some time to think! 

What does a life model think about as a room full of eyes study her and commit her to paper? Is it something profound and deeply creative? Well, not really. Here's some of the things I thought about while I was posing at Bury last weekend:

Gosh it's nice to not have to DO anything for a while!

I hope the trams are working on the journey back because I really want to go to Mum's for a brew this afternoon!

That lady over there has got a nice jumper on

That man over there has done a good drawing!

I wish Lee would take a bloody photo!

Ahhhh my arm is aching now!

Another 10 minutes! Come on arm, stop aching!

My hair turned out really well today

So as you can tell, not very deep or profound either! But posing and being drawn is one of my pleasures because I am part of a creative process and very much part of a shared moment.

Any other life models out there I'd love to know what you think about while you pose! 

Gemma ***

Try something new

Hey Guys!

It's been a while since my last post because basically, my life has changed (in a good way) quite drastically over the last year, and I am still getting used to my new routines and trying to effectively manage my time, (which has been a FAIL recently :( )

Anyway, I've decided in order to up my productivity on my blog I am expanding the subject matter. This blog has always been a place for me to log my creative thoughts, processes and achievements and there has also been room for me to post things that have inspired me or tie in with my subject matter. But over the past couple of months I've become aware that there is a lot of stuff which I'd have loved to have blogged about but thought wouldn't work on this site. Then recently I thought, why am I restricting myself? If it's firing my imagination, and I feel the need to share it, then I should bloody well do it!

That is why from now on this online sketchbook will also feature notes and articles about my life, interests and thoughts, because in one way or another it all goes into the big cooking pot that produces my art work and I'd like to show that not all creativity take place in a studio or gallery. So as well as updates on my projects and art work, expect make up, critiques on tv shows, films and books, loves and hates and insights into what makes me tick.

I hope you enjoy my new approach! Lets see where it takes me...

Gemma ***