Modeling New Year's Resolutions

Hi everyone!

I hope that you've all been having a relaxing and fun holiday over this past week.  I certainly have!  It's been nice to have some downtime, and it's also been great to get to hang out with my family.  A nice change of pace from all the hustle and bustle from earlier this month.

Speaking of which, it's crazy to think that tomorrow is the last day of 2018.  I don't know about you, but this year seems to have gone by so quickly.  So much has changed since the start of this year.  I honestly never thought I'd be sitting in my living room, writing a blog post about my job in New York City only days before I head back to it.  But, here we are!  I have to say, I'm glad for it.

I find that the older I get, the more New Year's Eve appeals to me, both as a holiday and as a concept. It's not just that I can stay up past midnight or that I'm old enough to drink now (although both those things definitely have their perks.)  I like the idea of new beginnings, starting fresh, and making plans for a better year ahead.  I know that a lot of people either dread making New Year's Resolutions or don't bother to make any at all.  I, however, really love to make them.  Resolutions inspire me to try to do accomplish as much as I can throughout the coming year, and to try to live as my best self.  Since I've already made my list of personal resolutions, I thought it would be fun to make a list of a few that pertain to modeling.  So, here's my list of Modeling New Year's Resolutions for 2019:

1. Dedicate myself more to my exercise routine

Over the past few months, I've admittedly been slacking in my workouts.  Some of this has been due to my busy schedule, but a lot of it has been due to laziness.  Even if I have time to go to the gym or do a home workout, I haven't been the best about getting up and doing it.  Since staying physical fit is important not only for modeling but for myself as well, I'm making a commit to make my exercise routine a priority.  Not only am I going to go to the gym more often, but I'm also going to look into new exercise classes in the city.  Good for the body, brain, and soul.

2. Take more time for self care

I've tried to stress the importance of self care in previous posts when it comes to art modeling.  But I haven't been the best at practicing this myself.  There have been plenty of times where I've been sore or tired and would have benefited from a massage or a chiropractor appointment.  Instead, I've brushed off my pain, telling myself I either don't have the money or the time to go treat myself.  Well, I think that should change.  Just like prioritizing my fitness routine, I'm going to make sure to rest when I need to, and to do things that make my physical and emotional selves happy.  (Hot baths, anyone?)

3. Be more assertive about what poses don't and do work for me.

When I first started art modeling, I tried very hard to prove to myself and others that I was capable of holding dynamic, crazy poses for a long period of time.  While I still love these kind of poses, I've started to realize that there's only so much my body can take.  Now that I've modeled for almost a year and am getting more steady work, I have a better understanding of what kind of poses feel the best to do.  So if something starts to hurt in a modeling session, or I don't think I'll be able to hold a specific posture for twenty minutes, I'm going to speak up.  Asserting myself has always been something I've struggled with, but I know that it's important for everyone involved that I'm comfortable when I'm working.  I resolve to use my voice like I use my body; to make my job even better!

4. Go to more museums, art shows, lives performances, etc. 

A lot of times when I'm in a modeling session, the instructor will encourage their students to go to museums or art shows.  The reason for this is so the students can see different kinds of art and hopefully be inspired to create some of their own.  I think the same idea applies to art models too.  I'm constantly looking for new ideas for poses, and what better place to look than an art museum?  Being the artsy person I am, I also really love going to museums, plays, musicals, galleries, etc.  You name it, I'm there.  Rest assured, I'll be there even more this year!

5. Create a more consistent blogging schedule

This is actually one of my personal New Year's resolutions.  I've loved getting to write about my job over the past year, and I would like to make it a more regular part of my life come 2019.  Truthfully, I still haven't decided how I want to go about this.  My current goal is to do at least one post biweekly.  That may change in the future, but I think it's a good starting place for now.  Either way, I want to write more posts for "Model Behavior" using a more consistent schedule.  So, keep sending your questions and ideas for blog entries my way.  It helps a great deal, and I always love getting to hear from you!

That's it for this post.  Thank you all so much for your comments and supports all throughout 2018.  It means the world to me, and I'm so glad that I've been able to share this journey.  I hope that you all have a great New Year's Eve tomorrow, and I wish you the best for the coming year!  Until then...

See you soon! <3

Merry Christmas!

Hi everyone!

As I write this post, it’s 8:34pm on December 25th.  I’m sitting on a heater in my living room, looking at the beautiful tree that’s covered in lights and ornaments.  I think this is a proper time to say it:

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Christmas is, without a doubt, my favorite holiday.  I can’t tell you how nice it is to be home for the holidays, and how great it was to be able to spend the day with my family.  Good food, nice presents, and lots of love and cheer.  How can it get any better than this?

Christmas is also a time to reflect on all that’s good and hopeful in the world.  Tonight, I can’t help but think about how blessed and lucky I am to have such a great family, and to have a job that brings me such joy.  That’s why I’m writing this post tonight, so that anyone I’ve worked with knows how grateful I am for what you’ve given me.  To any instructors, monitors, and other models I know that may be reading this post, thank you for making my job so fun and rewarding.  I hope that all of you have had a wonderful Christmas and enjoy the rest of your holiday season.

Now, I think it’s time for me to relax a bit before I head off to bed.  So, I’ll close out this post the best way I can:

“But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight—

“Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!”

See you soon!

Holiday Cheer

Hi everyone!

Long time, no post.  I just checked the date on my last entry, and it’s been over a month since I last wrote.  I think that’s a new record for me!  ...Yay?

These past few weeks have been crazy busy.  I’ve had a modeling session almost every day of the week since mid-November, which, as you might have guessed, left me feeling wiped out.  That, plus doing holiday activities around the city ate up a lot of my time.  As badly as I wanted to write a new post, I just didn’t feel up to it.  But I’m here now, and a new post you all shall receive!

I can’t believe there’s only four more days left until Christmas.  Time never seemed to move this fast when I was a kid.  I still have some holiday shopping to do, and I also have to cleaning and pack before I head back to Oneonta this Sunday.  I admit, I am a little stressed.  But I’m also really excited that I’ll get to be home for the holidays.  I can’t wait to have some downtime and to be with my family again.

While I’m waiting, though, I have to say that the past few days have been particularly good.  I got to go to the American Museum of Natural History on Tuesday, saw the New York City Ballet’s production of “The Nutcracker” on Wednesday, and went to a party last night with cast members of a show I did a year ago.  All of these experiences were wonderful, and have definitely bucked up my spirits.  I've also been listening to plenty of Christmas music, which never fails to make me smile.

As great as the past few days have been though, I have to admit that there have been some bumps along the way.  I've had a few days where I've felt less that stellar, both physically and emotionally.  I guess that's to be expected when you spend the majority of your day in an art pose.  I don't think this has negatively impacted my work performance, but I know it also hasn't helped.  There have been times over the past few days where the last thing I wanted to do was hold still for twenty minutes at a time for three hours.  It's not that I dislike my job, but I've said it before and I'll say it again.  No matter how much you love your occupation, there will always be days where the work you're doing will feel more like "work" instead of fun.  That's normal, but it can still get to you.

But if there's one good thing about feeling this way, it's knowing that the students and the monitors have your back.  After my modeling sessions finished yesterday, I got to go to two holiday parties in the studios.  There was a lot of food and drinks, and I got the chance to talk with some of the students.  Everyone was very kind and gave me plenty of compliments on my modeling, and I got to learn more about their lives too.  I had a really nice time, and getting to relax a bit with this group of people helped me feel more positive.  Perfect timing for holidays too!

So that's my holiday cheer message.  Things are good here, and I'm looking for to finishing this week and celebrating Christmas soon.  Until then, I'm going to relax some more tonight.  There's a bowl of popcorn and a copy of the movie "Eloise at Christmastime" calling my name!

See you soon!

Objects and Space

Hi everyone!

Before I begin, I have to take a second to say something...

I'M BACK HOME FOR THANKSGIVING BREAK!!!

I arrived yesterday afternoon after a long train ride from the city.  As I write this post, I'm currently sitting on the couch in my living room with a warm blanket wrapped around my legs.  A rerun of "Chopped" is on, and my cat is in the other room, waiting for me to come play with him.  I couldn't be happier that this is how my night is going.  It's such a great feeling knowing that I'll be back in upstate New York for the rest of the week, and that I'll get some time to relax and be with my family.

Taking some time off to recharge is exactly what I need right now, considering this past week in the city was CRAZY!  I did two substitute teaching jobs, an audition, and modeled every single day before I came home.  I'm sore in places I didn't know could get sore, and my energy is at an all time low.  But in spite of this, I'm happy with everything that happened during my modeling sessions this past week.

If there's one thing I've learned over the past few days, it's that when you model seven days in a row, it can be hard to come up with different poses each time you're at work.  For example, I was in a class this past week which met Monday through Friday.  While the total number of students did change from night to night, most of the same pupils showed up for each session.  Since I had a lot of the same people drawing me each time I modeled, I didn't want to get stuck in the pattern of doing the same poses each time I was on the stand.  How did I solve this dilemma?  By using some things I like to call "objects and space" in my poses.  (See what I did there?)

