INTERPRETATION OF THE DANCING LADY

When Jeff and I first moved in with each other, our love for each other was abundant (still is) but our bank accounts were a completely different story. Let's just say that our house decorating capabilities were limited to who was able to give us what, and how much we were able to fit into the apartment. Needless to say, it was a mish mash of stuff, but we were comfortable. Come to think of it, everything we own is still a mish mash of stuff, and we're still comfortable.....I guess we're mish mash kind of people..........anyhoo!

The first piece of artwork we purchased together was a poster that we found at Kathy John's. It was ten dollars, and it was the first thing that was affordable that we both agreed was something we should have. And I guess it is something we both still agree on because she has moved with us ever since. This is the poster:


I always wanted to reproduce this image in a textured way. There's so much movement in the dress and the woman's body, every time I looked at it, I wondered if I could make it pop off the page. I didn't want to repaint it because the original artist did a fine job. I just wanted to interpret it. Tonight I tried.

I set myself up in my living room, got comfy and started painting a background for my dancer.

Then I got out all of the paper that I have collected over the years and just started tearing them, applying them to the canvas with some decoupage glue. I started with the lower part of her dress and just kept layering. I free form cut her legs, arms and head with scissors.


And this is my interpretation of The Dancing Lady, using ripped paper.



I painted a rough mouth and eyes; I didn't really want her face to be the focus of the whole piece. I think for a first try, I did OK. I'll probably wake up tomorrow and be overly critical of it, but for now, I think she's pretty neat. I now have to find a place for her on our wall. Looks like we'll be packing up two dancing ladies if we ever move again! :)

~T