Paint me as a leopard for the best figure drawing session ever

The Cultivation Collective is a group of artists that have come together for their love of art. Each month at Public Works in the Mission they put together a figure drawing event in order to raise money for their collective. The theme last Thursday night was Undressed in the Jungle. After some research I found an add that Jason Cohen had posted expressing his need for some models, he told me one would be painted like a predator and he told me I could be that one if I dared. He also told me that two other models were going to be there but they would be in costume, little did I know it was a underwear and bra and twigs, leaves, and bushes from Golden Gate Park. It didn’t feel odd or strange to me at all. No sirens went off and it all seemed cool.

It was awesome and I am so glad I did it. I got there prepared with all kinds of underwear and bras to choose from. The girl that painted me was Iris Alden. She was about my age with long brown hair and she went to town painting me like a leopard, pinning me a tail and giving me ears, and painting my hands and feet. She works for the art commission and also works at Public Works occasionally. The other models were supposed to be Adam and Eve. Then walks in Heather, our Eve for the evening. She had long, blonde, wavy hair and had a big comfortable smile on her face. She got dressed in black underwear and a brown sports top and tons of vines, leaves, and parky things they found in Golden Gate Park that day. Then comes in Alex, the Adam. We all met and it felt fine. First up was Eve, then Adam, then Adam and Eve. Break. Then me, the leopard.

There was a short runway with a little stage at the end where we posed. There were video projections on the two walls next to me and the one behind me for a more visual effect. There was a DJ so music was playing. Good, not too fast, grooving music and I appreciated that since I had to hold poses for 10, 20, even 30 minutes at a time.

So I went out there in front of an audience of artists who had big white sheets of paper and pencils, charcoal, markers, and brushes. I felt totally comfortable. It’s been so long since I have performed and I love it, this was performing. I sat on the floor for 5 minutes while they drew. There was a live MC giving me and the artist’s instructions. Then I got up and did another pose for 10 minutes. It was fun making up poses that fit the character. The stage had live vines, branches, and flowers around it go with the Jungle theme. We continued taking breaks and coming back. After the break it was Adam and I. He posed on his knees and I was laying down with my arms on his legs, like I was attached him. The next pose was all three of us. I was on my knees as Eves pet and Adam was lying down on his back as if Eve had made him fall and her foot was on his stomach. We held that for 20 minutes. Break then just Eve and I posed together. We had help coming up with the pose with all three of us but the others we came up with on our own and I must congratulate us. We did a fabulous job, we took it like a job and did our jobs professionally and we also were creative with it and had fun meeting the artists after. The drawings were amazing and 1 person even gave me a sketch to take home. I hope to be apart of their figure drawing events in the future because I appreciated how important they made the models feel and how classy and professional the event was.

All in all a very good experience.

a bit of San Francisco through a canon

I live in San Francisco now. Reading that sentence does not make it real.

I currently am saying that I live in San Francisco. I am in a temporary place while I find a job and another apartment. I have great neighbors, we share a backyard. There are two apartments. On the bottom lives Carmen and Adam. She is Australian and he is American and they are married and live here but they are on their honeymoon in Australia for three weeks. The one that lives on top of them is Scott and I think in this short time I have grown to really enjoy him and think he is wonderful.

So far what I have done here in one month is more than I can even think about doing in one year in Tucson or Long Beach. I have gone to the De Young and seen real Picasso pieces that were flown from France. I stood where Picasso stood years ago and decided he was finished with his painting or decided he wanted to give his Olga or Dina a hug. I have had a fabulous reunion with Jessica and Emily, my burning man campmates and met Jessicas fabulous roommates and their friends who then, after it got dark, went across the street to Golden Gate Park and did a fire show for us. Right across from the rose garden and Fulton St.

I have gone to the MOMA and had adventures in the dark and light of the city. New friends are everywhere and from everywhere and there for have different things to say. I have applied to over 150 jobs and barely got one internship/work exchange. I help out the event coordinator and volunteer at events at a dance company and get free dance classes out of it. I have had chicken and waffles and seen jazz shows and eaten the best food. You can’t walk a foot without seeing art work in between buildings or the sidewalk or side of buildings or in windows or on top of buildings. Dolores park is like a music festival. The farmers markets are filled with people and fresh groceries and they actually smell real. There are about 100 different areas and districts. And right now is not real.

This is not home. I am not in love. Yet?

Wow, I didn’t know what would come out until I just wrote this.