Before each class started, the instructor brought out a few things that I could use in my poses.  Chairs, stools, and a long, wooden rod were among the object present.  The first few nights I modeled, I didn't use any of these things in my poses, mostly because I had no idea what to do with them.  In the past, I've felt more comfortable just posing with my body, because I tend have a better sense of how to position myself when I don't have to worry about using an object in a creative way.

But as the week went on, I started to wonder more about using the props in my poses.  I also was reminded of all the theatre classes I'd taken in the past.  Exercises where I had to use props in a new and creative way came to mind.  Think of the "Props" segment on "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" only much more still and much less raunchy.  So, I decided to take a chance one night and use one of the objects I'd been given.

Turns out this was something I should have done a long time ago, because I had a lot of fun figuring out how to use the props I had in my poses.  The first thing I grabbed was the long wooden rod.  I slung my arms over it and tilted to the side a bit, kind of like a scarecrow.  After that, my imagination went wild and I used the rod as a bunch of different things.  A baseball bat, a broom, a fishing rod, and even a javelin.  I found out pretty fast that only did this make my poses more interesting, but it helped me focus my mind in a new way.  As I posed, I started to think up stories based on the positions I was in.  For example, the "broom pose" inspired a Cinderella-esque story about a poor, young maiden living in the Renaissance era, trying to clean her home.  Not only did this make the time go by faster, but it also made me feel like I was back in those theatre classes again.  If you know me, you probably know just how happy this made me feel.

I also modeled in another class this week where I was instructed to use the wall behind me in my shorter poses.  To be honest, I went a little wild with this direction.  I ended up doing things like clawing the wall, extending and pressing my arms into it, and wrapping myself around the corners.  I felt very much like the woman in "The Yellow Wallpaper."

"I've gotten out at last,...in spite of you and Jane?"

Needless to say, I had a lot of fun with these poses.  Getting to use my acting abilities while I modeled was tons of fun.  I can only hope that I'll get to do something like this again sometime soon. Who knows?  Maybe I'll write down one of the stories that runs through my head and post it on here.

Now that my work week is over, though, I'm soaking up every moment of rest I have before I return to the city.  Hopefully this will help me get over the cold I caught over the weekend.  That, taking naps, and eating plenty of Thanksgiving food with my family sound like the perfect cure!  Don't you agree?

See you soon!

On Posing Nude

Hi everyone!

Fair warning before you keep reading; the following post gets a little ranty.

When I tell people I'm an art model, I tend to get a lot of questions about what my job entails.  Sometimes, I get asked about how long I've been modeling for, how much my job pays, or how I got started with modeling in the first place. But the number one question that always seems to pop up when I mention I’m an art model is this:

"Do you pose nude?"

After I confirm that I do often pose nude, this is usually followed by a series of other questions:

“What’s it like to pose naked?”
“Is it weird?”
“Do you ever feel uncomfortable?”
“Do you ever feel objectified or unsafe?”

I know I've touched on this in previous posts, but I figured it was high time I tackled this topic in depth.

If I can be one hundred percent honest here, the question of "Do you pose nude?" tends to get a little old.  I get it though.  There aren't too many professions where being naked for extend periods of time is a large part of the job.  I don't mind it when people ask me about what it's like.  Really, I don’t. I know I had the same questions running through my mind before I became an art model, and I’m happy to offer my input.  It's just that I would rather have people ask me questions like:

"How do you stay still for twenty minutes at a time?”
“Do you do anything special to maintain your physical strength for modeling?  
“Do you have any funny or interesting stories from a modeling session?"

I personally feel like those kind of questions are more fun and interesting to answer rather than "Do you pose nude?"   But, as promised, I am going to talk about what that’s like.

Remember in my last post I mentioned how art modeling has helped me feel more confident about myself, and how that applies to the performing world?  Well, the inverse is true as well.  Granted, I’ve never done a show where I’ve had to be onstage naked.  But I have done plenty of live performances for large crowds where I’ve worn skin tight, revealing clothing.  I think this helped me get into the right mindset and developed the confidence I needed before I started booking modeling sessions.

I’ve also said this before, but I’ll say it again.  Most of the time when I model, I don't even think about the fact that I’m posing nude for a bunch of people.  Sometimes, I even forget that I’m not wearing anything because I’m more focused on holding the pose I’m in.  The only times I really think about being disrobed is right when I take off my robe (see what I did there?) and right when I put it on.  After that, it’s all about the work.  Posing nude is just a part of my job, like how politicians speak in front of crowds or how scientists mix chemicals.  I just do it and don’t think about it too much.

This brings me to another point I’d like to make.  I have never felt objectified or unsafe in any of my modeling sessions.  Quite the opposite, actually.  All the instructors I’ve worked with have not only been professional, but also very kind and considerate.  Whenever I model, the instructor always makes it clear that my safety and level of comfort are paramount.  Sometimes, the instructors will offer to give me padding (mats and blankets) to make my poses less physically taxing, or offer to turn on a fan or heater if the room’s temperature isn’t quite right.  The instructors I’ve worked with also always give a heads up if they need to tape out my pose before getting close to me.

I think I should also say that instructors don’t touch their models.  If an adjustment needs to be made, they’ll tell the model something like “Bring your arm in more” or “Move you right foot back a little.”  The model makes changes from their, adjusting their pose depending on what the class needs.  Speaking of which, all the students I’ve worked with have been great, too.  No one that has painted, drawn, or sculpted me has made me feel uncomfortable or unsafe.  The students are just as professional as the teachers, and both parties are equally nice and supportive.  Most of them have been more than willing to show me their work to me, which I always love seeing.  No one has ever made a crass comment to me, and I always feel a personal sense of ease when I'm working.

Finally, I want to bring up one last point.  I know that when it comes to nudity, our minds tend to jump towards the sexual realm.  And you know what?  That’s perfectly okay and normal.  We’re all humans, we all have eyes and a brain, and we’re all capable of feeling arousal when we see a naked body.  But along with the many life lessons I’ve learned from art modeling, I’ve also learned that nudity doesn’t always equate to being sexual.

There are plenty of famous works of art that feature a complete nude subject (Michelangelo's David or Botticelli's The Birth of Venus, for example.)  In those works, the naked body isn't depicted as something erotic or vulgar.  It's shown as something to be celebrated and revered.  And that's just it.  The main purpose of an art model is to help artists understand the physical makeup of the human body.  When an artist sees an unclothed body, it makes it easier to understand the human anatomy and capture it in their work.  I feel more than happy to help contribute to this process.

So there you have it.  I hope this helped clear up any questions you might have had about this subject.  As always, if you have any other questions you'd like to ask me, please don't hesitate to leave a comment below!

See you soon!

A Life Lesson from Art Modeling

Hi everyone!

Today's entry is a bit different from my usual posts.  Instead of telling you all about my most recent modeling endeavor, I want to take a second and write about something I've been mulling over the past few weeks.  To be honest, this post took me a longer time to write than I originally expected.  I struggled to find the words I wanted to use to express my feelings about this topic.  After a lot of soul searching, though, I think I've found the right ones.  But before I write more about today's topic, I want to share a story with all of you.

When I was in high school, I remember trying to write a poem about wanting to be a painting.  It started out fine enough.  I wrote sentences about being "immortalized on canvas" and all the other dramatic words and phrases I could think of.  But being the emotional and somewhat angsty teenager I was, the poem took a dark turn.  I went on to say that "harsh is the reality I see in the mirror" and that "I'll never be a painting."  To summarize:

"I feel ugly and need a hug because I'm an emotional sixteen year old girl."  

I can laugh about it now, but at the time, this would have been anything but funny to me.

Like a lot of people, I've struggled with my self image.  I'd also be lying if I said that being in the performing world didn't play a part in this.  As much as I love being an actress and want to keep doing theatre for the rest of my life, there's a harsh truth every performer learns when they start trying to make a career out of their passion.  That harsh truth would be that how you physically look plays a huge part in whether or not you get hired, sometimes even more that your talent.

One of the biggest issues I've had over my appearance is my height.  I'm five feet tall, but some days, I feel even shorter than that.  It's not just a matter of people making short jokes or using me as a human arm rest (although this is plenty annoying.)  If there's one thing I've learned about being a short woman, it's that people often mistake you for being much younger than you actually are.  You wouldn't think this would be much of an issue, but it is.  I can't tell you the number of times I've felt like someone treated me like a child because I didn't "look old enough" to be a young adult.  It gets frustrating pretty fast, not to mention a little more that degrading.

But the "perks" of being short don't end there.  I know deep in my heart that I am not fat.  Really, I do.  I know have a lot of physical strength from doing taking dance classes, doing Pilates, and practicing yoga over the years, particularly in my legs.  However, a lot of my friends who are five foot two or shorter will agree with me when I say this.  Being smaller in stature tends to create a stockier look as you gain muscle, especially in the lower body area, which creates the illusion of being overweight.  I can't tell you how many times I've looked at my lower stomach or legs in the mirror and thought how big and chubby they were, sometimes to the point of tears.

