BBC Magazine: Stock Still and Stark naked

Models need to be fit to keep still for so long By Jo-Anne Rowney  BBC News Magazine Television viewers are getting a taste of how artists go about drawing life models with a series of classes on Channel 4. But what is it like to pose naked for art? It's cold, all eyes are on you, and you're naked. It sounds like a recurring nightmare, but this was an everyday occurrence for life model Sarah Snee.  The artists don't view you sexually - they see the body as a series of lines and shadows, a piece of art  Sarah Snee Life model From Leonardo da Vinci to Lucian Freud, artists have always taken their inspiration from the human body by turning to life drawing to understand the naked form. While the painter may get all the attention, on the other side of the canvas is the lesser-known life model. Sarah started modelling when studying at Slade School of Fine Art, University College London. As a student strapped for cash the allure of making money modelling for art was too much to resist. But there was another motivation - self exploration. "I was intrigued by the idea of being naked in front of strangers," says Sarah. "Especially at the age of 20 when you're still getting to know your own body and developing your own sexuality. It was a very romantic idea, a bohemian idea." Artist's gaze Sarah can recall the first time she modelled, as she met the eyes of the students posed to draw her, she felt self-conscious. Her mind raced with questions. "My first time was daunting. I was wondering what people thought of my body. Was I attractive enough? Did my bum look big? The things most people would be concerned with. The art world is littered with famous nudes "I had just got back from holiday and I felt like I'd put on lots of weight. I thought I can't do this, what had I been thinking? But then I realised what I felt was only natural. From then I relaxed and it was easier." Despite being under the intense scrutiny of a room full of pupils, male and female, Sarah found she quickly became used to being under the artist's gaze. "It made me feel more confident about my body. I felt liberated. I feel more self-conscious wearing a bikini on holiday with friends than I did when I was naked in front of strangers. "For me it was a means to channel that exhibitionism. I quite liked getting naked in front of strangers. I find it quite exhilarating, you're the centre of attention and you're enabling people to be creative." When Sarah decided to become a life model people were intrigued. "I think some guys liked it. It was a good line to use as a student meeting people in bars. It got people interested and I definitely got a few boyfriends from it." HISTORY OF LIFE DRAWING 1st Century AD: Roman philosopher Pliny tells of Zeuxis viewing women naked and selecting five to combine to paint an ideal image 1487: Leonardo da Vinci's Vitruvian Man, depicts naked male form as proportionate 1580s: Carraci's art school in Bologna focuses on life drawing 1700s: Students in Jacques-Louis David's studio must master drawing Some artists see drawing from observation as the pinnacle of the practice, allowing a chance to capture the essence of the form, recreating it in a way that copying a photograph just cannot compare to. According to artist Alan Kane, life drawing has become less fashionable. Kane, the man behind the Channel 4 series, Life Class: Today's Nude, says life modelling should be viewed as "educational and non-sexualised nudity". However, life modelling has gained some dodgy associations, Sarah explains. "People say to me isn't life modelling really weird? Isn't it a bit sexual? Of course there are men who have this idea they're all going to draw these naked women and it's going to be thrilling. "But the artists don't view you sexually. They see the body as a series of lines and shadows, a piece of art." Depicting anatomy has been a valued skill for centuries Perhaps a more pressing issue for the typical life model is the cold. "There's a heater normally, but the worst place was the freezing Canvas Gallery in Islington [in north London]," says Sarah. "They had a gas burner and it blew towards you, it was a little scary. I was paranoid about it blowing up." As if catching a chill wasn't enough, posing can also be physically challenging. You have to be very fit to remain motionless. "I think I've got thread veins [small blood vessels near the surface of the skin] prematurely from modelling because you are cutting off the blood supply over long lengths of time. "I used to get extreme pain, some poses were just agonising. Imagine sitting down and resting on your hand, twisting slightly to the right. There's pain in your wrist, pain in your buttocks and the lower back from the pressure." There are always bad experiences, but life as a model can also be rewarding. One artist sold paintings of Sarah in a Paris show. A painting was bought by a top buyer, and is currently displayed alongside a Vermeer in the French capital. With her image holding pride of place in Paris, Sarah feels part of her will live on beyond her years. "It's nice to think there's a little bit of me that will survive out there somewhere. It's lovely to think my image is out there bringing people happiness."

Read more »

Posted in: 2009,bbc,bbc magazine,portfolio

BBC Magazine: Graveyard etiquette

Claims that tourists have been picnicking on a war grave in Scotland have prompted a hostile reaction from some. But what are the rules for behaviour at a burial ground?

How should you act where there are dead bodies under foot?

When it comes to visiting burial grounds, many people are unsure exactly what is suitable behaviour. While some attend to pay their respects or remember lost loved ones, many visit cemeteries and churchyards for less profound reasons - a leisurely walk, to take in the view or just out of curiosity.

