In the midst of the latest term of life drawing sessions at Griffith Regional Art Gallery, The Area News spoke with one of the models who has posed in many sessions over the years about baring it all in the name of art..
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Life drawing sees participants unleash their creativity and appreciation for the human body by learning different techniques for translating the human body onto canvas.
Models typically pose in the nude for an extended period of time, moving between a variety of poses to ensure painters are able to capture the dynamism and shapes of the body as it exists in real time.
With a PhD in social research and an interest in social norms, Hannah (*name changed for privacy reasons) knows more about the psyche and why people do the things they do more than most.
Her first time as a life model was here in Griffith more than 20 years ago and she hasn't looked back since.
"I'm not artistic myself, I'm more of an analytical person that appreciates art"
"But when the opportunity presented itself I just thought this would be an interesting thing to do."
"Modelling has enabled me to become part of the process and I wanted to see how I would cope doing something I knew would be rather confronting."
According to Hannah, she has dealt with her own insecurities and anxieties around her body like many others, however she says that modelling has emboldened her with new found confidence unlike anything she has ever experienced before.
"You have to have a certain confidence in your own body because you need to feel comfortable sharing yourself with someone" Hannah said.
"I dislike my body the same way that other people dislike their bodies but at the end of the day it is just a body and I am not ashamed of it.
You just can't care about what other people think of how you look."
Even after many years as a model, Hannah said that she still gets nervous upon first disrobing but very quickly the discomfort disappears as she starts to move into a variety of poses for participants to paint and draw.
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Models like Hannah are expected to hold these poses anywhere as short as one or two minutes or as long as 20 minutes.
"I have a repertoire of comfortable poses that I can hold and after a while you become familiar with the types of poses you are comfortable in and for how long you can hold them for" Hannah said.
Hannah also believes that just because she is disrobing to model, that her character shouldn't be questioned.
"The social disproval about volunteering to pose for life modelling sessions is so unnecessary" Hannah said.
"I seek new experiences and I like to get myself out of my comfort zone which everyone should challenge themselves to do across their life.
Life drawing sessions are such a relaxing and meditative environment and I would strongly encourage members of the community to challenge themselves and participant as a painter or as a model."
More information about the Life Drawing Sessions that are occurring currently is available on the Griffith Regional Art Gallery website.
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