It's not just my height, though, that I'm insecure about.  When I was younger, I couldn't stand my curly hair.  I hated how frizzy it was and how I felt like I couldn't style it any attractive ways.  But after I straightened it for the first time, I started getting a lot of compliments about how pretty it looked, some of which came from previous bullies.  So, I started straightening my hair as much as I could, sometimes getting up before 5am to style it.  This went on for a few years...until I realized how damaged my hair was getting.  I eventually learned how to style my curls so my hair wouldn't look like a tumbleweed, but I still had (and still have) my deep insecurities about it.

Lastly, I've never felt confident about my skin.  I think I've experienced every kind of acne known to man.  Pimples, whiteheads, blackheads, cysts.  You name it, I've had it.  I remember getting bullied so frequently for this during my teenage years that I felt like more people were staring at my acne than looking at my face.  It got to the point where I decided no to maintain eye contact with anyone I talked to.  That way, I could make sure that no one could stare at my acne and find cause to make fun of me.  To this day, I still have trouble making eye contact with people for this very same reason.

With all that said, it’s more than a little ironic that I’m now in a line of work that focuses so much on physical appearance.  But here’s the thing; art modeling isn’t just about “looking good.”  It’s not about being stick thin, having your hair and makeup perfectly done, or strutting down a runway.  It’s also not about trying to create an ideal image for everyone to see.

Art modeling is about being creative and inventive in each pose you do.  It’s about being physically and mentally strong enough to be still for up to twenty minutes at a time.  It’s about figuring out what your body is capable of, accepting your limits, and utilizing your strengths.  And most importantly, it’s about understanding that people will see you in a thousand different ways, no matter how you
spin it.

I remember after my very first modeling, I was nervous to look at the drawings the students had done.  My fears of looking fat and ugly were strong, but my feelings of curiousity were stronger.  So I mustered up the courage to see their work...and was completely taken aback by what I saw.  Instead of looking like an awkward, chubby girl like I feared, my body looked graceful and womanly.  All of my “problem areas” didn’t seem problematic at all.  In fact, I barely even noticed them.  I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.  I walked out of the class feeling more beautiful and confident than I had felt in a long time.

I wish I could say that this experience made all my insecurities go away, and that every time I looked at another drawing or painting of me, I felt the same sense of joy and confidence.  But the truth is, it didn’t.  I still have plenty of days where I feel like my sixteen year old self again and the last thing I want to do is look in the mirror.  I also have moments where I see a student’s artwork of me and have thoughts like “Do I really look that fat and ugly?” (Through no fault of their own, mind you.)

But then there are moments when I’m in a modeling session and I receive a compliment from the students or instructor about my appearance.  Compliments like:

"Look at her hair.  It reminds me of a Roman goddess."
"You have such an interesting face to draw."
"You're so beautiful, and you're a great model."

It's these compliments that make me realize that the parts of myself I don't necessarily like are what make me interesting as an art model.  It's also these compliments that remind me that I'm good at what I do.  Yes, because I'm a hard worker, have creative ideas about how to pose, and can hold still for a long time.  But also because I am me, and all that entails.  And that makes it all worth it in the end.

I firmly believe that self-love and confidence are journeys, rather than destinations.  I also firmly believe that they're not easy journeys to go on, and that they're often filled with doubt and disappointment.  But the beautiful thing about that is for every bullying remark or hurtful comment, there's also kind words and a heartfelt compliment to match them.  Being an art model has taught me that.  It's also taught me to be braver and more secure in my body, even if I don't always feel that way.

And finally, it's taught me that I can be a painting (and a drawing, and a sculpture.). And that all of works of art, flaws and all, can be captivating and beautiful.  <3

See you soon!

Emotions, Emotions

Hi everyone!

It’s official; fall has come to New York City.  How do I know this?  It is because of the changing foliage, the Halloween displays on the steps of apartment buildings, or the copious amounts of people drinking pumpkin spice lattes?  No.  I know it’s fall because for the first time in months, I’ve had to wear a sweater and a coat each time I go outside.  Case in point, it was 44 degrees outside yesterday, and the highest temperature of the day was only 51 degrees.  But I’m not complaining.  I’d much rather it be chilly than grossly humid!

Now that I’ve gotten that out of the way, let’s get to what you all came here for.  I modeled in a class on Sunday that was undeniable one of the most fun modeling experiences I’ve ever had.  In many ways, I almost feel like it was more like an acting class than a modeling session.  Before the class officially began, the instructor took a moment to talk to the class about how different poses can convey different emotions.  He drew some quick sketches and pointed out the emotional impact each one had.  As he spoke, I kept thinking "Me, an actress, doing poses that are all emotionally driven and meant to represent strong feelings?  This is going to be great!" And great it was.

I've mentioned before that I prefer doing sessions that start with shorter poses.  Well, this class was nothing but short poses.  I started off by doing a series of poses that were only thirty seconds long.  Admittedly, I got a little crazy with these.  I balanced on one leg a few times, did a downward dog, and even did a standing pose while bending backwards.  Not only was this a fun way to explore what my body could do, but it really forced me to think on my feet as I changed positions.  Following a pattern of "pose, change, pose" thirty seconds at a time for twenty minutes was both a physical and mental challenge, and I loved every minute of it.

After these short poses, the instructor did something that was really interesting.  Instead of just asking me to find different postures for the remainder of the class, he provided some direction for me.  When I got back on the stand, he named an emotion for me to portray.  He used words like "joyful," "anguished," and "terrified" to help guide my poses.  This is where the session reminded me of my high school and college acting classes.  I thought about all the times directors or teachers would try exercises with their students that were meant to help us emote and show different feelings.  Flashback indeed!  To help the class and me to better capture the emotion he wanted, he also played a variety of music, ranging from Bob Marley to Evanesence to The Rocky Horror Picture Show ("Let's do the Time Warp again!!!")

I also learned a lot about how emotions really do affect your body's energy.  I found that it was much harder to hold the "sad" and "angry" poses, as opposed to the "happy"and "excited" ones.  You try furrowing your brow or standing hunched over with your mouth wide open for two minutes.  Trust me, you'll feel the tension sooner than you'd think.  I had never really bought into the idea that holding your body with a more positive energy could make you feel physically lighter.  But now that I've actually experience it for myself, I think I'm going to try harder to carry myself in a more uplifted way.

The class ended with an exploration of movement.  I did a series of poses for one minute each that emphasized different ways the body could move.  I did some walking gestures, seated to standing poses, and I even got to swing an imaginary baseball bat.  (Shout out to my dad for teaching me how to do this when I was a kid!)  I walked out feeling happy and recharged, which is always a great way to feel once a class ends.

With that, I think it's time for me to get some rest.  Thanks for sticking around, and be on the lookout for more posts from me.  I have something big planned for my next entry.

See you soon!

The Art of the Dress

Hi everyone!

Before I get into the topic of today's post, I want to take a quick second and mention something.  Last night, I modeled at a new school for the first time.  The class was pretty standard.  Short poses to longer poses, breaks in between, etc.  The instructor and the students were all very nice, and I had a great time.  I may write a post about this experience in the future, but for now, I just wanted to put this information on there!  Now, back on track.

Remember how I mentioned that art models don’t always pose nude?  And remember how I mentioned that sometimes, my sessions are six hours long instead of three?  Well, that's what happened today.  Today was the first time I posed clothed in a class for more than three hours.

I have to admit, I was pretty excited when I first got the email asking me to do this booking.  I was told to bring "a few interesting tops (street clothes or costumes)...for the instructor to choose from."  I  decided to wear a long black dress with a floral pattern, as well as my favorite pair of brown lace up boots.  It was an outfit that not only looked interesting, but that I was more than comfortable in.  An important factor, considering I was going to be working for twice as long as I normally do.

As soon as I arrived at the booking, I knew that I was going to have fun.  The students were all incredibly kind and welcoming, as was the instructor.  One of the students even came up to me before the class began and said that he was happy that I was there.  That made me feel great, even before I got on the modeling stand.  When the class did start, the instructor had the students gather around him and took out a book of paintings by the French-Polish artist Balthus.  He talked a lot about how Balthus often painted his models in natural postures (e.g. standing up straight, seated in a chair, etc.,) but that there was usually something "off" about the pose itself.  For example, he presented a painting that had the model standing erect, but with her shoulders slightly titled to the right.  He also showed some other Balthus works that did this, in order to give the students some inspiration for their own paintings.

When something like this happens, the model for the class isn't technically required to sit and listen with the students.  But I always like to do this anyway.  I not only think it's interesting, but I've found that having the same information the students do makes my modeling that much better.  Understanding what the students are trying to achieve in their works, and how I as the model can help them achieve that makes my sessions so much more gratifying and fun.

The pose for this class was fairly basic.  I sat in a chair with my legs crossed and my hand resting on my knee.  Nothing too extreme.  But like my other six hour session, I held this one pose for the entirety of the class.  I suspected that my legs would get stiff and numb, but I didn't think my arms would too, especially since I wasn't doing anything crazy with them.  I guess that'll happen though when you're trying to sit completely still for twenty minutes at a time.  It wasn't the best feeling, but it was nothing I couldn't handle.

