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    trendysomething in somo

    My life as a nude model ... purely tasteful exhibitionism, of course

    Steven Devadanam
    Jul 16, 2010 | 1:46 pm
    • Tasteful with a capital "T"
      Photo by Heyd Fontenot
    • Isabella Court (studio on the right)
    • At the end of the day, I'm not Gwyneth Paltrow.
    • My generation is flooded with artsy nude models, such as Levi Johnston
    • David: the original nude model slut?

    I've never been one for window blinds. There's something about walking around the house in underwear (or less), knowing that you might catch the attention of passersby (and if you're me, make his or her day).

    I'm not into anything naughty in public (I avoid George Michael-style shenanigans), but when you're young and restless, why not let the world know? It's a beautiful way to translate narcissism into generosity — community service wrapped in gold lamé hot pants.

    It was with this self-awareness that I leaped on the opportunity to pose for artist Heyd Fontenot at Inman Gallery. I knew all about Heyd since he'd won a spot on New American Painting's Western Competition 2009, juried by Terrie Sultan, former director of Blaffer Gallery. Fontenot is featured in the current exhibition at Inman, do i know you along with a stash of recent portraiture by Amy Blakemore, Anglea Fraleigh and Francesca Fuchs (among others).

    Explains Kerry Inman, the show investigates the "slippery idea of our very fragile human identity."

    In conjunction with do i know you, the gallery has arranged for portrait sittings with Fontenot. The artist spends an hour taking digital images to be converted into drawings in the following months, culminating in an exhibition at Inman Gallery in Spring 2011. Recalling the image of the Austin-based artist's compound portraits gracing the cover of New American Painting, I signed up with the assumption that I'd finally get the cover treatment I deserve.

    Indeed, I am no stranger to posing for artists. As a sophomore in high school, I'd taken on the role (clothed) for my advanced drawing class. It was a welcome reprieve from having to actually scribble a body myself, but the act of sitting for an hour and a half in a stoic position gave me such aches that could only be cured by taking a week off from school at Urban Retreat.

    But I remembered the satisfaction of flipping through an entire classroom's body of work — that was all about my body. I was willing to give it a second shot.

    I arrived at my shoot a solid 20 minutes late since I had to pick up my usual venti and end a conversation with my attorney that can be best described as terse. Part of the whole situation's appeal was the shoot being staged in a back room at Inman Gallery's home, the bobo-mecca Spanish-style apartment building, Isabella Court. Designed by the late Florida architect William D. Bordeaux 80 years ago, the complex has been witness to numerous artistic orgies, flagrant fiestas and, now, a new height in nude beauty.

    Fontenot wasn't mad about my tardiness, though — artists are laid back like that. We walked into the side studio and he told me what to do. The premise was basic: Disrobe, and stand.

    I've never felt so in my element.

    Only once or twice did he have to instruct me what positions to take; I just assumed the most languid poses with expertly demure, glazed-over stares (as I've said, I had practiced at home). I accepted the praise with soft smiles, feigned modesty ("Really? I'm 'great at this?'") and a few white lies ("No, I haven't ever been told that I'm 'incredibly handsome.'")

    I hoped that my pitch-perfect mix of nonchalance and niceness would leave a good impression, but of course there was that elephant in the room question: When posing nude, is it assumed that you sleep with your portraitist?

    I was going off of rumors I'd read about Michelangelo and the model for David, but mostly I was thinking about Gwyneth Paltrow in Great Expectations. The studio didn't have the same moody diffused lighting, I wasn't permitted to chain smoke, and sadly, Ethan Hawke was not present at Inman Gallery. Taking Ethan Hawke's absence as a sign, I kept things professional and avoided posturing for a proposition. Besides, I had to leave immediately afterwards to judge a vodka throwdown before hopping into an H2 limo for a night on the town.

    I walked out of Isabella Court with an unexpected level of relaxation. I don't foresee myself becoming a professional nude model (I think those are called porn stars) — but I am highly anticipating my bare-all arrival on the walls of Inman in the spring.

    unspecified
    news/city-life

    telling stories

    Black-owned Houston bookstore opens new home in historic Third Ward space

    Craig D. Lindsey
    May 13, 2025 | 2:45 pm
    Kindred Stories bookshore Eldorado Ballroom
    Photo by Craig D. Lindsey
    Kindred Stories has moved to its new location.

    Even though its grand reopening will be held this Saturday, May 17, Third Ward bookstore Kindred Stories has already begun a soft opening at its new location inside the Eldorado Ballroom at 2310 Elgin Street.

    Since September 2021, the Black-owned bookstore was located on Stuart St., one of many businesses that came to life thanks to Project Row Houses’ Incubation Program. Last year, the nonprofit informed Kindred and the other business that they had to vacate their premises at the end of this month to allow new businesses to occupy the spaces.

    Thankfully, Kindred already had its eye on the Eldorado location, next to neighborhood eatery The Rado Market (which has a collection of cookbooks curated by Kindred). It’s a space previously held by Hogan Brown Gallery, which abruptly closed in December. “I had caught wind that this space might be available,” Kindred founder/owner Terri Hamm tells CultureMap.

    Hamm turned the moving process into a fun little event for her and her loyal customers. “Last Tuesday, we invited about 20 of our top community members that, you know, are always in the store and have really supported us all of the year,” she says. “We packed up all the books in the space in an hour and, then, we moved everything in an hour. So it was like the beautiful way to close out that space in the midst of the community that has really supported us throughout three-and-a-half years there. And we spent the last four days kind of unboxing and just getting all set up.”

    Hamm says the new location is certainly roomier (around 1200 square feet) than their previous spot, which was only 450 square feet.

    “There's more room to just spend time in the store,” she says. “I feel like that's the ideal bookstore experience, when you can go in and really take your time. I feel like in the other space, it was so small, people kind of felt like they were in a rush.”

    Although Kindred is open and ready to welcome anyone looking for Black-and-proud literature, Hamm insists they’re only 90 percent done. More light fixtures need to be installed. Plants and furniture have to be brought. They even have custom-made wallpaper that needs to be installed.

    “So, we have a few little things that need to happen,” says Hamm, “And, then, I feel like the space will be really, really ready – probably in another six months.”

    In the meantime, it’s business as usual. This month’s calendar of events includes various appearances from authors as well as a couple of book clubs. Hamm is looking forward to new bookworms coming in and discovering what Kindred Stories has to offer.

    “The bestsellers are selling,” she says, “But I feel like, in this space, people are going to get to discover a lot of under-the-radar titles, just because there's more space to see the books and explore.”

    kindred storieseldorado ballroomshoppingbooksbookstoresopenings
    news/city-life
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