I was 19 and living in Warrnambool in the Western District of Victoria when I began life modelling. I’d thought about it for a couple of years. I had friends who were art students who modelled but I wasn't sure about it, I felt self conscious but them my boyfriend at the time, later to become my husband, who is an artist and a figurative one at that, encouraged me so off I went.

My first job was at the then Warrnambool Institute of Advanced Education which is now Deakin University. There were only 2 other models at the time, a guy and a girl and for a time it was only me. I encouraged a friend of mine Jane, who is also in the Society, to take it up and that is also where she began.

I threw myself into it whole heartedly. Being inexperienced and in my enthusiasm I sometimes put myself in very dumb but interesting poses that I would never attempt now knowing what I know. (now) Not dumb because they weren’t good poses but dumb because they were inappropriate for the time I was to hold the pose, like standing on one leg for 20 mins, you know, things like that. I worked there on and off for 6 years. I modelled through my pregnancy with my first child. Returned to it when my child was around 18 months. He often came with me and was still being breast fed. He used to amuse the students by jumping on me have a drink of milk and then jumping off during a pose.

I had another child and moved to Melbourne and began modelling again in ‘89. That was also the year the Life models society began. I worked an average of 20 to 30 hours a week for about 4 years. When people ask if you can make a living out of modelling, I think you can but it is very hard work and a lot of travelling.

The life models Society came about when another model and at the time and my good friend, Kate Osborne and myself were discussing modelling over coffee in Rumbarrella's in Brunswick Street (No longer there). I said to Kate that it would be interesting to meet other models because it was one of those jobs that unless you went out of your way to meet another model you could believe you were the only model on earth, which is the way some models want it. She agreed with me so we decided to post fliers in models changing rooms where we worked and invite them to a gathering. One of our mutual employers David Moore thought it was a great idea and offered us his studio. So on a Sunday afternoon in late 1989 11 models turned up. We also had a few artist and friends there and a nice spread of food. It was quite surreal on retrospect. We sat on chairs in a circle in the middle of this large studio on Lygon Street Brunswick with the others standing in the background listening as we shared our modelling stories. Some of those present were Hannah, Sarah, who are in the hard core.

The next meeting was in Kate's garden. Lu who is also still on the hard core was at that meeting. And before you know it we had become this organisation with terms and conditions which have changed very little till this day.

The good thing about modelling is that there are really not too many bad things that happen and that people generally are very respectful but occasionally action has needed to be taken on someone's behalf.
When I look back, we did some amazing things. The first Salon was in what was then The Fringe Gallery in Brunswick Street. We decided to have very long poses, 12 hours in fact. with 2 models. One session was Kate and myself.

Kate was pregnant at the time so i gave her the softer option. We were both reclining she on her back and me partly on my belly and side with my cheek resting on the back of my hand. This apparently restful looking pose became the most agonising torture. Never ever have the weight of one part of your body against another part. For weeks I felt like some one had punched me in the face. A beautiful pose but slow torture. After that we decided that we would not attempt such a thing again and not everyone wanted it any way.

We were running a number of life drawing sessions around the place one of them being Roar Gallery on Monday evenings. Kate and I ran that for a number of years taking it in turns. Kate and I also ran the Wednesday afternoon and the Sunday morning at PHCC. Roar were given some funding and gave us some money so we could put some things on . We decided to reproduce 3 old paintings, one of them being Leonard's The Last Supper. We decided that instead of men, they would all be women. It did cause a bit of controversy. It was a 6 hour pose and was received a great deal of media interest. We could never have done it without the assistance from Roar as the wages for the model were over $1000 and there was no way we could generate that much income from the amount of artists present on the day. We also did the foreground of Ingre’s The Turkish bath and Degas’ 3 Ballerinas. In retrospect I realise that we didn't have any male model in any of these events. Sorry fellas

Back then Life Models Society duties were shared between a few of us. Each person took it in turns to be the one responsible for things, mostly Kate Hannah and myself. Then it became the Hard Core and up until now held governance.

We were also featured in the Age E.G. We were on the front page and as the centre feature spread. The ABC Arts Review. did a Segment on us for their then Arts program and SBS's Imagine also an arts program did a story on me as a model who incorporates dancing into her works and Earl as a quirky character.

In 1993 I went abroad and spent 8 months in Italy were I tried to work as a model and only succeeded in acquiring one job but had many adventures in the process . . . .

I've been very busy the past few weeks writing a compendium for my Summer School which was held from 25th to the 29th January. I am happy to say that it was really well received by my students. I have been working on the content for a number of years and of course because my teaching became more consolidated so has the content of the book.
This compendium is the tip of the iceberg but never the less its contents as they are now are a very useful took for Raqs Sharqi or any genera of Middle Eastern Dance.
The compendium will soon be available for purchase as an E Book.
More about the workshop soon.
Drawing by Raffaela Torrensen ©06