Original artwork description:

I've painted a lot of ballet poses in minutes of stillness or rest, here is the opposite. In this work I've thrown myself into the movement, using the dress to suggest the speed and grace the dancer is implementing. It's a work based on the wonderful Valeria Bespalova who dances for Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet.

Like the other painting on movement, about five years ago, I painted a smaller version of this and enjoyed it so much I was sure I wanted to do a larger and more detailed work. It's taken a few years to come back to it but I think that shows in my improved technique and colour theory. I wanted this painting to be both traditional and modern at the same time.

Painting is unframed, painted on primed cotton canvas stretched over pine stretcher bars. It is stretched on raised canvas stretcher bars, nearly three inches, so hangs well unframed. Might be tricky to frame without re-stretching it. It's painted with artist quality oil paints.

Materials used:

Artist quality oil paints on cotton canvas

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