There are codes of conduct - it's just not always clear what these are.

When, last month, a church in Wimbledon, south London, invited motorists to park in its grounds, pictures of cars tightly packed next to headstones prompted outrage in the press. This week, visitors to Culloden Battlefield, near Inverness, were criticised for picnicking where soldiers had died in the 18th Century.

I fear before long the cemeteries will become some sort of theme park for children's war games  Letter of complaint to CWGC Anger at 'war graves picnickers' Wimbledon fans park in graveyard

Burial ground etiquette is governed by a combination of convention, common sense and the law - both local and national.

The 1977 Local Authority Cemeteries' Order, which applies to England, Scotland and Wales, sets down some basic laws of conduct. Creating a disturbance in a churchyard, committing a nuisance, wilfully interfering with burials or graves, or playing games or sports, are all finable offences.

But the public are rarely aware of the order and, to complicate matters further, other rules are set out in by-laws - local laws that vary from place to place.

Even so, there has always been an underlying understanding - whether you're a mourning relative or just a visitor, says Peter Francis, spokesperson for the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC).

Unruly children

"The correct behaviour almost dictates itself - most of it is common sense. Visitors are expected to be responsible, dignified and have a respectful manner," says Mr Francis.

St Mary's had offered the parking service for many years

The CWGC cares for hundreds of thousands of graves and encourages the act of remembrance. Mr Francis lumps playing football and having a picnic together as "inappropriate" behaviour when at a CWGC site. Whether "everyone knows" these rules, as he claims, could be up for debate.

Certainly, not everyone adheres to the unspoken guidelines. And the CWGC's current efforts to host school visits has not pleased everyone.

One recent letter to the commission complained: "[The children] ran about shouting and chasing each other around the graves and climbed all over the monument… I fear before long the cemeteries will become some sort of theme park for children's war games."

While games and dining are out - touching headstones and plaques is acceptable, says Mr Francis.

"[They] were made to be read and looked at - to commemorate lives. It is just a case of knowing when to draw the line."

But Lee Snashfold, director of Kensal Green Cemetery, in London, says the line between what is inappropriate or not changes with society's shifting values.

'Outrageous behaviour'

"There are three types of rules. Firstly the by-laws, secondly the cemetery regulations at each site," explains Mr Snashfold. "Then there are the rules of etiquette - common sense - that's anything that is an inconvenience to the people using the services."

A family was spotted leaning on a memorial eating scotch eggs

He cites the example of how changes to shop opening hours have had a knock-on effect on how people remember the deceased. Shops used to close mid-week, and families would take the time to visit dead relatives, says Mr Snashfold.

"I suppose there's been a shift away from the tradition, but the underlying expectations and respect is there. It may have eroded over the years, but it will always be there."

Sometimes, though, decorum has clearly been forgotten.

"I've seen some outrageous behaviour," says Mr Snashfold. "There was once a photographer and model who were taking photos without permission. He was clicking away as a service was going on."

Even those who might be expected to know the customs inside out, can find they have misjudged society's views. When, in June, St Mary's church in Wimbledon Village charged tennis fans £20 a day to park in its burial ground, it justified the decision by saying the graves were 200 years old or more. No living relatives would be offended, it said. It also gave the money to charities.

But faced with public distaste, the church called a swift halt to the scheme.

No matter how much time has elapsed it should not affect conduct, says Canon Tim Barker.

"Churchyards are still special places - consecrated ground - whether a grave is a year old or from the 1840s, whether there are living relatives or not."

Some churchyards do fall into a state of disrepair; in Horncastle, Lincolnshire, a town church has become an antiques centre. The surrounding graveyard is now used as a public area, so the accepted conduct is more lenient.

"If a churchyard is closed for burials it may affect the public's view," says Canon Barker. "But most people know it is still somewhere to be respected and naturally adapt their behaviour."

This article appeared on the BBC Magazine website on 18 July 2009.

Read more »

Posted in: bbc,graveyard,portfolio

Circus tutor teaches gangs in Colombia how to juggle

AN ACTOR who was a West End puppeteer has brought back the lessons he learnt from teaching circus skills in Colombia to London estates.

Greg Bartlett, 23, now a workshop leader with Albert and Friends in Hammersmith, began teaching at 16 and has worked a puppeteer in War Horse.

The performer said: “I love acting and teaching equally. War Horse was a great opportunity, and I loved it, but working with kids is amazing. But being there with the kids in Cali, Colombia was far more rewarding than any amount of great reviews or applause we got on stage.”

Greg decided after starring in the West End show to take the performing skills he learnt as a child to one of the roughest areas of Colombia, known for its gun crime and violence.

He said: “I love working with kids so I got in contact with the group who work out there with the kids and somehow persuaded them to let me join them.

