"I am foremost an actress and I enjoy being able to move around the room and interact with other models. It's a lot like acting, only it's a live performance," she said.
After the interview, Jan rushed off to an action-sketch class in which she and another female model were encouraged to sing, dance and do as they wished as the students sketched.
After a decade in the trade, Jan is a veteran. Offering a few tips to nude-model virgins, she said the key is to feel comfortable with yourself and act naturally, followed by punctuality and not falling asleep during a long pose. "You have to be able to make the students excited and inspire them to finish their work," she explained.
Not all the clients, however, have artistic intentions in mind. Lai admitted that she has received a few calls from courageous voyeurs who want to hire a young, slender model.
"They're not artists they just want to stare at a beautiful naked woman," she said.
The studio weeds these clients out, and according to Lai none of the models at Figure Art Studio, including Jan, have encountered anything more unnerving than a few enthusiastic art students.
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