In the Name of Art

I’d taken a position at a private school to do some nude modeling for their sculpting and drawing classes. I’m an aspiring writer and thought I could handle it as I do with writing—by allowing myself to be taken away, to pretend I was someone confident and assured. I needed the money and, as it was an all-girl’s school, I didn’t think it would be so difficult. So it was with slight trepidation I turned up for my first session. I’d been to some classes over the break and watched other models; I’d practiced by sitting naked in front of my mirror, even took to walking around the house nude to lose some of my inhibitions. I even had one of my girlfriends over, asked her to study me like a student would. I did find it slightly unnerving as she sketched me but knew this was something I’d have t