The Principle of Love

Spirited Bodies is always a learning curve for me and our latest event brought the addition of photography to the challenge.

Some models were fine with it, but others highly sensitive, and most somewhere inbetween, only really able to say once they had seen the images. There are considerations of being discovered online and this conflicting with standards in a career of a very different nature. There is vanity; and there may be cultural taboos. Of course images are often without names, but faces (and bodies) may be recognised, and some software links the two.

I have decided that this is my career and whatever I do will work with this. I am naked and named and proud. The point of Spirited Bodies is to share some of the benefits of this with new people, to share the joy of hang-up free nudity.

The project was started by Morimda (https://spiritedbodies.com/2011/03/29/we-are-all-spirited-bodies/) as a community one. It is partly to make more of the community of artists’ models and artists drawing them. It has not been funded as such so far, but has operated on love and trust, enjoyment and sharing. I looked into making money with it last year, and concluded it was not immediately suited to this. I needed to find my way with it more first, as it is a new thing. I would not feel right selling something until I am sure I have it right. I believe the project will let me know when it is ready to make money!

At the heart of the project is nurturing love and friendship, of us the organisers, as well as our growing community of models and artists. We want new people to feel extremely safe with us for a very brand new and exciting experience. If they are worried that we may breach that trust, then we have failed. We cannot be responsible for their fear, we can only take care that everything we deliver is sound and in order.

I am apt to make mistakes being human; and will do all that I can to rectify them. In this case, photography will be dealt with differently in future. Models will be staged a bit, so that no one is in shot who may be upset by it. At the same time models who are able to appreciate a beautiful memento will have the chance, and we will be able to show more people more clearly what the experience is like, visually. Not that that is needed. The artwork speaks for itself, as do the models’ comments. But photographs will reach another audience.

I enjoyed Spirited Bodies 4 immensely, and not least because it brought Lucy and I closer, and then when we met the groups of models in advance, they liked each other very much, and we liked them etc. On all meeting for the event there was a very warm feeling, and there was a large changing area to hang out in. It was all day, for the first time, so the models bonded over lunch. They started quickly to pose together with very little direction from me, creating scenes and tableaux. They enjoyed such a magical unique day and so did we.

I also enjoyed trying out giving a life modelling workshop for the first time. Actually I got all panicky afterwards thinking I had not done so well! But it had been a very busy time just before the event and I was losing sight of things. It transpired the models had gained a great deal from the session, and just them meeting each other, as well as the practical exercises, was an incredible feeling. How they loved meeting each other! Knowing they were not alone! That they were in the very best company. It didn’t matter much what I did at that point; they were in it together and it could not fail. Success! 🙂

‘Little Pieces of Me’ by Sylvie Rouhani

One of Sylvie's 'Little Pieces of Me'

It was my first time joining the Spirited Bodies as a model. I wanted to be there in the morning but as I overslept so I only came for the afternoon session.

I was rather calm and reserved sitting on my own after getting into my dressing gown…I was very much into my own bubble for the last two weeks going through very painful things. Esther was great in encouraging me because she knew I wasn’t in a good place.

When it was time to get in and pose, I first put myself in a corner in a very simple pose sitting down at the bottom of the “stage”. I wasn’t sure what I was meant to do…I just started to change position as I felt it or when I got tired and then I went with flow… It was then a beautiful feeling of freedom…I was trying a lot of different poses to get to know my limits.

'Little Pieces of Me' are Sylvie's self-figure portraits

There was this wonderful warmth coming from the group, everybody seemed to be so happy to be together and we were communicating with each other very easily. There was definitely a strong connection amongst us and we were all moving smoothly, in harmony.

Each one of us was beautiful, in our own ways. It was a celebration of our individual beauty!

My reasons for joining in was to give myself/my body a loving and gentle experience…As a child I was physically, sexually and emotionally abused and I recently had a struggle with treasuring myself and my body.

I wanted to be in the mixed group to experience a gentle closeness to the men around me. They were all beautiful in their own ways and it felt safe to be here together.

It was a liberating and freeing experience for me to be with these wonderful and beautiful people. We created bonds of friendships and I definitely look forward to seeing some of my fellow models and being creative with them.

Sylvie has a blog; http://happylittlebuddha.tumblr.com/

Opening Up To Transformation

We ask participants to tell us why they want to try life modelling, what it means to them. Sometimes we find it arresting and we ask if we may share their thoughts.

“There are 3 main reasons.