After a few hours of posing, everyone got a thirty-five minute lunch break.  Normally when this happens, a lot the students leave the classroom to go eat outside or at nearby restaurants.  Today, though, the students and instructor set up a table and invited me to eat with them.  The instructor asked me about what I do outside of art modeling, and I told everyone about being an actress.  I found out that one of the students also graduated from Ithaca College, much to my delight!  Before we were all done eating, I decided to ask the class about what they thought makes a good art model.  Their response was simple; a good art model is someone that holds still.

I know that sounds like an obvious answer, but their reasonings made a lot of sense.  While you're certainly allowed to shake out any stiff or numb muscles in a session, some models forget that it's important not to completely lose the pose.  It makes the students' jobs a lot harder when this happens, and it gets frustrating if this occurs constantly in the class.  Apparently, a lot of the students had been in other classes where this happened.  As you might have guessed, this isn't advisable behavior for an art model.  It's definitely not "model behavior!"  Ba dum, sshh!

I was happy to know, though, that the students thought I did a great job this session.  A lot of them gave me compliments about my focus, and told me that I had a great face and hair for modeling.  Their kind words boosted my confidence so much, and I loved getting to see their final paintings at the end of class.  All of them were, as usual, beautiful to look at it.  I even got up the courage to ask them if I could take a few pictures of their work, and they agreed!  I would share their paintings here...but I didn't ask the students if they'd be okay with me sharing their work on social media.  I wouldn't feel comfortable posting the pictures without their permission, so I won't be showing any of them in this post.  But I don't want you to get too disheartened.  The great thing about this class is that I'll be posing in it again next week.  Maybe by then I'll have mustered the courage to ask them about sharing their artwork online.  Either way, I had such a positive experience at work today, and I'll really looking forward to coming back!  I've said it before, but I'll say it again; I love my job so much!!!

That's it for me tonight.  I'm off to watch some more YouTube videos before I hit the hay.  Here's hoping my internal clock decides not to wake me up at 6am tomorrow.  :P

See you soon!

Animating Art

Hi everyone!

You know what I love?  I love it when different art mediums are combined to create new pieces of art, bursting with talent and creativity.  You know what I love ever more?  I love getting to witness said pieces of art being created.  Finally, you know what I love the most?  I love that my job allows me to be a part of this process, both as a spectator and a model.

Yesterday’s modeling session was fascinating, mostly because it was structured a bit differently than most sessions I’ve been in.  When I arrived at this booking, the first thing I noticed was that they students were watching the movie “Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind.”  I was both surprised and a little confused by this.  My first thought was that the students were watching it to relax before they started drawing.  After all, I had arrived a bit earlier than expected, and it is a beautiful movie to lose yourself in.  But once the movie was over, I quickly realized that it was going to play a key role in the class to come.

It turned out that the instructor was using “Nausicaä” to help explain a technique that a lot of artist and animators use called “The Rule of Three.”  He explained it much more eloquently than I ever could, but the jist is that this rule is used to help create dynamic tension in a piece of art, depending on where different subjects are placed.  He showed this by marking three dividing points on screen, then went on to play an action sequence from the movie.  During the scene, he would pause the film and point out how the different characters were positioned according to the divides, and what dramatic effect that produced.  I had never considered this before today, but everything the instructor mentioned made a lot of sense.  I’ve always known that attention to detail is important when creating art, but I had never fully considered this when it came to animation.  I guess it’s no wonder that the Studio Ghibli movies are so visually and emotionally powerful.

The lesson didn’t stop there, though.  Once I got on the modeling stand, the students were encouraged to think about this as they worked.  As I posed, the instructor projected different images of landscapes behind me, which we incorporated into the students' drawings.  I had never done a class before where the students were directed to draw both a background as well as the model.  The results were, to be blunt, AMAZING!  Not only did the projected images get drawn, but a lot of the students took their work into a more creative direction than expected.  For example, in the final pose of the class, I was leaning on my side with my head propped up against a stool in front of a beach landscape.  Several of the students transformed the stool into something different, like a sand dune or a treasure chest.  I wouldn't have even of thought to do that, but I'm glad they did!

Not only did the drawings turn out beautifully, but this session had an added element that I really liked. Throughout the class, the instructor played orchestral tracks from Studio Ghibli movies.  In addition to the main themes from "Nausicaä," I also got to listen to pieces from "Howl's Moving Castle" and "Spirited Away."  I even got to listen to "Jupiter" from Holst's "The Planets" while posing in front of a background of Mars.  The music helped my posing immensely.  Listening to it helped me relax my body and made the time go by much faster.  Plus, I'd be lying if I said I didn't love hearing some beautiful music while I worked, especially the ones in this class.

It was such a great sensation to feel all different art forms combine in this session.  Film, drawing, music.  I walked out of the classroom with such a positive, inspired feeling.  It's moments like these when I think to myself "Wow, I really love my job," and makes me look forward to many more modeling sessions to come.

That's it for this post, folks.  Thanks for reading as always, please keep your comments and question coming!

See you soon!

Why I Became An Art Model

Hi everyone!

Even though it's been just shy of two weeks since my last post, I feel like it's been forever.  The reason for that is because I have been busy the last few weeks.  I know I say that a lot, but believe me, it's true.  Between modeling and working as a substitute teacher, I've only had a few days that were completely free.  Since both of my jobs make me tired easily, I find that I tend to spend my off days locked away in my apartment, either baking or watching YouTube videos (not that I mind!). But I'm feeling more energized today than I've felt in a while, so I figured it was time for an update.

I realized today that I haven't really explained why I decided to become an art model.  I know I've touched on it a bit in other posts, saying that I like the physicality of it, how it allows me to be creative, meeting the instructors and the students, etc.  Today, though, I wanted to get introspective and give you all a more fleshed out answer as to why I chose this job.

A lot of you know that when I'm not art modeling or teaching, I work as an actress.  A lot of you also know that becoming an actress, primarily in the theatrical world, is my main career goal.  Pursuing acting is the primary reason I decided to move to New York City.  I wanted to to be closer to audition opportunities and be a part of a larger, theatrical scene.  For the most part, I've done that.  I've gone on a lot of auditions in the past year, and I'm now a part of a play that'll be performed at the end of the month.  But I realized pretty early on that if I wanted to stay in the city for as long as possible, I'd need to find a job, and fast.

This is where substitute teaching came into play.  I had worked as a substitute teacher for a few years in my hometown before coming the city.  It only seemed natural that I would continue doing it once I got settled in.  I found out about a subbing service through an online search, interviewed with the company, and the rest was history.  Substitute teaching was a great way to earn money when I was in between acting jobs and auditions, and I loved having a flexible work schedule.  But that was the caveat about being a substitute; I wasn't always called in to work.  Sometimes, weeks would go by, and I wasn't offered any subbing opportunities.  Unfortunately, that's the nature of the beast when you have a job with no set work hours.  After considering my options, I knew I had to get a second job.

I've always believed that no matter what your job is, even if it's just a temporary position, you should be doing something you love.  A lot of people suggested I become a waitress or a nanny.  Either of those jobs would have been fine, but I knew they weren't things I necessarily wanted to do.  I also knew I'd run into scheduling problems when it came to things like auditions, callbacks, and rehearsals.  So, I needed to find a job that fit the following criteria:

1. It had to have flexible work hours
2. It had to be something I could potentially do every day
3. It had to be something I really loved doing

I did a few Google searches for part time jobs options, but nothing caught my interest.  But then, something happened.  For whatever reason, I started thinking about art modeling.  I typed in the words "how to become an art model" into my search bar, and soon I was reading articles about modeling stories, posing tips, and most importantly, how to find work in this field.  The biggest piece of advice I read was to contact art schools and inquire about being a model.  It sounded simple enough.  I found a list of art schools in New York that hired live models, and about a dozen emails later, I had gotten a few responses.

I think most of you know how the story goes at this point.  I interviewed with a few schools and was hired shortly afterwards.  That's no secret, and one that I certainly don't want to rehash.  But I do want to mention that I did have some reservations before my actual work as a model began.

The biggest one was, of course, the fact that I would be posing nude more often than not.  I wouldn't say the thought of this terrified me, but I was a little intimidated.  The closest I had ever been to being disrobed for an audience was wearing a leotard and a pair of booty shorts for my dance recitals in high school.  I wondered if I would be able to handle posing with no clothes on in front of an entire class of art students.  But in order to ease my nerves, I kept reminding myself of three things.

The first was that I wasn't displaying my body for any sexual purposes.  I would be posing in order for the students to study things like shapes, lights, and contours on the human body.  The second was that the schools I'd be modeling for were professional art institutions.  I wouldn't be the first or last model they worked with, so I had faith that the instructors and students would be nothing less than professional.  The third and final thing is admittedly kind of silly, but it helped me nonetheless.  Since my dad's side of the family is Greek, I was no stranger to art that featured partially or completely nude subjects.  I remember telling myself "You're Greek!  Your ancestors have been doing this kind of thing for centuries, so you can too!"  What can I say?  Sometimes, you have to think outside the box!

