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.