Artists work it out with nudes

For Sal Russo, the live figure drawing sessions at Garrison Art Center are about a youthful dream revived following the death of his wife.

Russo, 78, loved drawing as a kid and considered a career in art before landing a position climbing down New York City manholes as a lineman for Ma Bell. When Dottie, his wife of 37 years, died of pancreatic cancer in 2010, he decided it was time to return to drawing.

"I did it to stay sane," says Russo, who lives in Orange County. "Without it, I would have been a little bit lost." Now, in addition to attending the weekly Garrison sessions, Russo enters his pastel paintings in local art shows and has made some sales.

Russo is part of Highland's flourishing figuring drawing scene, where artists in Philipstown and Beacon practice drawing nude models.

"It's just about the process of sitting and looking and making marks," said John Allen, 83, of Philipstown, who started drawing in the 1980s when his wife, a clothing designer, signed him up for a class at the Garrison Art Center.

He has also done sculpture, but says he has no interest in showing or selling his work, as in the past. He just enjoys the meditative process. "Sometimes you make a drawing that you really like," he says. "That makes everything count."

Meet the Models

Sophia Jackson was 18 when she first posed nude for an art class. "I was applying to art school and needed some drawings for my portfolio," said the Beacon resident. She began accompanying her mother, a ceramicist, to life-drawing sessions in Philadelphia, where they lived.

"One day, the model didn't show up," said Jackson. "They asked me if I would do it. It was a group of artists whom my mom knew — people I had grown up with — so it was comfortable and easy. They were excited [about having a new model], and I was excited to make some money."

Jackson has modeled off and on for 30 years. She is one of several models who regularly pose for artists in the Highlands and around the Hudson Valley.

She said that, when she is posing, she doesn't think much about being nude. "I think about shapes, and what story I can tell with my body that's going to inspire the people in the room," said Jackson.

What are the keys to being a good model? "You make yourself truly available to the artists," said Rudy Vavra, who has been modeling for nearly four decades in and around New York City. "When you're comfortable being nude, that goes out to the person that's drawing you, and they feel comfortable with you. The other aspect is you must stand still."

Vavra said he models to support his own art, which focuses on abstract paintings and woven projects. At times, he has modeled as much as 60 hours a week. He said he once posed for singer Tony Bennett, who was also an artist. Vavra, who lives near Rhinebeck, said he has had a few "wacky" assignments, such as when he posed nude on a sofa next to the artist's fully clothed mother while she read a book.

Todd Moore was inspired to become a nude model by the ancient Greek statues at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. "I've always been into Spartans," said Moore, 36, who lives in Wappingers Falls. "I thought, 'These statues are really cool. I wonder if they still do these things.'"

Moore is known to artists for his ripped muscles. He has a degree in exercise science, has worked as a personal trainer and aspires to model clothing for fitness brands. He was once asked to bring a Captain America shield to a session. "Captain America is my favorite Marvel character," he said. "The Hulk used to be."

Allen doubles as the Garrison Art Center's figure-drawing "monitor." He collects the weekly $25 fee from the 15 or so people who crowd into the back room on Monday mornings. He also levies a $5 fine if a cellphone rings. During the three-hour sessions, models pose for up to 25 minutes while the artists work with pencil, ink, charcoal, pastels, watercolors and gouache.

At a recent session, Peter Dama drew on an iPad using an elect...