Gray Area

Art models used to be a mysterious and regal bunch. They were pampered and well-paid. There was a time when art models were so greatly revered, in fact, that they were considered to be special creatures.

Some of that remains. For the most part I truly believe students appreciate what I do. There are professors and coordinators who go to great lengths to keep me comfortable and safe. But models aren't held in the same high esteem as they once were. That is reflected in our paychecks and working conditions. As workers, there is no doubt models are falling through the cracks.

Getting paid. Models are commonly billed as independent contractors. It means we are paid on a class-by-class basis, and responsible for paying our own taxes. It also means our paychecks are not on a regular schedule. One school in particular has taken as many as six weeks to process compensation for a class. Adding insult to injury, the wage for models is lower now than it was a decade ago.

Parking. One school issued me a temporary parking pass for the semester -- but it's in the farthest student lot. Another insists I apply for a new temporary pass every time I drive on campus, a process involving all of my licensing and registration documents and an extra fifteen minutes. Modeling in Philly? Forget it; you're on your own.

Supervisors. While models are largely their own bosses, there is sometimes need for a lifeline to the school. The problem lies in uncovering who that person is. A Philly school has one person scheduling models and a separate person approving their time cards. Neither of those people is responsible for ensuring the safety of the model while working. Of course it is at this school that a space heater burst into flames during a pose, and the same one where neither model stand locks to keep it from rolling around. So who IS responsible for our safety? No one knows.

Communication. Some schools have a very clear method of posting cancellations or scheduling changes. Some rely on the model coordinator to relay that information. One school does neither. When I braved a freezing rainstorm to work an 8 am class this winter, I arrived to discover all classes had been canceled. When I addressed the topic with the model coordinator, I was told there is no way to relay scheduling change information to the model.

These are just a handful of the ways models are treated as less than employees. And while they are serious and plentiful, there are still individuals and institutions that treat models as they should. Studio Incamminati, for instance, issues checks on the twice-monthly payroll schedule, and has one person assigned to laundering linens (a rarity). The coordinators at UArts and Bucks County each went to great lengths to get models a raise into a respectable hourly wage. And one professor at The Art Institute is a protective advocate of models, who continues to stand strong for a safe and harassment-free working environment.

Do you know a school or individual who treats models exceptionally well? Comment below -- I would love to give them a shout-out.