The next few sessions followed pretty much the same pattern as the first, and every time I used the toilet in the studio, there was Anna peeking through the gap in the curtain. But at the end of our fourth session together, Anna offered a proposition.
"I have a favour to ask you if you're interested" she said as she worked on her canvas.
"Oh yeah?" I replied, "What would that be then?"
"Well, on Monday evenings I host an art group, we basically concentrate on still life paintings using oils, watercolours, pastels and other mediums, but we've never had the opportunity to have a live model to work with" Anna explained.
"And I suppose you were wondering if I would do it" I replied.
"Well, yes obviously" Anna said, "but there is just one thing".
"Go on" I said.
"It's just that well, we're a free group. I mean, I don't charge the members any fees, it's basically just me giving my members the benefit of my years of experience for free, and having a damn good gossip at the same time" Anna went on, "So unfortunately that also means that I can't really pay you for doing those sessions".
"Hmmm... I'd have to think about it" I said.
"Well, if you do want to do it I'm sure the girls would be very grateful to you giving up your time for free" said Anna.
"Girls?" I said.
"Yes, it's an all-female group, there are seven of them in all, they're really nice once you get to know them and I just know they'd love to paint you".
Posing nude for Anna was the fulfilment of a long-standing ambition, but the opportunity to show myself off in front a whole group of women was too great an opportunity to pass up on.
"Ok then, why the hell not!" I said.
"Oh thank you, thank you!" said Anna excitedly, "the girls will be delighted! You won't regret it I promise".
An appointment was made for the following evening at 6 o'clock, little did I know at the time but that evening would blow my mind completely.
It was a step into the unknown, posing nude for one woman was fine but posing for eight women was a different proposition entirely and I wasn't sure how I would feel about it. As I pulled up outside Anna's house the following evening I was nervous but determined not to let it get to me. I could hear excited female chatter as I walked up the path to the front door. I took a deep breath and pressed the doorbell.
Within moments I was admitted into the living room and was introduced to the members of the art group. They seemed to be a pretty mixed bunch, mixed except for gender that is. They were of a wide age range and from several ethnic groups it seemed. One by one, Anna introduced me to them.
First up was Rita, she looked to be in her mid fifties and looked pretty much like the typical white British housewife. Then came Melanie, much younger – probably in her late twenties and quite attractive with her long blonde hair and pale complexion. Next up was Janelle who appeared to be at least 40 and was of African or Caribbean origin with her black skin and straightened jet black hair. Then I was introduced to Mavis, by far the eldest of the group who must've been in her mid seventies at least and looked like a typical little old lady with a white perm and a pair of reading glasses perched daintily on the bridge of her nose. After Mavis came Jenny who looked like she could be no more that 18 at least and was by some way the youngest member of the group. She was a picture of youthful beauty with fiery red hair and an air of innocence about her. Next up was Meera, an Indian lady who I guessed was around 40 or so and was resplendent in a bright orange and white sari. Finally there was Sue who seemed to be of a similar age to Anna – maybe a little older, and she too looked pretty much like an average housewife.
With the introductions over Anna addressed the group and briefed us all on the subject of the painting that they would be creating.
"Is anyone familiar with the story of Andromeda?" asked Anna.
"Isn't she the one who was taken by her uncle into the underworld?" asked Rita.
"No, that was Persephone" said Mavis.
"I know!" said Melanie excitedly, "wasn't there a film about her called... um... let me see... The Andromeda Strain?"
"No" I said, "that was about a satellite that crashed back to earth carrying a mutated alien virus".
"She was the daughter of Cepheus and Cassiopia" Said Meera.
"Blimey, you know your Greek mythology well!" Said Anna, "you're quite right, Andromeda was the daughter of King Cepheus and Queen Cassiopia. Cassiopia believed her to be the most beautiful thing in the universe and would boast about her beauty constantly. This angered Zeus who had his brother, Poseidon, unleash a huge sea monster called Cetus to ravage the coast of Cassiopia's realm and bring death and destruction to her people. Desperate for help, King Cepheus consulted a wise oracle who announced that no respite would be found until the king sacrificed his virgin daughter Andromeda to the monster. So she was chained to a rock – naked – to await her fate. She was however rescued by Perseus who slayed the Cetus and freed both Andromeda and the people of the kingdom from its terrible wrath".
"Cool story" chipped in Melanie.
"Now, our next painting will be a kind of gender role-reversal of this classic scene which, for want of a better title, I have decided to call 'The Plight of Androlos' – Androlos being the Greek word for male which also bears a slight resemblance to Andromeda. It is also where we get the word 'Android' from which literally means 'like a man'".
It certainly sounded like an interesting concept, but it did leave an obvious question.
