Dance and Love Collide on Silk

Two of One silk Painting before background paint

I've been writing a lot lately about dance. I am happier when I dance than at any other moment, except for maybe when I'm floating in the arms of creative inspiration and creating a piece like this one. I began with the desire to continue on with the abstract figure idea but create a male and female figure that were merging - the idea being that in dance and in love, two become one...or if you want to get truly spiritual and over the top emotional (or just Hedwig and the Angry Inch about it) one whole with two parts.

As happens so often in my work, when I actually went from paper to silk, this piece changed. I may revisit the idea of two bodies merging, but for this one, the merging occurred only at the top of the piece - as if the energy that they are creating in dance is not only spiraling about them, but also streaming from their crown chakras to entertwine.

Two of One Silk Painting before steaming

I had a hard time on the background for this one. I considered greys, but after some time and helpful critic, I went soft with a mix of washes in yellow, magenta, brown, and red in the base fading into washes of blue up top. I did consider darkening the male figure to create a deeper contrast with the background, but ended up deciding that I liked him how he was. Once the piece is steamed and washed, the lines around the figures will be white, so I think that will be strong enough to keep him separated from the background.


I really love this piece - it is dance, and love, and as always, the love of dance.