We’re all familiar with the famous maxim by Confucius, “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.”. I connect with that saying perhaps more than the average person. Regular readers of this blog have heard me affirm my love of art modeling and express an enduring sentiment of gratitude for this profession: how it changed my life for the better seven years ago and pulled me out of a bad place. Those feelings hold true even at the end of a day like today – after a six hour standing contrapposto pose, followed by another three hours of portrait sitting. Right now, at a little before midnight, home and exhausted, with a still-throbbing right hip, an achy heel and calf muscle, ratty hair from the abuse of a too-tight ponytail, and drained of energy, I am still a shining example of Confucius’ wise words. I have a job I love. As I left the Long Island Academy of Fine Art tonight, a student called to me just as I was going out the door, “Claudia, you’re an amazing model! Thanks for your hard work today.”. The class members felt they were lucky to have me. Little do they know how lucky I am to have them 
Bouguereau’s Atelier at the Académie Julian, Paris, by Jefferson David Chalfant, 1891:
Spoken with true beauty. I like your attitude.
Jay, thank you! Working as an artist’s model has improved my attitude generally, about many things.
Claudia
Claudia, I feel the same way about modeling. I only wish I felt the same way about the full-time job that I have to have right now.
Dan,
I hear that. But you can at least feel blessed (as I know you do) to have art modeling in your life as an antidote to the less gratifying work.
Thanks for commenting. Hope you had a wonderful summer!
Claudia
I’m one of those people who goes to open studio sessions at night — and I really appreciate it when a model comes in after a hard day and still finds that extra “something” for the night people. Believe me, everybody at the easels knows the meaning of the term “long day” — and we really appreciate the effort.
Bill,
Thank you for that. Knowing that the artists appreciate our hard work means so much to us models.
Claudia
Claudia
I am glad you are enjoying yourself with your profession and I have great respects for you as I mentioned my daughter Peta is an art model
herself. She is also enjoying herself as well. I read correct me if I am wrong that art modeling saved you in your personal life and professionally. In what ways did it saved you forgive me for asking if I asked you correctly ? and how creative do you get ready when you do
these dramatic poses and do you get ready for concepts in mind?
Derek
Hi derek,
Sorry for the late reply to your comment. Yes, it’s true that full time art modeling came into my life at a time when I was in a rough spot both emotionally and mentally. It would be too long to explain in detail here in the comments, but a very brief summary is this: two traumatic events occurred within a year and half of each other – I went through a divorce, and then my father died suddenly. I did seek counseling to cope with these upheavals, but I still needed something more to lift me out of what was becoming a severe depression. In addition, I was having a very unpleasant, stressful work experience at my teaching job. I quit that school and began art modeling not long after. Like a miracle, it gave me a feeling of freedom, confidence, and joy that I desperately needed. And now here I am.
Thanks for your comments, and your questions
Claudia