Artists Wanted: Nude Portrait Sessions at Startup Art Fair
- Kristine Schomaker
- Nov 22
- 2 min read
We're doing live nude portrait sessions at Startup Art Fair and I need artists to draw with me!
If you've been following Perceive Me, you know this project started with me posing nude for 60+ artists - exploring body liberation and challenging how we see bodies that don't fit conventional beauty standards. Now we're opening that transformative experience to anyone who wants to be drawn.
We tested Community Nude Portrait Sessions at The Other Art Fair in October and something amazing happened. Liberty Worth posed and wrote: "I felt like a celebrity... I felt seen in a way that I have never felt seen before... For the first time in a long time, I felt beautiful." Read her full reflection here
That's what this work does - it creates space for people to be truly seen, without judgment, through the generous attention of artists.
Why this matters
Body liberation isn't theoretical. It requires actual infrastructure - spaces where people can experience their bodies as worthy of artistic attention, where vulnerability becomes powerful, where multiple perspectives exist simultaneously without hierarchy.
When you draw during these sessions, you're not just making sketches. You're creating that infrastructure. You're part of building a practice where bodies of all types deserve to be perceived, studied, celebrated through art.
The people who pose are brave. They're choosing visibility in a culture that tells many of us to hide. Your artistic attention is the gift that makes their courage meaningful.
The logistics
Dates:
Friday, Feb 27: VIP opening 6-10pm
Saturday, Feb 28: noon-9pm
Sunday, March 1: noon-7pm
Location: Startup Art Fair, The Kinney Hotel, Venice Beach
Your commitment:
Work in 3-4 hour shifts (choose your times in the form)
You can take breaks between sessions
Bring your own 9×12 paper (THIS IS IMPORTANT - has to be that size for consistency)
Bring whatever drawing supplies you want: pencils, charcoal, pastels, markers, pens all work
Tables and chairs provided
How sessions work:
Models sign up onsite for 30-minute slots
They pose for 20-25 minutes while all artists draw simultaneously
Each drawing sells for $30 - you get 50%, Perceive Me gets 50%
Whatever doesn't sell stays with the Perceive Me archive and you still get 50% of future sales
If the collection goes to a museum or institution, your work goes too
Before the fair
We'll have a couple Zoom meetings to go over specifics, talk about the experience, make sure everyone feels prepared. This isn't just about drawing logistics - it's about holding space for vulnerable humans.
Apply now
Fill out this form: https://forms.gle/MzpFFWxbkQEKcWp9A
Important: This form is for all future Perceive Me nude portrait sessions, not just Startup. Filling it out doesn't guarantee you're selected for this specific event - we'll be in touch as we plan each session.
Questions? Email perceivemeart@gmail.com
Let's make space for bodies to be seen. Let's draw together.
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