Not every single detail of the interview, as it was all recorded and only hand written notes were taken.
-Who are you, tell us a bit about yourself
My name is Hannah Christine, better known as Bean. Im in my early twenties and i live in Derry city, however im original from the republic of Ireland.
I am a classroom assistant at a local primary school, teaching KS1 pupils, i love my job, i go to work with a smile on my face everyday. I have a wide range of interests, like travelling, music, preforming arts, i also have unique hobbies, such as knitting (normally an older woman hobby) rugby (a very northern sport and not normally for girls) and as you know, life modelling. -smiles bright
-Describe yourself in five words
Oh gosh you have actually put me on the spot this early. eeehm, I would have to say im pudgy, happy, confident and shy... how many is that.... ok one more. um caring perhaps? -laughs
-Explain^
Well i suppose a person can be many things, especially not just five, and many of those things can contradict the other. I am confident in my abilities, im confident i love my fiancee, im confident my pupils are all lovely little children and i suppose im confident in my body, knowing who i am. and because of all this, i am also shy. im surprisingly a naturally shy person. I believe the loudest most confident looking people can sometimes be the most insecure and shy in certain situations.
-How did you get into life modelling (additional run on questions from that)
I actually have had very little experience in life modelling before i moved to Derry. I understood what i life model was, but that was through artist friends, but it had never dawned on me that i would ever be interested in life modelling. When i moved to Derry i met so many new people, including my friend who shall remain unnamed, who ran art classes in Belfast crescent centre, mainly abstract painting and other small courses for lets say more mature students. She was branching out to Derry, her home town, and was stuck for models for a promotional piece. I volunteered my services, the first project was after all just a clothes life modelling piece. To be brutally honest the clothed experience was worse than the nude, in nu everyone adores you, and doesnt question anything, clothed they all seem to think they have the right to boss you every which way.
So long story short i ended up enjoying this new world of modelling, it was quiet relaxing, so i looked into it and landed myself a few odd jobs now and then modelling in and around Derry, if theres one thing i can say about Derry that i havent noticed anywhere else, its that it certainly isnt short of eager artists, its a hub of art and culture.
-What was your first experience in life modelling
Nude life modelling? my first real experience was several months after id started modelling in Derry. One of the gallery owners id worked with modelling before asked me if i had ever done nude, i may have fibbed slightly, thinking this would be amazing, so i said yes but very little, he enjoyed my modelling i couldnt see how nude would be vastly different.
Surprisingly It was a very calm transition that only really hit home after the whole experience was over, and then i panicked for no reason. thinking oh god what was i thinking ?! did i actually just do that -laughs.
No seriously, my fist life modelling experience was blissful. It was near the craft village, which i was relatively new to at the time, we are going back a couple of years mind you. It was in a gallery, and some established artists were life drawing, i cant remember if it was for charity or they were just fine tuning their skills and showing off infront of one another, either way it was a strange experience that so many established local artists were in the same venue on the same night, acting like mere students.
-How did you feel. did it end good/bad/boring
Well i showed up before all the artists, got undressed, i dont know where id left my thoughts that day but i was a robot on a mission, detached from everything, oh and there was free tea and biscuits, that might have been where my thoughts were.
I of course did all the panicking later and couldnt believe what id done, but once it was over i was all for doing it all over again. Which i must admit is rare, i think it takes a certain type of person to model, alot of people assume, aw if you are brave enough its handy old money, but no. Ive seen so many models leave crying and refusing to speak to anyone, Its definitely not a job for the strong f mind, i think if you over think it, or find it in anyway intimidating, you are going to be that person crying, whether you think it or not.
Ok anyway, where were we? the first nude experience went off without a hitch, more boring than anything else, i was basically an outsider dandering about nude, and at times a sheet, eating all the artists biscuits while they went off on rants on who was a better artist and discussed things clearly over my head.
-Why have you continued
I love it! I know its an odd hobby some people swim, some meditate, some do yoga, all showing off the same if not more of their bodies. I life model.
I find it relaxing, i love that calming hour or two session that i get, just relaxing and thinking about life, and now and then remembering a beloved book in my head or thinking where i left my shoes for dinner tomorrow night, its the only time in my hectic days i can stop. think. rethink. and be happy with doing nothing, because im doing something, im allowing artists to grow, its a real give and take moment.
-What does your family/friends say. do they know
Why is that such a common question, of course my family know, perhaps not all my friends, but im sure most of them dont know i knit or like listening to Disney songs whilst i clean the flat. Its not something i feel the need to bring up in ever conversation but yes most people i am in contact with alot know about my hobby.
My family dont understand it, but they also dont understanding knitting, however each to their own my da always said, so it doesn't phase them too much. Friends on the other hand i notice are always curious and a bit like this interview, want to know more but dont know where to start. I love life modelling and i think everyone treats it the way they would a sport hobby, interesting but nothing to do with their conversations.