“I had to raise £2000 to get out there and I managed to raise £3000 so I donated the extra money to charity and bought unicycles for the charity in Colombia.”

The young teacher ran lessons in el Distrito de Aguablanca, in Cali, Colombia one of the roughest areas. Nearly all of the children Greg taught had lost a family member to the violence.

He said: “One of my friends when I was out there got shot. It was a shocking reality that this was the life these kids would lead. A lot of the boys would carry knifes and gun crime was extremely high there.

“The problem was these gangs seemed like the only option. Education was very poor out there. They saw that it was easy to get money through gangs.

Greg joined what is seen as the world’s only professional circus school for street children allowing some to go on and earn a living, pay for a four year schooling programme and for them to move their whole family.

He said: “These kids had no love or support. The circus was the alternative to all that.  Some of the kids had not even spoken to each other as they were from different gangs. They were hostile as they came from different areas, but then at the lessons they suddenly were like a family as they came together.”

Greg worked with the Circo para Todos in the Agua Blanca slums providing English lessons, and circus skills workshops.

He said: “I ran workshops in some of the most vulnerable areas where the kids cannot afford to go to school, they run around in the streets carrying knives for protection because they feel like there is no other way.

“A lot of them were positive about learning new skills, they respected me because I could do something cool.”

The enthusiastic workshop leader says that the classes had a grander aim of instilling in the children self-confidence and the belief they could work their way of out slum life.

He said: “The classes gave them wider skills like time keeping and build their self-esteem. It was an outlet for creativity. They learnt that they didn’t have to be the big man in front of the other kids they could just be children.”

While out there Greg also worked with the Sio Way Orchestra, a group who teach children how to play an instrument.

Greg said: “It was amazing. They’d given them instruments to keep them off the streets. I’d never heard someone playing a violin that had just picked it up and learnt it from scratch like that. It was raw.”

Returning from Cali he joined Albert and Friends as workshop leader bringing his experiences from Colombia to London Estates and behavioural centres. Greg works on Wood Lane estate every Friday teaching children how to juggle, walk on stilts and general circus skills.

He said: “I suppose we face similar problems here with crime, knives and guns, but we have more options, it’s easier to find a way out.

“Children on the estates get involved but I’d say the kids in Cali had a respect for their teacher and a thirst for learning that maybe I don’t see as much of here. Kids wherever you are in the world don’t believe in themselves, I try and inspire them.”

Despite having just come home Greg says he misses the Cali children already and is grateful to them for teaching him so much.

He said: “They taught me more than I could ever teach them. They taught me not to be scared. A lot of the time you can be scared.

“There is no need. As long as you keep alert and alive there is nothing you cannot do. They made me see how important it is to inspire the young.”

Read more »

Posted in: albert and friends,circus,colombia,hammersmith,london,portfolio,war horse

QPR fan bikes around the world

A QPR fan is on an around the world bike ride and hopes to finish in April 2012 in time to attend a Chelsea game he has tickets for.

Matthew Blake, 25, began his journey three and a half years ago after finishing studying at Kingston University where he had cycled to training sessions for a local football team.

The avid cyclist said: “I started football for a team in Alperton Lane, Middlesex It turned out to be quicker and cheaper to ride than take the train so I started riding up each week.

“I started riding everywhere around London including to Rangers games and from there began to read about other people who had done big bike trips. The idea that I wanted to do this was quickly formed in my head, I finished uni, worked a year in two jobs to save up money and left.”

Not wanting to become locked into a job Matthew began his bike journey around the world.

 He said: “Once you're on the career path it's not so easy to get off  and so I figured I wanted to enjoy myself and see the world first. The main reason I am doing this trip is because it makes me happy.”

Now Matthew is on the final leg and is currently in Khartoum, Sudan having just left South Sudan. He expects to be home in five months after he’s travelled to Cairo, Israel, Cyprus and Turkey before experiencing a European winter. 

He said: “I should be home early or mid-April next year. I've got a corporate ticket for the Chelsea game on April 28 so need to make it back for that!”

Matthew has been a QPR fan since he was born, and had his first season ticket from 1995-96, when QPR went down a league.

He said: “Us being actually good at the moment also makes it harder for me to be away, I preferred it when we were rubbish.

“I've also met QPR fans in Bulgaria, a man who follows the club as he taught QPR player Alan Macdonald's daughter to ski, Cambodia, San Francisco and Argentina!”

Matthew isn’t just cycling for fun, the money raised through sponsorship will go to SOS Children’s Charity, a place he visited on his ride through Zambia.

He said: “I'm raising money to help build a new SOS Children’s Village in Chipata, Zambia. I know people who've worked with them at home and they're just such a brilliant organisation and have turned around the lives of so many kids all over the world that it's a great thing to be a part of.

