Events

Body Narratives

This is a new collaboration with London Drawing and will take place at Vaulty Towers on Saturday 22nd June, 4pm – 6pm. Older model Diana will share her experience as you draw. Please be aware, she will be posing alongside her very well behaved and beautiful black greyhound dog!

34 Lower Marsh, SE1 7RG

For booking please see here.

Image by Susan Kopen Oken, The Last Decade 2004

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The next Stories of Women event, will be mixed, and feature a life modelling performance called ‘Roots’

To book online, see here (or just turn up)

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Have I Got Nudes For You

is back, this time at the 25th anniversary of Telegraph Hill Festival, on Saturday 30th March, 7:30pm – 9:30pm in The Lounge, which is in the Telegraph Hill Centre. Ticket link here.

 

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Spirited Bodies at Camberwell College of Art

Wednesday 13th February, 1pm – 4pm at Wilson Road lecture theatre. Featuring models Marinella and Leo, as well as volunteer models. Discussion with models. If you would like to participate either as artist or model, and you are not from Camberwell College of Art, please contact info.spiritedbodies@gmail.com. It is free to participate; limited places.

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Have I Got Nudes For You

We have a spectacular December event lined up, at The Doodle Bar, near London Bridge in Bermondsey. Have I Got Nudes For You will be on Saturday 1st December, from 12pm – 3pm.

We round up the year’s biggest news stories, with some most sensational nudes! Two teams of well flexed professional models will battle it out in poses, enacting some memorable moments from 2018! There is the chance to join in sometimes with modelling*, or simply enjoy drawing the ensemble.

*nb this space is not private – it is open on to the bar

A variety of poses from 10 – 30 minutes, with suggestions from artists. Break from 12:30pm – 1pm, food/drink available to buy at bar. Strictly no photography except of course of artwork.

Guidance for modelling, and some drawing materials and boards (small) available. Teenagers welcome, though as this is a bar you cannot buy alcohol unless 18. Fully accessible, parking should be available – enquire at Doodle – https://www.thedoodlebar.com/ – 0207 403 3222 – events@thedoodlebar.com

This is a body positive and inclusive event, all welcome! If you want to pay a concessionary rate (standard rate is £15) or make a donation please bring cash on the day or send via paypal (estherbunting@gmail.com). You decide what you can afford. We are only selling £15 tickets online here.

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Stories of Women with Lucy ~ in collaboration with Hampstead School of Art

On Friday 18th May we will hold a mixed Stories of Women event, featuring Spirited Bodies founder Lucy Saunders as model. More information in a blog post here.

The address is 2 Penrose Gardens, Kidderpore Green, NW3 7BF, London. 

6:30pm – 8:30pm. The cost is £20 and you can buy tickets online here, or book a place by calling 0207 794 1439 or email info@hsoa.co.uk

Good Girls Reveal All

This is in collaboration with Good Girls Eat Dinner, on Wednesday 31st January in Knightsbridge from 6:30pm – 8:30pm, see here for more details and tickets; http://www.goodgirlseatdinner.com/life-drawing/

Myself – Esther Bunting – and fellow life model Valentina Rock, will be modelling and at the same time discussing our experiences of life modelling. Come along to listen, and draw, and find out more about what goes on beneath the stillness and exquisite poise.

 

The Stories of Women at The Feminist Library

For more information about these women’s events, see Women.

Tickets are available here for 12th March.

Tickets are available here for 22nd January.

Photo credit: Liz Orton from a collaboration between Liz Orton and Claire Collison – www.digitalinsides.org

 

Spirited Bodies with All the Young Nudes, Edinburgh

On Wednesday 23rd August we will be at the Edinburgh festival, hosted by All the Young Nudes. This is a mixed event, accompanied by an eclectic DJ set. We are looking for up to 10 people to model, of all genders; whether for the very first time, or a seasoned professional. Get in touch to express interest, explaining a bit about your reasons. This is not a paid gig, but guidance will be given; and as well this is a unique and special opportunity to pose as a group. It is of course also a fabulous opportunity for artists to challenge themselves with multiple figures of varying body types in tableaux.

6:30pm – 9pm

Whitespace, Norloch House, 36 King’s Stables Road, Edinburgh, EH1 2EU

For tickets see here

Spirit of Women Changemakers – Fawcett Society conferences in London & Manchester

The London event is on Saturday 12th November and takes place at St Thomas’ Hospital.

The Manchester event is on Saturday 19th November and takes place at The Studio.

Our workshops will be from 2:30pm – 3:30pm.

If you identify as female and would like to take part in one of the events as a model, please email me at info.spiritedbodies@gmail.com stating your reasons – there are limited places. This is not paid modelling, but nor would you need to pay to come to the event. Similarly if you are a female life drawing artist in or near Manchester who would like to come and draw at that event, please get in touch. It is great to have some experienced drawers present! It looks like we may not have space to accommodate the same in London unfortunately, however if that changes I shall put the word out. In any case, you can always buy a ticket to the conference and join us that way, as well as seeing lots of inspiring talks. I will be bringing drawing boards and materials.

There is lots more information here, including how to buy tickets.

© Spirited Bodies 2016, photograph by www.lidialidia.com at Loving Bodies event, April ’16

NB I am not intending to photograph the event at Spirit of Women Changemakers conference.

Collaboration with All the Young Nudes in Edinburgh

We are returning to Scotland as part of the Edinburgh festival, for one evening with All The Young Nudes on Tuesday 23 August, 8pm to 10pm, at the legendary Studio 24.

We invite those who would like to try life modelling but who wouldn’t ordinarily have the chance, as well as seasoned professional models who would enjoy creating group tableaux with us. This is unpaid but we are neither making a profit, nor even covering all expenses. We do this as a one-off because we love it, and want to share that passion in many exciting places.