-Does it ever effect relationships
I wouldnt say it effects relationships, not anymore than say my love of cookies or his love of xbox would, its just another thing i like thats thrown in that big equation of a relationship. Now i have spoken to life modelling firneds, and i do understand it can sometimes be an issue, perhaps the other half or family and all arent actually comfortable or they dont understand and basiclly see it as a shameful act. Thankfully my family are too preoccupied to think like that and my lovely Paul (fiancee) is completely supportive of anything that brings naked paintings of me on the walls of the flat, i mean, supportive of anything i love. -laughs uncontrollably
-So theres photos/paintings of you around the flat
Well its something im proud off, and if an artist gives me the gift of a painting or sketch of myself, especially if im close with that artist and i believe im beautiful in this piece of art, of course id hang it up in the flat, just like id hang up a photo of our first Christmas or last years holiday or in fact a photo from Paul preforming on stage.
-Does work know/does it effect your day job
Again its not something i bring up on a day to day basis and i dont think the children would be on a need to know stage. Its not that im ashamed of my work, its just they are still very small, and certain topics are undertandably delicate. Im hardly going to explain the amazing joys of being naked in front of a room full of strangers, a childs interpretations of that could be very dangerous.
Several of my colleagues know of my life modelling work, but since it doesnt interfere with work, its not a topic commonly discussed unless theres been a major development.
I have however had some trouble in the past, in a previous job, over snide comments about my work from a small group of colleagues who were in my opinion very close minded.
-Why do it? what do you get out of it
Well i see it as down time like most hobbies, and its nice to know in this economy i have a fall back, me and Paul are saving for our wedding, and living in the city isnt cheap but come on, its where our work is, and unfortunately i do miss family as i dont get to visit as often as id like, but modelling gives me that extra few hours of relaxation where i can think of all these things, plan the wedding, plan my day or even week, lan a visit home, remember to feed the dog and maybe call my mammy.
I obviously get paid, so thats a bonus, but i would never ever suggest someone looking quick cash to go into life modelling, its not for cash, you need to get something else ou of it, be it confidence or peace of mind, or even just knowing youve helped artists become better and someday theyll become great or create something lasting. i cant draw personally but ive always been a lover of art, which means i am willing to help the art community in any which way i can. So i will continue doing this as long as it makes me happy and both parties get what the want out of the experience.
-Have you ever had a bad experience/someone said something to you
I have indeed on both accounts. I have had many boring or unfortunate sessions, but that could be down to a number of factors, immaturity amoungst the class, someones says somethig they dont find offensive as you ar enothing more than a bowl of fruit to them but it still hurts and you think of what they said all week. Bad days at work always happen, life modelling is no different, the point is to never quit, just because you felt isolated one day or fat the next, doesnt mean the next session wont be the most amazing ever, you cant just focus on the crap parts. Otherwise, wheres the fun?
I have however had trouble in the past with one group of people in particular that thought my hobby shameful and were very vocal about it, these are also the type of people who believe kfc every night is balanced diet for their children and its not cheating as long as you dont mean it. I consider myself an open minded person and understand everyone thinks differently but i also think self respect and common courtesy is essential in a happy life.
-How long will you continue life modelling
As long as i can withstand the immense hours, life modelling is not all relaxation, you have to be on your toes, if its a quick sessions, ie 30 second sketches ranging to 5 minutes sketches, you always have to be ready for the next pose, and it better be good, these are the cases you can go with a few wilder poses, but its the long drawn out poses that could last hours, they take endurance and sometimes hurt alot, joints and mind, you could go home after a long session aching all over as if youve just run for a day and a half without a break. I can imagine i will not be doing such modelling in my old age, but i cant see me ever giving it up. its too much apart of me.
-Will your children know you life model/life modeled
I cant see why not. for starters they would need to be very unobservant children, not noticing paintings of naked mammy on the walls, next to the paintings of a sunset of steam of flowers in the rain. Im an art lover, so of course there is art lying all about me, and i cant see that changing way way wayyyy in the future when children start appearing, i can see the art work being kept a little higher off the ground away from sticky fingers, but i cant see them being hidden away. children arent silly, i dont like this whole concept mommy and daddy arent people, they dont use the bathroom, they dont have naked parts, or mommy and daddy are just robots that look after you, i will kiss my husband in front of my children, maybe not inappropriately but i dont like the stiffness that some people have adapted into the family life, children cant be raise to not show emotion or not know that theres different ways of living, if my children want to become a life model i will accept it the same way i would if they said theyd like to be a ballerina or hockey player. whatever makes you happy you should go for it.
-What would suggest to anyone thinking of getting into life modelling
I would suggest to come and talk to me or someone else who does or has life modeled, and to only do it for the right reasons, money is never the right reason. There are far handier ways of earning cash. Life modelling is an art of its own, not only must you endure the pose for hours and never move, but you must also take control and think of new interesting ways to pose, a way that suits your endurance level and body.
It doesnt matter if you are male, female, fat thin, ugly or supermodel pretty, life modelling is surprisingly the only job i can think of where your looks genuinely dont matter. everyones welcome.
Many start life modelling and never return, others, like myself, though there are few of us, we cling onto life modelling till a ripe old age.
Its not for everyone but if it is for you, come, join us, dont be shy, make the art world a better place and as long as it makes you happy, keeping going.
it was a pleasure talking to you, and its amazing to know theres a person behind the model, as a design student, i really did just see a bowl of fruit, but the skill required to get this far, its an eye opener.
well its always fun to see others take on a subject you think you know so much about. it was lovely doing this interview and i hope it opens a few more minds.
im sure it will
