Wilf Lunn: Life classes with models Mavis and Margaret
Sep 26 2009 by Wilf Lunn
She quickly put her dressing gown back on. Then Napier walked in he told her to take it off and he set the pose. She wouldn’t keep still. Napier told her to stop moving. She plaintively said: “But they’re all looking at me.”
We were sometimes allowed to set the pose. When it was my turn I brought in my long bow and set a pose with Mavis pulling the string, a very difficult pose which can lead to sore nipple if you let go of the string. It became quite obvious why the Amazon ladies removed a breast.
Mavis refused to pose. By this time Mavis and Margaret had had quite enough of me. They waited behind the Life room door and both jumped on me.
I was devastated. I didn’t know where to put my hands, they were both starkers. Fortunately they didn’t strip me to see where I was blushing from.
Ever after I became a quiet conscientious Life student, until I was expelled.
Sugden was the head of the art school at that time. He would express his displeasure at your artistic effort by ripping your work off the easel and jumping on it.
During a break in Life class I sat on a beautiful blue velvet chaise longue used for the poses. I dropped my cigarette down the back and the thing started burning. I was attempting to put the fire out with a jar of mucky paint water when Sugden walked in.
He expelled me immediately. When I say immediately he grabbed me, took me to my locker, made me remove my things, then marched me to the front door and chucked me out.
It was like the French Foreign Legion where they rip your epaulettes off. I was surprised he didn’t rip the hood off my duffel coat, a final indignity for an art student.
I found out later they’d paid only ten shillings for the chaise longue. I was allowed back when they realised I was the only student left in the textile department.
Napier, when he was head, not to be left out, also expelled me over an incident with a fire extinguisher. No fire was involved, just me, the extinguisher and Napier incandescent with rage and covered in foam.
Despite all this I think Life classes, in this age of trite inconsequential art, are very important. You really should understand the body under the clothes to make any attempt at Costume Life or even portraiture.
We had to do anatomy, know the names of the muscles and be able to draw an écorché (peeled person) in any position given. Of course most of us couldn’t.
When they closed down the night schools in Huddersfield my ex-wife Di asked me if she could open an art school at my Wentworth Studio. This she did, and the life classes were a great success.
Now I’m pleased to hear new Life classes are starting in Honley. The tutor, with many years of experience, is Chloe Williams.
The classes run for six weeks from September 29. To enrol ring Paula Moss on 01484 66795 or better still go and see her wonderful Holme Valley Warehouse art gallery with terrific locally produced pieces.