Modelling as a group is different to solo, with its own dynamics and challenges. We will be there to offer support and guidance for those new to modelling, and to connect with like-minded professionals. This is a liberating practice with many benefits for all involved.

There are limited places for models so we would ask you to email us well in advance if you are interested, telling us a little about your reasons for wanting to join in. Email Esther at info.spiritedbodies@gmail.com

Sound & movement with life drawing

Two workshops with soundbath; slow nude movement and stillness; and life drawing.
1pm – 3pm Women
4pm – 6pm Mixed
Participants are invited to flow with Sarah Kent’s healing sounds, finding ways to embody sound, whilst being drawn, or drawing. A sharing of practices is encouraged – people may come to try modelling as well as drawing, and possibly also experiment with sound making.
Collaborative drawing on very large paper, and posing as a group.
Kathleen Dutton will lead drawing exercises, and Esther Bunting the movement and modelling work. This will be a very free and model-centred type of posing, for experimental drawing.
We will begin with a circle of meditation and intention making.
This collaboration began between Esther, Kathleen and Sarah last year at Bargehouse in November, then in March this year we met to experiment together with our different art forms. We are excited to open this up to small workshops, with up to 8 models, and 8 artists/mark makers at each session. If you are interested please email estherbunting@gmail.com explaining your interest in participating. We can then send you the ticket link if selected. We will try to gender balance the mixed event (though mainly with regard to models), and the women’s session is naturally open to all who identify as women.
Tickets are £10 or £15 depending on income. Special rate available for women staying all day.

The sessions are ideal for those wishing to embrace their nudity, feel at one with their body, perhaps already on that path to naked liberation, feeling comfortable nude with others. Alongside that is opening up to creativity of a different nature through mark and sound making. Explore your energy and switch on your senses; this is a healing, moving meditation with soundbath and drawing.

Sarah is a collaborative sound artist, folk fiddler, homeopath, reiki practitioner and bodyworker.

Kathleen is an artist & creative director; zen yoga, theta healing & reiki practitioner with passion for well-being and creative collaboration.

Esther is a movement and performance artist, playwright, event facilitator and life model.

 

Saturday 16th April, Loving Bodies

A mass women’s life modelling and drawing event

St John’s Church, Waterloo – 73 Waterloo Road , London SE1 8TY

11am – 4pm

£15 to come and draw, contact info.spiritedbodies@gmail.com to model

This is a fundraising event for women in a Syrian refugee camp –

At present sanitary towels are not often part of the aid available to women in refugee camps. They must purchase these and other items such as nappies and incontinence pads themselves. Vulnerable women have to make the choice between feeding their families and basic feminine hygiene; and the loss of dignity, freedom and access to opportunity (such as going to school) such a choice entails.
Loving Bodies is a mass women’s life drawing event to raise money to buy sanitary towel (& nappy) making machines for women in Za’atari Syrian refugee camp. Proceeds will benefit the charity Loving Humanity UK
The interior of St John’s Waterloo, the host venue, will provide a stunning backdrop to the work.
Whether you are an experienced artist, or a curious beginner this event is a remarkable opportunity to discover something new for yourself and make a differnece in the world.
Spirited Bodies are providing the life models for this event; experienced and totally novice women are welcome to come and pose. This is unpaid for all involved.
Participants are welcome to bring their own drawing materials, although basic materials will be available on the day.

Buy tickets here

 

 

Spirited Bodies at Telegraph Hill Festival 2016

This is a fairly small mixed event, which will be part of the regular life drawing session at Telegraph Hill Centre, that meets on Thursday evenings. It is currently run by Frances Felgate and was started by Alexandra Unger.

This is a free event, though donations are very welcome. A group of up to 6 models will pose in tableaux, from 7:30pm – 9:30pm, with a short break in the middle.

In the Craft Room at the Telegraph Hill Centre, Kitto Road, London SE4 5TY – access via St Catherine’s Drive.

For upcoming women’s events, see our Women page.

Our last event was: Spirited Bodies at Tanner Street

An all day event, starting in the morning with a session for women. Two hours of getting comfortable naked, exploring our energy and how we can create poses to enhance ourselves and engender confidence.

Women artists are welcome to come and draw throughout. Nudity is optional. This is open to all trans women. Some drawing materials provided (everyone has a chance to draw).

Tickets £15, concession available, and tickets may be bought on arrival.
Women artists wanting to attend the mixed session as well can pay £20 for the whole day. Models do not pay to participate in the mixed session, and must apply to pose. Please get in touch letting us know your reasons for wanting to participate, at info.spiritedbodies@gmail.com

Women’s session: 11am – 1pm
Mixed session: 2 – 5pm
Time to reflect and share experiences with tea: 5 – 6pm

Both modelling sessions will incorporate an element of sound art, as Sarah Kent who created a soundbath at the last event – Spirited Sound – will again be in residence. Models will also be guided to make their own soundscape during some poses.

The mixed session is less of a workshop with actual instruction, and more a mass model ensemble for the artist who is well seasoned or enjoys the challenge. Models may be professional or new, sharing in the heightened ambience of group nudity and stillness, together with the focused gaze of artists upon them. It is a chance for the professional model who is also an enthusiast, to enjoy a different type of posing, in combination with other figures.

Making sound adds to the models’ collective presence, literally giving them a voice to be reckoned with, to suggest new ways of mark making to their artful audience. The soundscape is led by more experienced models with a singing background, and is a fairly low-level harmonious affair, in case the idea makes you shudder!

uglyduck.org.uk/spirited-bodies

For tickets: www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2469845