Summer 2023

Let's catch up

Hello again!

I haven’t written an update in 4 months (!) since life has been much like a hydra, and getting through one hurdle has presented me with 3-4 new ones. Here’s what I’ve been up to, where I’ve been, and where I plan to go. Scroll to the end for life updates and travel dates.

My first trip after a deep post-Europe stupor was to my beloved PNW. In Portland, I shapeshifted into an emotive paintbrush for Gregory Bartning’s artist series.

A visit to Portland requires some nature excursions, no matter how cold it is. The cold and mud were made bearable by reconnecting with my good friend Justine, and one of my favorite male models.

Creating an inimitable movement painting with Gregory Bartning

In nature with Darrion Winters by Justine Vanderpool

I returned home in time for my 25th birthday, and spent it doing some of my favorite things: creating with old and new friends, exploring the LA mountains, and bending.

On my 25th birthday with Audrey and Alan (@aud_cat and @deceptiveperspective)

My roommate is a photographer, and organized a group shoot in farewell of the US for a few months.

A powerful group shoot to send off my roommate, @kalogenic

I had the opportunity to work with True Naked Yoga for some nude yoga instructional videos.

On set with True Naked Yoga

I traveled to the Bay a total of 5 times this year with a 6th coming up. This last visit, I had the opportunity to meet and shoot with Poppyseed, someone I’ve looked up to for a long time.

Got to meet the legendary Poppyseed! (Captured by Andy Yeung)

I’ve been favoring shorter tours to closer cities, like Salt Lake City, Phoenix, and Dallas.

In Utah with ShatteredVortex

In Phoenix, by @shauntiamodel

On film in Dallas, Texas by Dan Robinson

A sweet shoot with Jillian Antonia shot by Cailee Grabowski (@matchaheart)

The last stop of my latest tour brought me back home to New York City to work with one of my favorites, Steven Vandervelden. I had 2 very bendy costars: Lilith the snake and Lesley, another LA-based contortionist.

A sneak peek, ahem ~snake peek~ unedited with @moonchildmovement, @vandyphotography, and @newyorkrentasnake

Unfortunately my New York tour had to come to an early close after an injury at a modeling event. I fell off of a poorly installed aerial pole that fell apart in midair. I landed on my back, resulting in a long-term strain that prevents me from backbending as I normally would. The last month has been a reflective time as I navigate my now-limited abilities, but hopefully it’ll just be a blip in the timeline. I know it can be so much worse, and I am lucky I am still able to walk and get about my daily tasks. Please note that I can still perform forward-bends and splits; I am just not at the level of stamina and hypermobility that I used to have. This only affects my modeling where backbending is concerned.

I will be in the following cities, and have some last minute availability for each of them:

Charlotte+ Asheville, North Carolina: 7/20-25

Tampa and Central Florida: 7/26-31

San Francisco/San Jose/Bay Area: 8/17-22

Baltimore: 8/23

Darlington, MD (Ninpah event): 8/24-27

Lancaster, PA, Boston, MA, and Northern VA/D.C.: dates tentative, post-Labor Day

Albuquerque, New Mexico: 10/19-27 for Muses of the West Event.

Please contact me here for any questions/concerns about travel.

Until next time, your friend on the mend

(and hopefully soon your friend in bend),

-Pretzelle