Today, I picked up some very special artworks.
About 9 weeks ago, when I was still pregnant, I made the (bold) decision to pose for a life drawing class. It was something I wanted to do when I was pregnant with Hugo but had been too shy to organise. This time, spurred on by the possibility that this might be my last pregnancy, I decided to live free of regrets and contacted my friend Ann of The Drawing Room.
I used to go to "The Drawing Room" before having Hugo. The classes Ann runs are relaxed, non-competitive and supportive. I enjoyed going there as a drawer and knew the experience as a model would be empowering rather than embarrassing.
It was also a way to record this pregnancy in an artistic way. With Hugo, I had made a series of photobooth strips, composed to portray my growing belly over the course of the pregnancy. They made a nice series together but I didn't feel like doing the same thing twice.
If anything, posing nude would be one for the bucket list.
Organised a weeks beforehand, the evening came and went without any problems. Although I felt nervous on my way, once on stage, any stress disappeared and I just went with it, trying to seek inspiration for poses from the models I had drawn myself.
Being pregnant gave me the level of confidence I needed to feel at ease. My round belly acted as a shield or a mask between me and the viewer. I didn't feel embarrassed because I didn't feel exposed. Pregnancy is beautiful no matter the body shape. And many of the drawers had now grown-up children so if anything, the mood was nostalgic. The artists were transported to an earlier time in their lives, when they too were welcoming children into the world.
One of the artists there, Stella, has a very distinctive style. She draws stylised figures rendered with simple black and white linework. The drawings are nearly abstract in their simplicity and generous curves. To me, they struck a perfect balance between realism and abstraction. I would find more realistic drawings awkward to show or hang in full view but they still take me right back to the exact moment or pose which provided the inspiration.
I approached Stella to discuss keeping or copying a few of her drawings. We agreed to meet again, giving her time to finish them off and turn one into a lino print.
Fast forward a few weeks and we met this morning in a cafe nearby where I was able to rediscover them. They brought back all the memories of the night and the feeling, not so distant but a lifetime away, of carrying Eloise, before I knew who she was.
In exchange for the drawings and as a token of my gratitude, I gave Stella a woollen scarf I had just finished knitting. I felt it was important to give her something that came from me. Her drawings mean more to me than what money can buy, and as she so beautifully captured a moment in my life, I wanted to leave her with a reminder of how treasured they will be.
I hope that one day, Eloise loves them as much as I do. I hope that when she sees them, they inspire her to be bold.
About 9 weeks ago, when I was still pregnant, I made the (bold) decision to pose for a life drawing class. It was something I wanted to do when I was pregnant with Hugo but had been too shy to organise. This time, spurred on by the possibility that this might be my last pregnancy, I decided to live free of regrets and contacted my friend Ann of The Drawing Room.
I used to go to "The Drawing Room" before having Hugo. The classes Ann runs are relaxed, non-competitive and supportive. I enjoyed going there as a drawer and knew the experience as a model would be empowering rather than embarrassing.
It was also a way to record this pregnancy in an artistic way. With Hugo, I had made a series of photobooth strips, composed to portray my growing belly over the course of the pregnancy. They made a nice series together but I didn't feel like doing the same thing twice.
If anything, posing nude would be one for the bucket list.
Organised a weeks beforehand, the evening came and went without any problems. Although I felt nervous on my way, once on stage, any stress disappeared and I just went with it, trying to seek inspiration for poses from the models I had drawn myself.
Being pregnant gave me the level of confidence I needed to feel at ease. My round belly acted as a shield or a mask between me and the viewer. I didn't feel embarrassed because I didn't feel exposed. Pregnancy is beautiful no matter the body shape. And many of the drawers had now grown-up children so if anything, the mood was nostalgic. The artists were transported to an earlier time in their lives, when they too were welcoming children into the world.
One of the artists there, Stella, has a very distinctive style. She draws stylised figures rendered with simple black and white linework. The drawings are nearly abstract in their simplicity and generous curves. To me, they struck a perfect balance between realism and abstraction. I would find more realistic drawings awkward to show or hang in full view but they still take me right back to the exact moment or pose which provided the inspiration.
I approached Stella to discuss keeping or copying a few of her drawings. We agreed to meet again, giving her time to finish them off and turn one into a lino print.
Fast forward a few weeks and we met this morning in a cafe nearby where I was able to rediscover them. They brought back all the memories of the night and the feeling, not so distant but a lifetime away, of carrying Eloise, before I knew who she was.
In exchange for the drawings and as a token of my gratitude, I gave Stella a woollen scarf I had just finished knitting. I felt it was important to give her something that came from me. Her drawings mean more to me than what money can buy, and as she so beautifully captured a moment in my life, I wanted to leave her with a reminder of how treasured they will be.
I hope that one day, Eloise loves them as much as I do. I hope that when she sees them, they inspire her to be bold.
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| "Eloise" |
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