Monday, August 19, 2013
Cancellation
Summer is always a really slow time for modeling, and this summer has seemed especially slow. I've modeled twice since April 21st, and one of those was for a brand new drawing group's first attempt at a session. I was scheduled to model last Tuesday night for a class at my local community arts center, but a few hours before the class was supposed to have started, I got a call saying that it had been cancelled due to a lack of registrations. I was disappointed, both because I didn't get to model and because the lack of interest in drawing the human figure seems to be increasing in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. The same instructor will be trying another figure drawing class at that same arts center on September 24th, and I am, once again, the scheduled model. If the arts center won't promote the class enough to get the minimum number of people to sign up, perhaps I should put a post in the Artists' section on Craig's List or something.
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ReplyDeleteI started as an art model about a year ago and this has been my first experience of the "summer slowdown". Life modeling is one of my favorite things and I got regular work during the year, but I was down to one gig this summer (not counting my two cancellations). I was wondering if I was doing something wrong, so it was a relief to hear that even a life model with your experience and connections also experiences few bookings over the summer.
ReplyDeleteBTW, I also enjoy your posts because I seem to share many of your views. I'm also a life model who is also a devout Christian. And I'm also a libertarian who is pro-life. Tea party nude models do seem to be a minority!
Cancellations are part of the game, especially those open session where there might not be enough artists attending to hold the class.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comments. I sometimes feel alone in some of the art classes I do just because of the preponderance of liberal teachers and students. Of course, given that I am usually the only nude person in these classes, I should be used to that alone feeling...
It is good to hear that there are life models out there who are closer to the right end of the political spectrum. I'm a parttime model in the Columbus area who shares very similar viewpoints to yours. I'm also a Catholic with strong pro-life views. I've had to sit and overhear a good many ill-informed liberal comments and let it go in one ear and out the other during two years as a figure model. But, what are ya gonna do? Start a political debate with someone while sitting up there on the stand totally naked? Not exactly a strong position to argue from--not to mention moat likely torpedoing any future work prospects.
ReplyDeleteI too have experienced the big summer slowdown every year. This year its also different because I agreed to discontinue modeling gigs requiring nudity and so only do portraits or the few figure drawing classes that can allow models to wear bike shorts or something similar. This limitation has significantly reduced the frequency of my gigs, too. However, even with that I've managed to book about 8 thru October already since Sept started. And those were mostly people contacting me to ask if I'm available.
My time spent as a nude figure model--which I admit I will miss--allowed me to build a good contingent of clients who value my posing ability enough to continue trying to use me in spite of my limitations.
Hope your work picks up this Fall as well.
Jake, why did you agree to discontinue modeling gigs requiring nudity?
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