The Red and Black

Issue date: 8/31/09 Section: News

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Galen Burke has worked as a nude model in University art classes for two years. Burke recently graduated from the University with a Bachelor of Science degree and is pursuing a career in photography.



How did you get in to nude modeling?

My mother is a classically trained painter and my dad is an artisan of various sorts, so I've always been around art. [Nude modeling] is something I was always interested in because it's this bizarre juxtaposition of something that's generally thought of as inappropriate, but in a setting that makes it appropriate somehow.

I began doing it as sort of this sociological experiment, trying to discern between erotic and non-erotic nudity. At $10 an hour it isn't much of a money maker, but it's not too strenuous.



How long did it take you to get over the awkwardness of posing naked for strangers?

The nervousness in the first 10 minutes gave way to fairly strong comfort, and it was something that I've really enjoyed.

It's just nice to be around the creation of art. It's a really encouraging environment.

How do you stay in the same pose for an entire class period?

In introductory drawing classes, you'll have a set of warm up poses where you'll move every three minutes to five minutes, but for most painting classes and drawing classes there will be one pose that will extend for one class period or even multiple class periods.

You have two-hour classes and three-hour classes, so through the course of a class models will take breaks. I, for some reason, have this prideful thing where I want to take as few breaks as possible.

Some of the positions are a little taxing, but for me it's just a matter of getting through the pain. It's really a lot like cycling where it's uncomfortable after about 10 minutes, but then you settle in to it. You just sit there and breathe and think about something else.

There have been models who, according to the tales, have found themselves in some position where they fall or just sort of crumple down. People are sort of reluctant to catch you if you're naked, and the only thing funnier than a person falling down is a naked person falling down.



Have you ever become, shall we say, overexcited about modeling?

I've always prided myself on having a lot of self control, especially directed toward that. One of my good friends said she's had one extremely bad situation where somebody was a little too pleased to be there. It was an older guy and he just sat there and the teacher wasn't stopping the class.



Have you ever been offended by an unflattering piece?

There was one painting that made me look like an non-neutered bulldog. It was a shot from behind and it was really quite terrifying. It's a class in the round, so there's nothing to hide, and paintings done in class are displayed in the halls of the art school.



­- Carey O'Neil

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