“It's not just building an orphanage, it's an entire village where kids will be with a family, each child will have a Mum who'll look after them until they turn 18. They have a house, brothers and sisters and also access to medical care and a school.

“Taking kids with nothing and giving them a family, a home and an education is something that's easy to want to support!

Despite having only completed just three months training before taking off Matthew feels he’s never felt fitter, even when playing football.

He said: “I'm also a fairly energetic person so being on the bike is a great way to keep active - you gain a ridiculous level of fitness, and also with your body craving energy all the time you can eat as much food as you like without ever gaining wait - and I love  food!

Since beginning his journey the intrepid traveller feels that there really is no better way to see the world than on a bike.

He said: “I've travelled before on trains and you basically go from city centre to city centre, whilst if you're in a car you still have the windows and the car door blocking you from the outside world and its people. In comparison on the bike you see the entire country you're visiting and meet so many people you'd never have spoken to otherwise - it really is the best way to travel.”

Riding alone for so long you would think Matthew would get lonely, but he reckons the isolation makes him more social.

He said: ““Being on your own it forces you to go out and speak to people and get into social situations you never normally would otherwise.

“I've ridden with a few people for different lengths of time over the last three and a half years and it's only been the last few months that loneliness has started to creep in.

“When you're five months from home it's easy to remind yourself that you can just get your head down and that after three and a half years then five months really isn't a long time.”

As for boredom Matthew has plenty of ways to keep himself occupied.

He said: “I still enjoy the cycling even now so I never get bored with that but for when not on the bike then I have books, sometimes an mp3 player. I've broken 4 on this trip and am currently without one!”

Matthew says the most special places he has been to are Kyrgyzstan, Korea, Columbia and Lesotho, especially up mountains as he loves being at altitude, but the best part of his trip has been the food.

He said: “One the best thing about this trip has been trying all the different foods around the world.

“We have all the restaurants at home but it's never the same as actually being there for it. Lechona in Columbia, Manty in Kazakhstan, Thai curry, Mexican tacos. I could go on about food all day!”

The past few weeks have been tough with problems with Visas, being arrested and rain washing away the roads forcing Matthew to take a boat along the River Nile.

“My water filter broke I was having to drink water straight from the Nile with predictable consequences.

“I was also arrested and detained for 16 hours at the border as they were suspicious as to why a westerner would be on a cargo boat in South Sudan, but I was released without charge so while a waste of time, was no big deal.

Despite his adventures and mishaps Matthew would recommend cycling to anyone who wants a new experience.

“You don't have to go around the world but even just a short trip on a bicycle will show you a way of travel which is so different to anything else you'll have experienced before.

“As for visiting all these far off countries I think it's important to see how other people live and realise there's a way of life that's different to your own at home.”

“You get to see the world, meet amazing people, see things you could never imagine, lead a ridiculously healthy life and don’t have to have a proper job!”

Read more »

Posted in: bike,charity,football,hammersmith and fulham chronicle,portfolio,QPR,sport

Songs of Praise for Choral group

A CHORAL group was invited by the BBC to join the Songs of Praise choir alongside Katherine Jenkins and Andrera Bocelli to celebrate the show’s 50^th birthday.

Ten Fulham and Hammersmith Choral Society members had appeared on the Sunday religious show before so applied to become part of the Songs of Praise harmony choir.

The group were then invited by the BBC to perform with the harmony choir and Orchestra at the show’s 50th Birthday celebrations held at Alexandra Palace’s Great Hall.

Chris Harman, chairman of the Fulham and Hammersmith Choral Society, said: “We knew it would be big but we weren’t prepared for the scene of over 6,000 audience seats when we arrived for the afternoon rehearsal.

“When we returned after a break, those seats were filled with an enthusiastic audience who were obviously keen devotees of Songs of Praise. 

“Although the celebrity guests, including Andrea Bocelli and Katherine Jenkins, were an attraction what impressed us most was singing among thousands of other people and being caught up in the emotion of the event.

Songs of Praise is the longest running programme of its type in the world and the anniversary show was the 2,248th edition of the programme.

Almost 7000 people gathered in Alexandra Palace singing some of the most popular hymns featured over the years – including Guide Me O Thou Great Redeemer, Angel-Voices Ever Singing and Jerusalem.

Mr Harman said: “As well as the religious aspect it’s clear that singing together is an uplifting experience and it’s what we find as members of a choral society.  Of all musical performance singing is the one that anyone can join in. 

“We enjoyed singing at the event and felt we made a real contribution to a successful concert.  We also enjoyed seeing ourselves in the programme broadcast the following Sunday.

The Fulham and Hammersmith Choral Society, who are celebrating their 60^th birthday this year, take part in many singing events across the community as well as abroad.

Read more »

Posted in: hammersmith and fulham chronicle,music,portfolio