RAM at the A&I show, 2003

bare facts

An article from our
former online magazine

RAM at A & I, 2003 - Hard work and team spirits brings great results!

For the fifth year running, RAM had a stand at the annual Artists & Illustrators Exhibition at London's Business Design Centre.  As last year, the stand was organised by Paul Laker.  Here, in his report, he modestly fails to mention all the hard work he put into it, both in the run-up to the event and on the stand itself.

Once again a stalwart band of volunteers braved the clammy heat of the BDC to make our stand a great success.  The models who took turns to pose (clothed) on the stand, draw and talk to the public were:

Derek Andrews, Jodie Brown, Gabriela Ferrão,  Fayette Fox,  Eli Gioconda,  Fae Goldsworthy,  Laura Gub,  Arthur Howe, Gilda Hurford, Martin Ireland,  Neil Kelly,  Claudia Lindemann,  Vania Maciel,  Adriana Moraes, Jackie Mwanza,  Mark O'Reilly, Colin Panter, Hana Schlesinger, Paul Simpson and Paul Whitlock.

The tutors who volunteered their services were:

George Farkas, Stewart Ganley and Josie Fanjul.

Francis Wardale, who runs our affiliated workshop in Croydon, stopped by just for a chat but ended up giving help and advice in drawing from the model.  It was also nice to see other RAM members who dropped by and students from our various workshops.  Our aim was to raise RAM's profile.  We handed out hundreds of leaflets about RAM and for our Bare Facts life drawing workshops in Holloway, Hoxton and Richmond.  We explained what RAM was about and persuaded people to take out licences for the use of our membership lists.  We even managed to recruit some models.  Although standing for hours in the heat talking to the visitors was very tiring, it was as much fun as always and everyone enjoyed themselves.  More importantly, we were able to entertain the visitors by providing them with free drawing facilities, at the same time drawing the work of RAM to a wider audience.

Our thanks to all those who helped make the stand such a success.  However, some people deserve special mention and awards:

The Mel Gibson Award for best non-Scotsman wearing a kilt goes to Martin Ireland [how do you know he's not Scottish, Paul? Webmaster].

The Carmen Miranda Award for Latin American Participation to as bonitas brasilieras:  Gabriela Ferrão, Eli Gioconda, Adriana Moraes and Vania Maciel.  However next year, ladies, you must try harder and actually wear the Carman Miranda costume!  (A special sub-category award goes to Derek Andrews for wearing Bolivian national dress - i.e. a heavy woollen poncho and cap, despite the heat!)

The Don't Try this at Home Award to Claudia Lindemann for her amazing stretching exercises.

The award for Best Dressed Person in 1950s Retro Gear to Fayette Fox.

A special award for Emergency Carpentry to Paul Simpson, for on the spot repairs to an easel.

Very special thanks to Jodie Brown, Laura Gub and Vania Maciel for stepping in at exceedingly short notice after one or two others had pulled out.

Finally, we express our deep gratitude to Howard Greenbaum for storing equipment over the past year and delivering it to the BDC for us,and to Neil Kelly, who will be storing it this year.

Next year's exhibition will be from 22-25 July - make a note in your diary!

Paul Laker.

We hope London-based RAM licence-holders visiting this page will make a note of the models mentioned above, who were enthusiastic enough about the job and about their RAM membership to volunteer.