Posing nude turned into less of a concern as I continued to book jobs.  However, a new concern began to surface after my first few sessions.  I knew that my body would feel stiff after posing, but I don't think I was prepared for how stiff I would actually get.  During one of my first sessions, I remember sitting on a stool for twenty minutes.  I noticed that my left hip was getting tight, but I did my best to ignore it and not fidget.  As soon as I got off the stool, however, my left leg buckled (not noticeably, thank goodness) and the left side of my lower back was in pain for about a week afterwards.  I didn't have any major incidents after this, but I do remember having some sessions where my shoulders and back felt like they were screaming at me.

I wish I could say I that I've figured out a fool proof solution to this predicament, but I haven't.  Like drawing a picture, it's a process.  But I've said it before and I'll say it again; self care is vital in this line of work.  I've tried to be stricter about working out, because the stronger my muscles are, the easier posing gets.  Massages, hot baths, and stretching also help.  Like any job, though, experience helps the most.  I've learned to become more aware of my body, paying special attention to when a pose feels good, and to make any adjustments I need when it doesn't.  It isn't always easy, but I do the best I can.

This leads to one question, the subject of this post: "If your job is tough and taxing on your body, why do you continue to model?"  I can tell you, with no doubt in my mind, that my answer is this:

Because I absolutely LOVE being an art model.

I remember being told during my first audition/interview for one of the schools that I now work for that "you'll discover quickly whether or not you like art modeling, and if this is something you think you can do."  This has proved to be true more than once since I started modeling in January.  Each time I finish a session, I think about how lucky I am to be doing what I'm doing.  My job I rewarding in so many ways.  It's helped me to become more confident in myself, and to accept that my body, while far from perfect, can be beautiful in many different ways.  Granted, it does get hard to remember this, especially when I'm having a bad day.  But when I get to see all the different paintings and drawings of me once a session is over, I'm floored by the fact I've helped create so many artistic depictions, with the proof literally surrounding me.

I also love that my job allows me to meet so many interesting people.  I know I sound like a broken record at this point, but it's true.  I have such a high respect for all the students and instructors I've met and worked with, because I sure as hell couldn't do what they do.  They truly are some of the most knowledgable and focused people I've encountered, and I love getting to work with them.  I've learned more about art from hearing their discussions in class than I ever thought possible.  It's such a rewarding feeling.

Lastly, it's a great feeling to have a "side job" that's in a creative field.  I love getting to use my imagination to create poses, and discovering more about what my body is capable of.  It's also wonderful to get inspired in my daily life.  There will be times I'm doing yoga, taking a dance class, or even standing on the subway and I'll think to myself "Oh, this could be a good modeling pose!"  Having a job that not only helps pay my rent but constantly inspires me feels amazing.  There's just no other way to put it.

Whew!  What a long winded response that was.  If you've made it this far, thank you!  Also, I hope this post helped you understand more about what I do and why I love it.  With that, I think it's time for a hot shower and sleep.  Have to loosen up those muscles, after all!

See you soon!

Painting Her Portrait

Hi everyone!

First of all, major brownie points to anyone who can name the musical that the song I stole this blog post’s title is from.  Anyone?  (Leave a comment if you know!)

I figured that it would be a fitting title for the subject of this blog entry.  As you might have guessed, my most recent modeling session was a portrait class.  You also might have noticed that I don't often write about what it's like to do a portrait sitting.  The reason for this is because I've only done two of these classes since I began modeling in January.  I tend to get hired for sessions where the students draw my full body as opposed to just my face.  But since last night's booking was a departure from what I normally do, I thought it would be a good idea to share that experience with you all.

You might be wondering how posing for a portrait is different or similar to posing with your entire body.  Well, I'll tell you.  I've come to find that there are two major differences when it comes to portrait sitting.  The first and most visually obvious is that you're clothed when posing for a portrait.  Since the artists tend not to draw their subjects below the waist in a portrait class, it makes sense that the model (or models) in question wouldn't be disrobed.  In addition to drawing a person's face in a class like this, the artists also practice capturing what the model is wearing in their work.  I remember being asked to wear a shirt with an "interesting neckline" before this class began.

The second biggest difference is how much you move around as a model in a portrait class.  I know I've said that a large part of my job is holding still in a variety of poses.  While that is true, I tend not to hold one pose for the entirety of a session.  More often that not, I get to change my pose after a certain amount of time.  Even if I'm asked to hold one pose for the duration of a session, it tends not to be one where I'm sitting upright in a chair, looking straight ahead with a neutral facial expression.

But, as you might have guessed, that's exactly what you do in a portrait sitting.  The students tend to move around the room as time goes by in order to capture different angles of a model's face or to get a new visual perspective.  But as the model in question, you're pretty stagnant.  After all, it's not called a "portrait sitting" for nothing!  You might think that sitting still for twenty minutes at a time, having a five minute break, then repeating these two things over and over again until the class ends would be pretty boring.  But, as it turns out, posing for a portrait can be just as interesting as full body modeling.

One of the cool things about the portrait I've done is that I haven't been the only model present.  In fact, I was one of three modelings being drawn last night.  This was especially fun, because it gave me a chance to get to know the other people I got to pose with.  One of the models I talked to had been art modeling over twenty years.  Twenty years!  She also told me that she had taken some time away from it later in life to settle down and start a family, but she returned to modeling as a way to make some extra money after she retired.  The other model that was there told me that he had just started art modeling about two weeks ago, and that he had been working a series of odd jobs to help support his writing career.  It was absolutely fascinating to hear both of their stories.

I also got the chance to talk with some of the artists.  Everyone was incredibly nice and more than willing to show their work to me.  The portraits they did of me were great.  It still blows my mind that an artist can create something like that in only a few hours.  Getting to chat with them about what else I do for work outside of art modeling was also nice.  Making those kind of connections is always rewarding during a session.

And there you have it.  Now, it's time for dinner, a quick workout, and some well deserved chillaxing.  Thanks again for your continued support of my blog!

See you soon!

The Balancing Act

Hi everyone!

I just finished a breakfast of pancakes and oatmeal, my roommate's cat is sitting on my lap, and I have the "Wicked" soundtrack playing in the background.  Good morning?  I'd say so!

I'm also pleased to report that this coming week is going to be a calm one.  I don't have too much scheduled yet, which makes me very happy.  Granted, I do like to be busy most of them, and I do tend to thrive when I have a lot to do.  But I'm also not a machine.  Having some time this week to relax and recharge is more than fine with me.  I think it's just what I need.

Yesterday, however, was a bit packed.  I ended up having a longer day than I anticipated.  I got up at 6:30am to get ready for a 9am standby.  I know that sounds crazy, but when you live in a city where your commute to work is almost an hour, and you still need time to shower and eat breakfast, getting up early is vital.  I'm not one of those people who can just roll out of bed and jump right into their day.  I much prefer to take my time in morning, even if it means getting up a few hours earlier than normal.

I'm not sure if I've ever taken the time to properly explain what a standby is.  A standby is a modeling appointment where you're called to wait and see if any instructors need a model for a class.  Three hour time blocks are set aside for standbys, and you're required to wait for an hour.  During that time, one of two things can happen.  If an instructor requests a model, you go to the class, do your thing, and then that's it.  If no one asks for a model, you're released after an hour and free for the rest of your time.

As much as I love to work, I have to admit that I was glad no one called me in for this standby. I was released after an hour, and ended up having some free time.  I decided to go to the library for a bit and signed out two new books to read.  I also had time to go to Staples and print out the materials I needed for my next audition.  I spent some time reviewing it, and that was that.  I had nothing else to do...that is, until my next booking started.

My session went fine.  It was with an instructor I had worked with before, so that was nice.  Shorter poses leading up to longer poses, standing positions to seated positions.  All of the standard things I've written about in previous blog posts.  I've started to notice, however, that my internal clock is getting more in sync to the actual timer I use when I'm posing.  I've gotten good at figuring out how long I've been holding a pose, especially when they're no longer than seven minutes.  I've also noticed that my body has gotten stronger since I started modeling.  Poses that used to make me fatigued quickly, especially standing postures, don't cause me that strain.  Of course, I still get sore.  But it's much better than it used to be, and I think it gets better each time I model.

My session ended at 3pm, but my day wasn't over yet.  As soon I left the school, I headed to Grand Central Station to eat a quick dinner and catch the next train to New Rochelle.  I've mentioned to a lot of my readers in person that I'm in play now, but I don't think I've mentioned it on this blog yet.  With that said...hey, I'm in a play in New Rochelle!  Yay!!!  It's called "The Victory Garden Plays," and it's about different people living in New Rochelle during World War Two.  I'm playing a character named Alice, who's husband, Richard, has been deployed in the trenches in France.  I get to do this beautiful monologue about her feelings towards it, and I can already tell it's going to be a great show.  The rest of the cast is very talented, so if you're reading this and can make it to the New Rochelle Public Library on October 28th at 3pm, please come see it!  (And that's what we call a shameless plug!)

So, that was my day.  It was a balancing act, for sure.  I don't doubt I'll have more days like it in the future.  But like I've said many times before, I don't mind.  Having a completely packed day yesterday and a pretty relaxed today is a nice juxtaposition.  I intend to make the most of it.  With that said, it's off to do some errands.  That's what all adults do on their days off, right?  ;)

See you soon!

