Events

Upcoming events on this page:

19/10/2019 – With Claire Collison at Metal, Liverpool (women only)
26/10/2019 – Body Narratives #3 with London Drawing: Valentina
09/11/2019 – Figure This! 2019 at Thames-Side Studio Gallery
10/11/2019 – #MeToo Womxn’s Life Drawing, Brixton Village
14/11/2019 – Night School at The Barber Institute of Fine Arts, Birmingham
20/12/2019 – Have I Got Nudes for You, Candid Arts, London

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‘Truth is Beauty’ with Claire Collison

Women’s life modelling and drawing workshops with Claire Collison’s performance about breast cancer and living with a mastectomy.

October is breast cancer awareness month! We are celebrating with artist, writer and model Claire Collison, with whom we have collaborated on several occasions since 2015. Our next event with her takes place on:

• Saturday 19 October, 1pm to 4pm at
  Metal, Tunnel Road, Liverpool, L7 6ND

See link for full details. The event is free to attend but booking is essential.

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Body Narratives #3: Valentina
with London Drawing

Body Narratives focuses on a life as well as a life model, as carefully selected models pose and speak, touching on a range of subjects close to all our hearts.

In collaboration with London Drawing, our third session presents Valentina Rock, who will talk about her life as a performer and her journey of self acceptance through life modelling. Come and draw, listen and creatively exchange in the lovely intimate atmosphere of Vaulty Towers.

You can read more about Valentina, including her campaign for body positivity, in Women’s Health Magazine.

Join us on Saturday 26 October from 4pm to 6pm at Vaulty Towers, 34 Lower Marsh, London, SE1 7RG.

Tickets are £15 and can be booked online via London Drawing: Body Narratives.

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Night School at
The Barber Institute of Fine Arts

On Thursday 14 November, from 6pm to 8pm, we’ll be back in Birmingham as guests of The Barber Institute of Fine Arts.

Head up to their galleries for a relaxed life-drawing session that will explore notions of body image and acceptance. You will be able talk with the models while you draw, allowing the conversations to inform your drawing.

Tickets are £10, or £8 concessions. Book Barber Lates: Spirited Bodies tickets online.

At the Barber Institute of Fine Arts, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TS – find out about visiting The Barber Institute.

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Figure This! 2019 at
Thames-Side Studio Gallery

As part of the Figure This! exhibition and conference, Esther Bunting of Spirited Bodies and fellow life model, Steve Ritter, will pose together in the gallery whilst discussing the nature of their role. Through a variety of duo poses, different themes will be explored, from how modelling has impacted their body image and changed the way they experience themselves, to what it is to be a model.

Part of Spirited Bodies’ work has always been to challenge traditional life drawing norms and as such they will be unpicking these constructs. Who decides the pose and the model? What implication do artists’ and tutors’ commercial considerations and conventional notions of beauty have for their choices? What is beauty anyway?

This special event takes place on Saturday 9 November from 5:30pm to 7:30pm at Thames-Side Studio Gallery, Harrington Way, Waspite Road, London, SE18 5NR.

Basic drawing materials will be provided and you will be invited to respond to the issues through your drawings. Questions and open discussions are encouraged.

There is limited event capacity so book early at Eventbrite: Figure This! 2019 – Events: Spirited Bodies Model-Led Life-Drawing Workshop.

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#MeToo Womxn’s Life Drawing

Sunday 10 November, 2pm to 5pm, at Brixton Village, Coldharbour Lane, London, SW9 8PS

Part of the Finding Artemisia // Un-heroic Traditions festival presented by the Big Art Herstory Project

In this sensitively-held session, Esther Bunting of Spirited Bodies will open a discussion about experiences of sexual violence and dealing with the justice system by telling her own story while she poses for life drawing. During the second half, other women are invited pose as well in a group of #MeToo solidarity, sharing stories and experiences, relating naked truths whilst being drawn.

There is a very wide spectrum of what gender-based violence may encompass, every part of which is valid. You do not have to identify as a victim or survivor to participate; you are welcome to join in regardless. Acknowledging our common experience as women with each other, being heard and witnessed are an important part of collective healing of womankind.

No experience with modelling or drawing are necessary. Some drawing materials are provided.

Tickets are £15, plus a discretionary 20% discount to survivors of gender-based violence. Places also available for women on low or no income. Please get in touch if this applies. We want to accommodate as many women who would benefit from this session as possible.

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Have I Got Nudes for You

On Friday 20 December we will be returning with another of our ‘Have I Got Nudes for You’ specials! Life drawing meets topical news quiz for these events, in which the Spirited Bodies team creates poses inspired by current affairs. Lots of quick poses, always fun, and a chance for artists to take part as models in the second half.

Join us at Candid Arts, 3-5 Torrens Street, London, EC1V 1NQ.

Full details, times and ticket link to follow – save the date!