Round Dance in Tulips #8: A Change Within the Series

Sep 27

1 min read

Each painting in a series takes its own direction. In Round Dance in Tulips #8, the change began with how close I wanted the dancers to feel.

In many of my Round Dance paintings, the figures blend into the surrounding color. Their faces can be partly obscured or almost abstract. Here, I brought the figures closer. Their faces are more expressive, and their presence is less hidden.

I have spent many years dancing and working with performers, so these gestures are familiar to me through my own body. As I painted, I listened to Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring. I’m drawn to its energy and to the story of its creation. Stravinsky said the idea began with a dream of a ritual dance, and the ballet’s premiere caused a scandal. I think about the force of a work that could unsettle an audience so deeply. That energy fed my painting process.

Looking at Round Dance in Tulips #8 now, I see it as a change within the series. I came closer to the dancers and let their faces speak more clearly.