Two Is Better Than One

Hi everyone!

Well, it’s official.  Cold and flu season is upon us.  How do I know this?  Considering I can only breathe easily through one nostril right now, and I spent the majority of Thursday night tossing and turning and blowing my nose...yeah, I’d say it’s a pretty safe bet.

Having a cold is never fun, but it’s even worse when you’re an art model with a cold.  Before I did my modeling session yesterday, I couldn’t imagine sitting still for any length of time.  My head was throbbing, my nose was running, and I couldn’t walk for more than a few minutes without feeling winded.  Part of me was seriously considering pulling out of my booking.  But after a quick trip to Rite Aid, a cup of lentil soup from Hale and Hearty, and some nasal spray and Sudafed, my symptoms had called down enough that I was feeling okay to model.  So I made my way over to the East side of town and got ready to work.

In most modeling sessions, there's only one model present.  But yesterday's session was different.  Instead of just me being the primary model, there was also another female model present.  This meant that we would be taking turns posing throughout the session and that the students would have the opportunity to draw us both.

I had done one other class with another model earlier this year.  It's always interesting to see what kind of poses a different model will take.  I think it helps hint at what they do outside of their sessions.  For example, I noticed the other model and I both took poses that really elongated our arms and legs.  (It didn't take long for the instructor to figure out that we were both dancers!)  Seeing another model pose also helps inform me about what kind of poses I might like to try in future sessions.  I think the other model had a great awareness about how she positioned her head in relationship to the rest of her body, which made her poses look very poised.  That's something I'm going to consider in my next booking.  It just goes to show you that inspiration can really come from all places.

Having another model in the class also turned out to beneficial for my cold.  Being able to trade on and off was great, because I ended up getting longer breaks than usual.  For example, while she did a twenty minute pose, I got to sit off to the side and relax for the entire time that she was on the modeling stand.  I'm not sure if I would have felt the best if I had to do all the modeling myself.  Chances are that I would have come home feeling just as physically drained as I did before the session.  So, I was grateful that things worked out the way they did.

Aside from getting longer breaks and alternating on the stand with the other model, the rest of the class was pretty standard.  Shorter poses leading up to longer ones, some standing, some seating, etc. The session went by quickly and I got home shortly after it ended.  But not before I stopped by Walgreens to by some BreathRight strips.  A good decision, considering my cold has gotten significantly better today.  I'm still pretty stuffed up, but I'm on the mend.  I'm hoping I'll be completely well in a few days.

Until then, I'm going to take it easy.  I have the entire day off tomorrow, so I think that sleeping in is ideal.  Fingers crossed that the NyQuil I'm about to take will help me sleep easy tonight!

See you soon!

All In A Day's Work - Part Two

Hi everyone!

I'm happy to report that I slept better than I was expecting to.  I only woke up once during the night, and I was able to fall back asleep again until 7:30am.  Thank god too, because as we all know, I needed that rest.  Not only that, but for the first time in days, I was able to make myself a proper breakfast this morning.  Pancakes with peanut butter, a perfectly ripe kiwi, and a cup of peppermint tea.  Good morning indeed!

Today is officially my day off, which means that in addition to doing some housework and resting some more, I get to tell you all about the rest of my very busy day of modeling.  Yay!  So, let's jump right in.

When I agreed to do three modeling sessions in one day, the second session was originally going to be a standby.  This means that I was going to be on call for any instructors that needed models in the 12pm to 3pm time frame.  If no one requested a model, I'd be free to go after an hour.  I've done standbys before, and I've never been asked to do an actual class.  But as might have guessed, this time was different.

I was checking my email during the first session when I noticed that I had a new one from the school.  Turns out that my standby had now become a class.  So as soon as I finished up my first session, I went downstairs to a different classroom to start the now second session I had for the day.  When I got to the room, however, I noticed no one seemed to be getting set up for class to begin.  I got a little worried.  "Am I in the right room?  Did I misread my email?" I thought to myself.  I ended up checking my email about five times just to make sure I didn't mess anything up.  Turns out that the class was actually six hours long, like the one I wrote about in my "New Experiences" post, and I had arrived right when the lunch hour had started.  This turned out to be a good thing, because it gave me a chance to rest for a while before getting back on the stand.

When the class did start up again, I was both surprised and delighted to find out that the instructor was one I had worked with before.  In fact, he was one of the first teachers I worked with when I started modeling.  It was great to see him again.  It was also great that he let me do three seated twenty minutes poses.  My body was definitely thankful for it!  The class went by quickly and as soon as it ended, I started walking across town to get to my final booking of the day.

Walking in the rain from the West side of town to the East wasn't exactly fun.  Nonetheless, I made it to my booking on time.  I was especially excited for this one, because it was with another instructor I had previously worked with.  I did mostly standing poses in this session, twenty minutes each.  I'll admit, I was nervous that my body wouldn't be able to take being in an upright position for so long.  But to my surprise, I managed to do it with almost no tension or tightness.  I have no idea if it was from having a long break earlier in the day, or if my body has become stronger and more capable of holding still.  Whatever the reason, I was happy.

This final class was also great because I got to talk a bit with one of the students and the instructor.  We chatted about baseball, music, and theatre while I took my breaks, much to my delight.  It's always fun when you get to have a conversation with the people in the room, even if it's just for a little while.  It makes the overall experience that much more fun and personal.  Plus, it's also great to be able to tell you all about it!  The student even let me see one of the drawings she did.  I have to say that I loved how she drew me, especially since it only took her thirty minutes to do it!

Once the class was over, I headed to the nearest Lush store and bought a lavender scented bath bomb.  I took the subway back to my sublet, flopped on my bed for bit, then went to the bathroom to take a much needed soak in the tub.  Quick tip to all you aspiring art models out there: hot baths/showers after a long day of work are total BLISS.  I highly recommend them!  I have to admit that I'm still pretty sore today, especially in my back.  But thanks to the magic of Groupon, I now have a massage scheduled for next week.  I couldn't be happier about this fact, especially since I've been meaning to get one since the start of this month.

Modeling three times in a day definitely had an impact on me.  I still don't think my body has caught up with me yet.  But like I said in my last post, I wouldn't have changed anything about my experience.  Modeling is hard work, but it's work that I love doing.  Even if I get tired and sore from it, it's all in a day's work, and all worth it in the end.  :)

That's it for this blog post.  Be sure to check back soon for more stories, and please keep your questions and comments coming!

See you soon!

All In A Day's Work - Part One

Hi everyone!

Oh lord, am I TIRED today.  I'll be very surprised if I make it through writing this entry without passing out.  I already took a three hour nap today, so I'm hopeful.  But I guess we'll see by the end of this post!

It's no secret that being an art model is a tiring job.  (I know I've mentioned that plenty of times).  I've come to expect feeling fatigued after each modeling session I do.  I'm pretty used to it by now.  But today, I feel more tired than usual.  Why is that?  Because yesterday, I had three modeling sessions in a row.  You heard correctly, folks.  THREE modeling sessions in a row, the most I've ever done in a single day.  That means I was working for NINE hours in total, most of which were spent holding still.

Just take a second to think about that.  Have you ever had to hold still in a variety of poses for up to twenty minutes at time, from nine o'clock in the morning until six o'clock at night?  Not only do you get extremely tired, but your body also gets sore and tight in places you didn't even know could feel pain.  It's no walk in the park.  But despite the fact that I've popped my neck more times than I can count today, and that I've been try to stretch and roll out my muscles since I woke up today, I don't regret taking on a packed day of modeling.  Not for a second.  And as per usual, I'm going to tell you all about it.

Before I start, however, I decided to split this topic into two different posts.  I'm doing this because I have a lot to say about this experience, and I don't want to skip out on any details.  I think it will be easier to read this story in two, shorter posts rather than one massive one.  It'll also save me the trouble of tiring to squeeze everything into an entry when I'm feeling less than awake.  This will be Part One of my story.  Part Two will come soon enough, so please stick around for that!

Without further adieu, here's how my very long day of modeling began:

Since it takes me about forty-five minutes to get to Midtown from my sublet in Brooklyn, I woke up at 6am yesterday.  I took a shower, ate breakfast, gathered all my modeling things, and I was out the door just before 7:30am.  I got to where I needed to be just before 8:30am, which gave me plenty of time to change and relax before my booking started at 9am.  Once the class began, everything was pretty standard.  For the first twenty minutes, I did a series of two minute poses, ten in total.  Everything was going smoothly, until I realized something unexpected had happened.

I'm not sure if I've ever mentioned this, but it's standard for models to time themselves when they're working.  I use a small kitchen timer that I got from Bed Bath & Beyond that's easy to set and beeps loudly when time is up.  But even with the physical timer going, I think I've gotten good at developing my own internal timer.  During one of my two minute poses, I started to think to myself "I think I've been holding this position longer than two minutes."  I glanced down at my timer...and I noticed it wasn't working at all.  After a brief moment of panic, I mentioned to the instructor that my timer had stopped working.  Thankfully, he was more than understanding and offered to time me for the rest of my short poses.  I thought my timer's battery had died on the spot, which definitely wouldn't have been good for the rest of the class.  But it turns out that the timer's battery had just popped out.  After some quick finagling, my timer was back to normal and I was timing my poses again with no problem.

