crown of violets

I started modeling for some sketching classes a few weeks ago, after a friend suggested it as a way to make some extra money. My first job was at the cre8ery for a Monday night class. The cre8ery is a beautiful gallery in the Exchange District. I arrived a bit early so I took a walk around the main gallery. There was a showing by a local artist named Ashley Perrier, who graduated from the University of Manitoba. Her work was lovely, full of light colours and soft lines with surreal and poetic imagery. I actually wanted to attend her opening the week before, but didn’t make it, so it was a treat to get to walk around the show with her.

The class was small and friendly and we started with some short thirty-second poses, then a minute and half, five minutes, ten minutes, and then twenty minutes. It was a great class to start with because the shorter poses taught me pretty quickly what kind of positions I could hold for longer time. There artists were also very helpful with pose ideas and very encouraging.

It’s interesting to get to walk around during the breaks and talk to different people about the pictures they’re drawing. Some bring different mediums to work with, some focus on different angles, or parts of the body. Every piece is unique. The atmosphere was comfortable and I’ve lucky to work with such a nice group of artists.

The second class I modeled for was one long pose for about three hours. Every twenty minutes we took a break, but I found it a bit easier to do forty minute sets. Pillows became my best friend! They supported my back and during the break we taped some markers on the ground so I could take the same pose. The showing that day was a juried member show from the Manitoba Craft’s Council.

I wasn’t too nervous my first time, partly due to advice from a local Facebook Group. I came prepared with water, a robe, slippers, and an apple to snack on. I also used the internet to look up pose ideas. Once I got there, I used my surroundings for inspiration. A wall made good support and a spot on the floor helped me to remember how my head was tilted.

The artists told me that yoga practitioners and dancers often made good models because they had better understanding of space and how the body flows. But everyone was different and they liked having a variety of models. I try to think about light and my muscles when I’m posing. Shorter poses give me a chance to experiment and try some positions that flex my muscles. I can save more comfortable positions for longer poses. I’m hoping that with practice I’ll build up stamina to hold some neater poses for longer. No wonder people who do yoga make good models! ♥

Kiki in the sun

Fridays are a special day of the week for anyone who feels affinity with Venus and her many incarnations. As my celebration of the day, Fridays are the day of the week that I pay special attention to her grace in my life and let her know I’m grateful.

Mornings always start out with a cup of tea and a delicious fruit smoothie, currently being made from fresh strawberries and honey. After my breakfast, I feed the cats, inspect the turtle pond, and visit with the dove.

Kiki is a ring neck hyena turtle dove. The roommate hasn’t found a mate for him yet, so he’s the only bird we have and the only animal without a kin. The doves she’s brought have been turtle doves, who don’t have rings and he didn’t take to them at all. We think he may take after his father and prefers a female with a ring around her neck. Until we find one, I guess he’ll have to do with us as company. Often, doves without a mate will claim their human companions and Kiki’s been known to get his feathers a little ruffled when the roommate has a special friend over.

I make sure he has food and water and open the cage, hoping to coax him out to explore the living room a bit. Sometimes he’ll sit on my lap and explore the turtle pond, face off with Pandora the cat, or sit gently cooing as I stroke his feathers. He makes a strange laughing sound when he sees me in the morning and bows. I repeat the motion with my hand, trying to imitate his song. He pushes his head up under my fingers and I’m charmed as always by how gentle he is. He coos and preens my fingers like feathers, his own soft grey feathers trembling. I gather from his cage any loose feathers, putting them away safely, and blow him kisses as I go to start my day.

Fridays are days for leisure and pleasure, and there are few things that I take as much pleasure in as reading. I often find myself in the library, wandering down the aisles looking for a new book to read. It’s a game of sorts, seeing what titles stand out to me as I stroll aimlessly through the bookcases. Yesterday, I found a book that gave personal associations and symbols based on your day of birth. My birthday, July 21, was the day of daring. I laughed out loud at the description of an individual who enjoys a dynamic life, takes chances, and has a gift of being understanding and compassionate. A copy of “The Princess Bride” also jumped out at me from the shelves. I’ve loved the movie for years and never found the time to read the book before. Armed with my treat for the weekend, I made a trip across town to my lunch destination and spent the early part of the afternoon dancing. I knew I was having a great day when my current favourite song was playing the moment I turned on the radio to my preferred station and repeated when I turned to my second favourite.

After some good, centering exercise and lunch I made my way to a potential venue for the Dr. Sketchy’s branch I’m trying to start in Winnipeg. I was given the tip by a friend who is pretty much my favourite person in the world right now. The location and space was perfect, a theater over top of a store that features vintage clothing, costume rentals, local designers, imports and rare books. The owner was very interested, has been a performer and artist’s model, and we picked two potential dates. There was a girl working there who gave me a great tip about where to get extra art supplies. While I was there, she started talking about the potential ghosts in her new apartment and, of course, the lights went out! We got into a discussion about the resident spirits. The theater and library has been known to have otherwordly visitors and I wonder if it’s too much to hope that they might make an appearance while class is in session… ♥ I’m both fascinated by and nervous around ghosts. I think I like the touch of mystery and the shiver of fear they send down my spine. When I was child, I had a strange habit of waking up every night at the same time, called from deep dreams to a room that was heavy and buzzing with invisible presence. It was as if the air had become electric with energy. It was overwhelming and it took years for me to be able to sit with that feeling without pulling away. I later learned while studying folklore that the time frame I was waking up in is known as the witching hour, the point during the night when the veil is thinnest. Since then, I’ve always wondered what would happen if I actively sought out to learn about them and those strange feelings I get. Would I be lucky enough to see one…? Would I stand bravely or be shook to my core? Maybe one day we’ll know for sure. ♥

Mondragon

Delighted with the results of my visit, I made my way to Mondragon to stalk my friend S and spent the late afternoon to evening in a wingback chair, enjoying a great book and great conversations with friends. Mondragon is quickly becoming my favourite place to loiter. They have delicious vegan food, a wonderfully warm and welcoming staff, and great events. I gave S a charm I’d been carrying for her for a while and made plans to go to a reading circle/discussion group centered around the Mayan Calendar. I left feeling energized, excited, and incredibly grateful for the wonderful people in my life.

As I walked home, I made a point to look up at the stars and thank Venus for a simple and beautiful day. *blows a kiss*