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Drawing and painting movement, particularly dance, is one of the most joyful ways I've found to work as an artist. I've studied dance both in participating and watching professionals working since childhood and in the last few years I've felt this work (which began as a fun way to practice drawing) develop in to something I actually considered worth offering up as finished artwork in itself, largely because it is where I feel at my most sincere. I had a mini exhibition just before the world locked down & then became very ill with what had been a sneaking chronic disease & needed to take time out to have surgeries. As 2023 ended, I prepared to get back to a new 'normal' & set myself the challenge of turning this thing of joy in to a full time job. I decided to brave my first attempt at capturing the subject in paint & sculpture, which brought immediate joy & (with some grind) has also grown in to something I feel happy with.

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I adore everything about the theatre, the velvet curtain and the costumery, the sense of occasion and the orchestra... in my work though, I strip that away to showcase the 'bare bones' of the expressive ability of the body. With this in mind, it became most important to work to show the amalgamation of a dancers technical ability, sense of movement and its result - a seemingly effortless jewel of a performance that, as it flashes in the light, expresses complex narrative and emotion powered by olympic athletic strength and discipline and the vision of/behind choreography.

The challenge to capture the exactness of beautifully choreographed bodies in motion, be that ballet, burlesque or even theatrical combat, is a niche delight to which I'm very much addicted. The work has become (at times quite literally) an enriching conversation with these illusive artists, who in their passionate dedication, illuminate life with their fierce attack and respect. They've shown me such surprising kindness and support. 

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As I started to sculpt - all the while building these first sets of study - my perspective on what I needed to do started to ​run clearer like mud settling in a stream... My sketches were always working to carry the moving three-dimensional figure in line, & in the claim I was trying to faithfully capture what a dancer is doing/acheiving, whilst remaining etherial & un-fixed - 'sketched' I sketch in clay, I sculpt in pencil... this is th best ay to capture the wonderful subjects.

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