I'm very grateful that this first class started off with short poses and progressed to longer ones.  Admittedly, I was more tired than I expected to be when I started this particular booking.  Easing into longer poses definitely helped me feel more awake and alert.  When I got to my final twenty minute poses, I didn't feel as exhausted as I was expecting to be.  Granted, I still chose to do reclining poses instead of standing or seating postures.  But I finished the class feeling more energized and accomplished, and ready to take on the rest of my day.

With that, I think I'm going to close out this post for tonight.  Let's see if my internal clock isn't completely messed up from that three hour nap!  :P  Once again, be sure to come back for Part Two of this story.  I'm hoping to have it completed by tomorrow, so please check it out once it's posted!

See you soon!

New Experiences

Hi everyone!

I'm currently sitting in my room, sans makeup, wearing the baggiest sweatshirt I own and a fuzzy pair of cabin socks.  Why, you may ask, do I mention this?  Because, dear readers.  Nothing feels better than putting on your comfy clothes after a long day at work!  Also, I think this outfit is ideal for writing in.  There's just something about wearing a cozy ensemble that gets the creative juices following...

As you might have guessed, I modeled again today.  However, today was a bit different than normal.  I mentioned in a previous post that a typical modeling session lasts about three hours, with a fair amount of breaks in between.  My session today, though, went from 12:10pm to 6pm.  I kid you not, folks.  I had a modeling job for six hours.

Now, this isn't totally foreign to me.  After all, I've done double shifts before.  But up until today, I had never done a single modeling session that lasted this long.  I had no idea what to expect, other that the typical "set the pose, set the timer, hold it, break, repeat" routine.  All I knew was that I was expected to stay for six hours, and get one long break in between.  Sounds simple enough, right?

In many ways, it was.  But I'll get into that a little later.  When I've worked long modeling hours in the past, I tend to plan my entire day around it.  Last night, I went to bed around 10pm so I could wake up at 6:30am.  I know that sounds crazy when my job didn't even start until the afternoon, but I wanted to make sure I got some things done.  I've never really been one for exercising in the morning,  since I like to save my workouts for the end of the day.  But I squeezed in some yoga and a leg workout, and even had time to make buttermilk pancakes with a side of blueberry and granola laden yogurt for breakfast.  I must admit, it did feel good to get my workout done so early.  Definitely helped set me up for the rest of my day.

When I arrived at my modeling session, everything looked as typical as could be.  The modeling stand was set up, as was the area for the students to paint in.  But soon after the class and the instructor arrived, things started to get a little more interesting.  In past modeling sessions, I'll normally be on a fairly bare stand, with the exception of a chair or my yoga mat.  Today, though, something very exciting happened.  Within minutes, the students and instructor got a bunch of props and fabrics to drape and decorate the stand with and created a very surreal, also Dali like space for me to pose in.  They used so many things, including a broken Grecian bust,  a wet floor sign, and a faux deer head.  (No lie!). For a minute, I felt more like my actress self, waiting to deliver some kind of post-modern monologue.  It was so cool to see everything come together, and I couldn't have been more excited to pose.

Since the session was longer than normal, I got to choose a seated pose for the entirety of the class.  I ended up sitting against the wall with my legs bent in a kind of "mermaid position."  Not a bad posture to hold...but I was feeling it in my body after a while.  I know I've mentioned several times that modeling is tiring, but I'm not exaggerating.  After I held my pose for a few times, my left leg started to go numb.  It got to the point that right before my timer beeped, I couldn't stand up or walk without wobbling like a newborn colt.  It didn't feel great, but the good news is that my leg quickly woke up during each of my breaks.  No injuries or massive pain, unlike that fish on "Spongebob Squarepants."  (MY LEG!!!)

I once read that if a limb goes numb during a modeling session, it helps to subtly press into another body part to help distract yourself from the uncomfortableness.  I tried doing this today by pressing the heel of my left hand into my yoga mat.  I was able to regain some feeling in my leg...but I think I might have strained my wrist because of it.  It's a little sore tonight, but it's not serious.  It's nothing that a gentle self massage won't cure!

One of the great things about modeling for longer amount of time today was getting to hear the instructors comments and insights.  I loved hearing all the information he gave to the students about how to structure their paintings and what details to pay attention to.  Again, I was totally blown away by how fast they were all able to grasp this information and put it to use.  I know it comes from years of practice and study, but I have to admit; it sometimes seems magical when I see how the students can alter their works in just a few minutes.

But the coolest thing about today, though, was getting to see the final products at the end of the class.  There were so many different interpretations of the pose I did, but all of them were so interesting to look at.  I think all the student really nailed the phantasmic quality of the area surrounding me, and it's always fascinating to see the different ways I can be physically interpreted.  It's definitely one of the best parts of my job.

And there you have it.  Even though the hours were longer than what I'm used to, it was a great modeling session today.  Now though, it's time for some well deserved rest.  I think there's a hot shower upstairs calling my name... ;)

See you soon!

The Return

Hi everyone!

Let me start off this blog entry by saying that it was a very hot and humid day today in New York City.  I don't think I could have walked for more than five minutes without feeling like I was going to melt into a puddle of sweat.  It was not a fun experience, to say the least.  But, despite the fact that I know I'll be sore tomorrow from walking around Manhattan in the sweltering heat, I have to admit that it was nice to still have some summer weather before fall begins at the end of the month. As much as I don't like the heat, the sunshine is something I always enjoy.

But enough about that.  After all, you guys aren't here to read my musings about the city's weather!

As I mentioned in my last post, I made a return to modeling today.  I have to admit, it feels a bit strange to be writing about it.  My last modeling job was in April, after all.  I know that's technically not that long of a time in the grand scheme of things.  But at soon as I pressed my new Fall 2018 sticker onto my modeling ID, it seemed like the gravity of the situation hit me all at once.  I was finally returning to a job that I loved after spending month of missing it, and I couldn't have been more excited!

Today's booking was especially interesting.  Since it's the start of the fall semester, the class was structured a bit differently from what I'm used to experiencing.  One of the things the professor tried to stress to his students was the importance of observing the different shadows that light creates on the subject matter you're capturing.  To demonstrate this, he had me stand on the modeling platform under a large lamp, do some quick poses, and pointed out where the light hit me and the effect it had on my body.

I wish I could remember everything he said, because it was absolutely fascinating.  He was almost scientific and mathematical in his explanations.  He pointed out all the different angles the light could make against me, and all the different kinds of shadows that were formed depending on how I stood or where I placed my arms and legs.  I had always known that creating a piece of art was a detailed process, but this took it to another level for me.  I was so intrigued during each explanation.  Honestly, I don't know how all the students can remember this much information and make such beautiful creations in only a few hours.  It's a truly amazing thing when you think about it.

I did mostly standing poses today, each for twenty minutes.  I don't know if it was the thrill of being back on the stand, or the fact that I was in an air conditioned room for the first time of the day, but I felt pretty zen for most of the class.  This doesn't tend to happy when I'm posed in a standing position, so the surprise was very welcome!  I did learn a lesson, however, about standing postures.  If you're holding one for more that ten minutes, it's not the best idea to put most of your weight onto one foot.  I tried a pose like this today and I could not have been more relieved to sit down once my timer beeped.  I think my right leg was almost entirely numb before I started moving again.  I'll have to remember this the next time I think to myself "What?  Standing mostly on one leg for twenty minutes?  Piece of cake!"  (No, Megan.  This is not cake.  There is no cake!  THE CAKE IS A LIE!!!)

My feet and legs are all kinds of tired now.  Even as I write this, I can feel them pulsing with aches and pains.  It's not the best feeling, of course, but I don't think I'd have it any other way.  It felt so good to be modeling again, and to have my return go so smoothly.  Although I'm more exhausted than I've been all day, I also feel very proud of myself and like I accomplished something big today.  I'm so happy to be modeling again, and I'm looking forward to having more bookings in the future.  :)

Right now, though, I think it's time for some well deserved rest.  I have a feeling I'm going to sleep well tonight!

See you soon!!

Coming Back

Hi everyone!

It's been a while, I know.  Over five months have gone by, and I haven't done a new post in quite some time.  I figured I owed you all an explanation.

I know that in the description of this blog, I say that I live in New York City.  While that's not a lie, I need to clarify something.  When I started writing this blog, I had a long term sublet in Astoria that officially ended the first week of April.  My original plan was to find another place to stay and continue modeling and working in the city until summer came.  However, my plans changed towards the end of March.

In addition to art modeling, I also work as an actress.  When I first came to the city at the start of this year, I was aiming to go on as many auditions as I could in hopes of booking my next job.  I also planned on finding work in between auditions in order to earn some money and eventually get my own apartment in the city.  Modeling did provide a source of income for me for the time being, as did substitute teaching, which was great.  These jobs also allowed me to set my own schedule so I was free to go on as many auditions as I could.  Also a great thing.

