I have a side hustle as a nude model and I find being naked in front of strangers is liberating and fulfilling
- Edd Lawrence is an architectural technician with an unusual side hustle.
- In his evenings and weekend he works as a nude model for Nude Life.
This as-told-to article is based on a conversation between Edd Lawrence, an architectural technician who is also a part-time. nude model, and Insider's Sam Tabahriti. It has been edited for length and clarity.
The first time I took off my robe in front of a room full of people at a hen party drawing class with 25 women (and 2 men). There was nowhere to hide – for 90 minutes all eyes are on you and it's very hard to forget that.
I love art as a subject and I often feel envious of the group on the other side of the drawing boards. Yet I also feel extremely privileged to be a part of the group's special occasion – they use me and my body as inspiration.
My day job as an architectural technician offers me creative stimulation and financial security, but life art offers me a productive vent for my desire to entertain and serve. I like the variety.
I started serving at hen parties in Brighton, on the coast south of London, in my early 20s. At the time life drawing was becoming really popular and I kept getting asked to model, but I really didn't want to. The absence of that small bit of cloth makes a huge difference.
I kept saying no for about a year or two until I got tricked into my first hen party life drawing class. I was asked if I was available to cover an event as the agency in question had been let down last minute, so I obliged.
After that I kept saying yes and eventually signed up with the agency Nude Life.
'Comfortable with my decision'
Being naked in a room full of people is really the ultimate challenge. I was hesitant at first but now I love it. Being naked in front of strangers is liberating, courageous, and feels somewhat more filling than any other customer service jobs that I have experienced.
There is a stereotype for every job and that's certainly true in the male entertainment industry. I feel male models are less affected than female models in a negative sense, however.
A friend once told me that "you shouldn't do something that you couldn't tell everybody you did." I have used this as my moral compass when exploring my place in this industry. I have always felt comfortable with my decision from there –I hardly tell anyone I do this, yet there is no one I wouldn't admit it to if they asked.
Like with every job, there are tricky clients and dealing with them while naked takes a little something extra.
I also love the moment the group relaxes into the event after getting over the initial hysteria or embarrassment, engage in the activities and laugh at the tongue-in-cheek tone of the event.
I have stopped modelling nude a few times in my life, usually inspired by a partner or conflicting professional agreements. I don't have to work nude – but I choose to.