Painting Dance: A Studio Art Senior Individualized Project

Abstract

The dance is eternal. It is a manifestation of life in its truest form, and it is this experience of life through dance that I desire to bring to canvas. T.S. Eliot writes in Buirnt Norton, "The dance along the artery/ The circulation of the lymph/ Are figured in the drift of stars ... There would be no dance, and there is only the/ dance. I can only say, there we have been: but I cannot/ say where./ And I cannot say, how long, for that is to place it/ in time." As my studio art Senior Individualized Project, Painting Dance is the culmination of a variety of experiences not only at Kalamazoo College, but throughout my life, embodying fundamental elements of both myself as an artist and as an individual. Elaborating on a lifelong interest in geometric design and intricate doodles, I encompass Buddhist mandala patterns and quaternary form as I attempt to capture the experience of the Polish Mazurka from the ballet Coppelia. At the same time, Abstract Expressionism has enriched my understanding of color and line as a subject matter. Furthermore, Japanese art and calligraphy has profoundly impacted my compositional choices and my understanding of mark making. All of these elements intertwine in Painting Dance with my study of ballet through Farrell Ballet Theatre Company at Kalamazoo College, resulting in deeper understanding of dance, paint, and life.