Unfortunately, my plans didn't turn out exactly like I was expecting them to.  I didn't book any acting jobs, and by the time April rolled around, there weren't many auditions happening.  I was still making money from substitute teaching and modeling, but it wasn't enough to pay for another sublet as well as support myself for an extended amount of time.  So, after much consideration, I decided the best thing to do would be to return to my hometown of Oneonta.  That way, I could stay with my parents for a while and substitute teach locally.  This helped me earn a more steady paycheck and also allowed me to save a good amount of money over the next few months.

After taking this time off, though, I really started to miss working in New York City.  I would commute in and out of the city for the occasional audition, but I was never there long enough to accept modeling bookings.  But little did I know that that was all about to change.

In the past few weeks, I've been sending out my resume and headshot to different musical theatre and opera companies.  So far, I have four auditions lined up for the month of September!  This is most auditions I've had in a while, so I'm pretty excited about this.  Not only that, but autumn tends to be a busy time of year for performers.  Companies start to hire for their winter seasons, which means that more auditions are likely to pop up over the next months.  This means it's important for me to be in New York City for a while, and I think you can guess what that also means!

In two days, I'm moving into a new sublet in Brooklyn.  My sublet lasts from the start of September to the middle of October, but I'm hoping I'll be able to find another place once the person I'm subletting from returns.  In the meantime, when I'm not going on auditions, I'm going to be working.  That's right, folks.  I'm returning to modeling next week!  Yay!!!  :D  Honestly, I've missed modeling so much.  I'm so grateful that I'm coming back to it, and so soon too!  Since I'll be working again, it only makes sense that I should start blogging about it again as well, right?  Of course right!

Fair warning, I don't think I'll be sticking to my typical Wednesday/Saturday posting schedule.  Most likely, the posts are going to be sporadic for the first few weeks I'm back in the city.  But I'm going to work on establishing a more set schedule once I get settled in.  Either way, you can still expect blog entries from me, so please stick around!

As always, I also love getting questions and comments from my readers, so please send those my way!  I'm so excited to be back, and I can't wait to get the ball rolling again.  Just thinking about it makes me happy.  So with that said, I'll close out this post by saying thank you to everyone for your patience and support.  I look forward to hearing from you, and writing more about art modeling in the very near future.

See you soon!

Health and Fitness

Hi everyone!

Another busy week, followed by another relaxing Saturday, I’m happy to report.  It also means that it’s time for another edition of “Model Behavior!”

In my last post, I tried to stress the importance of staying healthy when you’re an art model.  Today, I want to expand upon that subject and share some things I’ve learned about maintaining my health and fitness in this field.  I’ve decided to format this post more like an advice column.  That way, if an aspiring or current art models happen to be reading this, it’ll hopefully help them with their future artistic endeavors.  So, let’s get started!

Here’s a hard truth about my profession; no matter how much or how little you model, you’re going to get tired in a session.  You might not think that holding still could make you feel fatigued, but believe me, it does.  How does one prevent themselves from getting overwhelmingly tired while going from session to session?  Here are some tips:

1. SLEEP.  Get as much sleep as you can the night before a session is crucial.  Your body will thank you, especially when the poses get longer.

2. Caffeine can help, but proceed with caution.  You don’t want to get too jittery, otherwise your poses will be, shall we say, less than pretty.  Personally, I’m a fan of 5 Hour Energy Shots.  Drinking one about an hour befor a session starts can work wonders if you feel like you’re about to crash.

3. Make sure you eat something before you model.  It doesn’t have to be a big meal, but it should be something to sustain you for at least three hours.  You can also bring small snacks to sessions if need be.  Apples, granola bars, nuts, and even small sandwiches are among my favorite choices.

4. Choose poses that are dynamic, but not hard to hold.  Since models often set their own poses, explore what your body is comfortable holding for extended periods of time.  Seated and recumbent poses tend to put less stress on the body that standing and crouching poses do.

5. Take advantage of your breaks.  Even though breaks tend to be five minutes long, you can still find ways to keep yourself alert during these moments.  Stretching, using the bathroom, and walking around the classroom I’m in have all helped me remain focused during my sessions.

Of course, it doesn’t stop there.  Like any job, what you do off the clock impacts what you do when you’re at work.  What I’m about to say next might surprise you, but stick with me.

Sometimes, being a model can feel like being an athlete.  Yes, an athlete.  Granted, I’m not training for a marathon or deadlifting all the time.  But when you have a job where your body is what’s creating the work, you have to be strong and healthy in order to do it well.  I might not hit the gym everyday, but I do try to exercise frequently.  Low impact workouts, such as Pilates or yoga, help a lot.  Anything that helps elongate my body, particularly dancing, is great as well.  I also get a lot of inspiration for my poses by doing these exercises, so that’s definitely a plus!

Eating well is also key.  I won’t get too much into this, but I’m sure you all know what mean when I say you have to eat healthy.  Balanced meals, not insanely large or insanely small portions, and a variety of food is the way to go.  Pay attention to what foods make you feel energized vs. sluggish.  Knowing this will make modeling so much easier and more fun.

Finally, there is one last point I want to make.  In addition to maintaining your physical heath, it’s just as important to maintain your emotional and mental health when you’re an art model.  While this job is wonderful, there can be times where modeling feels more stressful than fun.  And, if you’re anything like me, you know that that stress can have plenty of negative effects.  That’s why it’s important to do lots of self-care whenever you can.  Making time to do something fun every day (especially on days when you’re not modeling) is so beneficial.  Discovering what makes you happy outside of modeling will not only increase your mood, but will make your time at work much more rewarding and enjoyable.  :)

That’s it for today.  As always, please keep your questions coming, share this blog, and keep coming back for more posts!

See you soon!

Who Can Be An Art Model?

Hi everyone!

I know I'm usually the one asking for questions on here, but today, I have a question for you. 

When you hear the word "model," what do you think of?  Chances are you probably picture a tall, slender, and attractive female, ideally someone who could be in a Victoria's Secret ad or on the cover of Sports Illustrated.  Or maybe you think of someone like David Beckham, a chiseled and athletic man with perfect features to match.  The one-in-a-million, insanely attractive people, so to speak.

For a long time, this is what I thought all models had to look like. I'd also be lying if I said this thought didn't make me question whether or not I could even be an art model.  But now that I've done consistent art modeling work, I'm happy to say that my perspective has completely changed.  Which is why the topic for today's post is:

Who can be an art model? 

Admittedly, I don't get asked this question a lot, but I think it's one worth answering.  The short answer is anyone can be an art model.  That's right, folks.  Anyone, regardless of gender, skin color, height, and/or weight, can be an art model.  Don’t believe me?  Let me give you some examples:

DISCLAIMER: The following examples contain paintings with nudity, and are NSFW.

#1: Victorine Meurent

Édouard Manet chose French model Victorine Meurent to be subject of one of his most famous works, “Olympia.”  Meurent was born in 1844, and began art modeling at the age of sixteen.  She eventually went on to become an accomplished artist herself while simultaneously serving as a muse for other works by Manet.  Meurent was known for her red hair and short stature (it was said that she was nicknamed “The Shrimp.) A short, red haired art model?  Sounds familiar... ;)

#2: Gala Diakonova

Muse of Salvador Dalí, model Gala Diakonova captured the Spanish painter’s heart the moment he laid eyes on here.  Despite the fact that she was ten years his senior and married to another man when  they met, Diakonova eventually became Dalí’s wife.  During the forty-eight years they were married, Diakonova was often the subject of Dalí’s works.  She was typically portrayed as a sensual goddess in his works, even through her advancing years.

#3: Helga Testorf

To say that painter Andrew Wyeth was enamoured by Helga Testorf is a gross understatement.  Testorf served as Wyeth's artist muse for fifteen years, during which he painted over two hundred portraits of her now known as "The Helga Pictures."  Wyeth admitted that he was drawn to her strong German features, such as her robust figure and blonde hair, which are frequently captured in his works.

So there you have it.  Three very different art models, all interesting and inspiring in their own ways.  That's truly one of the great things about art modeling; you don’t have to look a specific way in order to do it.  Artists learn to draw people of all shapes and sizes, all of whom bring something unique and exciting to the table (or model stand, rather.)

That being said, it’s important to note that no matter what an art model looks like, there is one thing all art models must have in common:

You have to be healthy in order to be an art model

I've said it before and I'll say it again.  Being an art model is a very physically and mentally demanding job.  No matter what body type you have, you have to be in good health in order to do this job well.  That's not to say that you have to hit the gym whenever you have free time or eat nothing but fruits and vegetables.  (In fact, I think that sometimes does more harm than good in this line of work.)  But you definitely have to take of yourself.

What's the best way to do this?  The answer is different for everyone.  Health can come in a variety of forms, and it's up to model to figure out how best to manage their personal well being.  It's not always easy, to say the least.  But I will say that learning how to take care of yourself in order to improve your work continues to be one of the best parts about my job.  It makes me stronger (in all senses of the word) and happy to be in this line of work.

That's it for today!  If you're interested in reading more about the models I've mentioned in this post, here's a link that'll do just that:

http://flavorwire.com/146357/the-10-most-influential-artists-muses

I'll see you all on Saturday for another entry of "Model Behavoir."  Thanks again for stopping by, and as always...

See you soon!