Model Student

I had a rather interesting experience last night. Some friends were having a game night a long way from my place, and some other friends were planning on going downtown to the Art Walk. For a night every month, downtown is heavily populated by the city's coolest and hippest (or so they appear to my eyes). As downtown is considerably easier to get to, I opted for the latter plan. It proved to be a pretty good time altogether.

The main thing that stood out came midway through the evening. One artist, ensconced in an industrial space with about nothing in it, was doing "live art". That is to say that he was doing chalk (or perhaps charcoal) drawings before an audience. We watched for a while as he rendered a rather pretty blonde woman into a somewhat haunted-looking likeness on the paper. It was rather interesting to watch it play out.

The artist spoke a bit after that about what he had going on, and also suggested that people go to see a friend's exhibit elsewhere in the area. He then asked if I would sit for a similar treatment. I was a bit thrown, even though I had entertained the idea that he could ask it of me. Or course I agreed, reticent though I was about the prospect of sitting still for as long as my predecessor had. It proved to be a mild challenge.

I sat down and he positioned me. I did my best to hold the position, faltering at one point so that he had to reset me (and direct me not to smile). It was more tiring than I would have guessed to sit and maintain my gaze where he had asked. The reward came soon enough, as I finally was at liberty to see what was done. It was an awfully good likeness, or at least would be in a very dire moment for me. It was an awfully neat experience.