Firstly, the aesthetic ambition: I am fascinated by the idea of the gaze. I spend a lot of my time gazing, spectating, and absorbing art – and indeed life. I want to see how it feels to be on a different side of the arrangement: how I will feel, what kind of emotions it will stir in me, and how I will view myself while being viewed by others.

Secondly, the empowerment. The first time I ever felt truly comfortable in – and confident about – my own body was when I was in some communal showers, surrounded by other women, suddenly realising that we are all different sizes and shapes, and that if you are not a magazine beauty, you can still be beautiful. I loved the sisterliness of that; after many years of a painful and difficult relationship with my own body, it was almost dazzlingly liberating.

Thirdly: after a lifetime of being single, and three years of self-imposed celibacy, there is a frivolous side of me which thinks it is a pity, when I work so hard on my body (maintaining my figure through healthy eating, exfoliating my skin, toning my muscles with exercise, etc) that nobody ever gets to see it except me! I suppose I also hope that, if I feel more confident and empowered, I might have more courage to try to accept relationships in the future – rather than just reject all offers, as I have been doing, for the last seven years, thanks to one bad experience in the past.

So – no pressure! 🙂 “

The Brave, the Confident & the Organic Whole

Making this 4th most adventurous Spirited Bodies to date, sometimes feels so awesome I want to cry!

Not for the 1st time I think I could do with a manager, as my organisational skills are far from cutting it. I would probably rebel against the manager though, as Lucy may testify. Gradually she is figuring out how to spoonfeed me just enough so I don’t spit the whole lot out.

Lucy creates order, lists, comprehensive plans and information in tabular form. She also doubles up as the next best thing to a shit hot lawyer who is also my mate. She’s not a lawyer, but she bamboozles anyone who presents an obstacle with so many lists of facts they hadn’t possibly imagined a life model might come up with; she is much more than a secret weapon.

I realised after the 2nd event when I found myself busy falling in love, that we were complementary partners, a natural team. As soon as I became indisposed, she picked up the baton and ran with it (having been unavailable until exactly that moment).

Spirited Bodies is not something I could do alone. For a start how can I seriously expect people to believe life modelling will be good for them just because it works for me? I am so skinny that the French ladies sculpting me in a standing pose have to add layers on to my legs just so that the clay doesn’t fall over. Fat seems to be one of the biggest body issues people have, apart from ageing of course, but I have trouble acquiring a single ounce, such is my metabolism, genes and cycling addiction. People laugh at my suggestion saying it’s easy for you. But Lucy… she has what I lack, and to excess, so that between us we cover a beautiful spectrum of female form.

Coming forward to participate this time I noticed a surge of interest from continental types, perhaps more ready to embrace an episode in the nude. As well as this what stands out is a difference between male and female interest. Not entirely but certainly markedly there is a distinction between those looking to gain confidence, and those wishing to share and celebrate it with others. There is confidence in male and female quarters, but percentage wise, the men outnumber in that respect. I think that’s because it’s overall more acceptable or normal to address body issues as a woman. As a man it is more ok to be ok with one’s body.

It’s all fine for us. What matters is the joy of finding these lovely people and having an opportunity to bring them together. The nervous will stand alongside the confident, and they may be levelled. Indeed with some of the high standard of body love coming our way, some of our shyer models may be wowed and thrilled at positive attention they will no doubt receive 🙂

Drafting the Manifesto

Spirited Bodies Manifesto

To empower life models; by gaining recognition and understanding for their work

To offer the opportunity of life modelling to other people who can benefit in a variety of ways; by becoming comfortable in their own skin, and engaging in a silent meeting with the self

People get to experience nudity in front of others in a safe, artistic environment, as well as understanding what it is to life model

To reclaim nakedness from negative social assumptions

To give artists a unique opportunity to work from a group of diverse models in directed tableaux

Life models transform their position in the eyes of artists, by empowering themselves. Through sharing their skills with non-professionals, and training potential life models, models may express their previously unspoken qualities

Life modelling is offered as a valuable chance for getting in touch with our inner self, which enhances wellbeing

The stillness of life modelling enforces another level of discipline

Spirited Bodies, www.spiritedbodies.com, is an arts organisation that empowers people through modelling for artists.  Founded in 2010, Spirited Bodies creates events where individuals new to modelling for artists pose in groups, providing a rare opportunity for artists to work from more than one nude model at a time.  For people who are not used to being naked in public, it is an empowering chance to hold a meeting with themselves in a managed artistic context.