A Private Affair
Did you hear that? It was the sound of crickets chirping. Things are silent, barren, dormant. I have officially entered the art model’s work “wasteland” that is August. With the exception of Spring Studios, all my places of employment have shut down for a long summer siesta. National Academy is closed, School of Visual Arts is closed, Studio School is closed, FIT is closed. I can see the cobwebs forming and the dust accumulating with my own eyes. Well, not really, but you get the idea.
So what does an art model do for work - and money - during this idle standstill? Private art modeling, that’s what. Of course, models do private work all year round, but summer is the ideal time. Why would an artist spend the extra dough to hire a model privately? Plenty of reasons. You can have the model you want, the pose you want, the setup you want, the angle you want, the lighting you want, even the hours and days you want. Everything tailored to your preferences. Everything designed to serve your individual artistic vision. Not that there’s anything wrong with a class session, but for many artists it has its restrictions. Say it’s a two-week painting class and you don’t care for the model. You’re stuck with it. Say you don’t like the instructor-dictated pose. You’re stuck with it. Say you want to work for four hours instead of three? Again, you’re stuck with it. If you want things your way, you have to get your own studio space and hire your muse.
I do private work with artists and this summer I’m working with three. One of them is my good friend Scott Lawson. Scott and I have been working together for over a year now, and the experience has been both productive and enjoyable. I often talk about the model’s role as muse, and it’s during private, one-on-one work that the model wears the muse mantle in the truest, purest sense of the word.
Scott is a traditional figurative artist. He perceives his paintings before they happen and knows exactly what he wants, which is why only private sessions can provide the creative environment he needs. Plus, he wants the model who inspires him 
Scott and I have just begun a new painting, which is already coming alive in a stunning way. But here I will post the piece we completed earlier this year.
By Scott Lawson, this is Claudia, oil on linen, 2008:
Art, Articles, and Models Galore
This is a powerhouse month on the newsstands - in the art section that is. Let’s call it a bonanza, shall we? (I really just wanted to use the word “bonanza”). This afternoon I was wasting time before my FIT job browsing the magazines in the Borders bookstore on 7th Avenue. I got a nasty paper cut leafing through a stupid InTouch Weekly or Us Magazine or Life & Style . . .one of those tabloid rags, can’t remember which one. Serves me right for reading that trash. Bad Claudia! (Is it sooo terrible that I feel even an ounce of genuine concern for the plight of Britney Spears? I’m worried about that girl!).
Anyway, undaunted by my life-threatening injury I pursued more magazines, and headed into the Art section for more quality nourishment. And what a terrific surprise awaited me! I became positively giddy at the sight of familiar artwork by artists I know - friends and instructors I work with - gracing the covers of two major magazines. It was exciting! And I did a little dance in the aisle ::cha cha cha::
My dear friend Sam Goodsell is featured in this month’s “American Artist”, with his prize-winning painting “Threshold” right on the cover. The article is excellent and there are many images of Sam’s work in the pages; all pastels, all done over the years from some of the best models at the Art Students League. I especially like Sam’s painting of Suli, a model I know, and his beautiful depiction of the wonderful Leticia and Esteban in a warm, gentle embrace. They are two talented, charismatic individuals who have inspired many, many artists throughout the New York schools. They are well-regarded, and deservedly so.
Then, I instantly recognized the unmistakable work of Sharon Sprung on the cover of “The Artist’s Magazine”. Again, a fascinating and very informative article with stunning images.
It was especially interesting for me to read because in it Sharon discusses both her approach to working with models (so integral to her art) and how she conducts her classes, for which I have posed several times and am quite familiar with. In fact, I am booked to pose for her National Academy class in just three weeks time, to begin the fourth quarter. I really look forward to it, and I’m already anticipating what they have in store for me. From the gratifying, supportive experience of working with Sharon, to the shared excitement of watching the students’ canvases evolve over the two weeks, it’s a booking I treat as one of the highlights of my modeling schedule. Terrific, first-rate class, always.
Also in the same magazine, is an article on Nicki Orbach, yet another art instructor I’ve had the pleasure of working with many times. I’m currently posing for her Saturday morning painting class. Nicky is truly beloved by her students, and her enthusiasm and positive, cheerful energy is contagious. She encourages experimentation and boundless creativity. Whenever I’m posing for her class and listen to her comments and suggestions, I’m almost inspired to pursue art myself! Nicky awakens that confidence in people.
Both of these magazines are the April 2008 issues, so they should be on the newsstands for a few weeks. I’ve got mine. Check them out, and get inspired. Ciao, friends!
On Newsstands Now!
Yes, folks, I’ve hit the big time. Check out the newest issue (Fall 2007) of American Artist “Drawing” Magazine. Dan Gheno’s article on Long Pose Drawing begins on page 92, and his exquisite graphite drawing of moi appears on page 94. Dan has drawn me probably more than anyone, and this drawing of his is one of my favorites. I’m so honored he chose to put it in his article, which is, as always, informative, insightful, and beautifully written. Pages 96-97 feature drawings by Seurat; the talk of the town these days because of the MoMA exhibit.
Also in this issue, on Page 114, is an article Dan co-authored with Sam Goodsell on the life and drawings of Marvin Franklin, our dear friend from the Art Students League who died tragically last spring. He was a NYC Transit worker who lost his life in a terrible accident on the tracks. It was a shock to us all. I am lucky to have known Marvin, if only for a brief time. Dan and Sam’s article does an excellent job of capturing Marvin, both the man and the dedicated artist he was. His drawings in ballpoint pen should not be missed. My favorite is “Subway Series, Evening Rush Hour” on Page 120. While I was fortunate to have the opportunity to pose for Marvin (and loved every minute of it!) his true muse was the city itself and all its inhabitants. He saw inspiration everywhere.
Pick up this fantastic issue of “Drawing” Magazine and enjoy!
Rodin the Model Man
“I can only work with a model. The sight of human forms nourishes and comforts me.”
- Auguste Rodin
If the above statement doesn’t communicate beautifully the value and essence of my profession then I don’t know what words could. I’m all choked up. Thank you, Auguste!
When I was searching for an image to accompany this quote, I came across this incredible drawing by Rodin. I was going to post a sculpture picture, since Rodin is known predominantly as a sculptor, but this drawing of the Roman goddess Minerva stirred me the instant I laid eyes on it. It also reminded me of a discussion I once overheard while posing for a sculpture class at the Art Students League. The agreed-upon conclusion was that sculptors do superb life drawings. Granted, the discussors were all sculptors themselves. But if this drawing by Rodin is any indication, then their consensus is dead-on accurate.
The Allure of Dora Maar
It’s impossible to fully convey or discuss the complex figure that was Dora Maar, muse to Picasso, in a single post. An accomplished photographer and painter in her own right, Dora carried on a love affair with Picasso for almost a decade. They met at the Cafe Deux Magots in Paris when she was 26 years old. She was intelligent, passionate, and socially-conscious. Her emotionally troubled nature caused Picasso to call her a “woman in tears”. From this striking photo, it’s easy to see why Picasso, or any artist, would be moved by her beauty and powerful, captivating presence. A muse like no other.
