Pianist, Singer, Ballerina

Pianist, Dance, SInger dones picanya final
Pianist, Singer, Ballerina, acrylics on canvas, 1.5 x 1.3m/5′ x 4′

This expressionistic piece combines imaginative and realistic elements such as we see in the dancer, from the performer’s point of view. The stained glass look continues, muted in the dark theater as is the audience. It’s about the challenges of cooperative performance. Without an audience there is no performance.

Light and dark interplay. Shafts of light downpour, adding to the pressure. The spotlight’s on you. Do it. There is one escape: that open door. But to get there you are judged more harshly.

Last year’s event here Dones de Picanya 2023 and 2022 here Dones de Picanya 2022

Music Drawings from the Palau

For several years I made drawings while sitting in the audience in the Palau de la Musica in Valencia, Spain. In the darkened auditorium I could not see very well, so I would find out what I had drawn. I used both hands. In one I held a Pilot pen and in the other a brush with a water reservoir which I used to create the washes and shadows.

Here you see the result in an 8 minute video set to Libertadores by Oscar Navarro, who is from Valencia. We have been there when this piece was performed and Oscar was there too. It’s a wonderful piece. I hope you enjoy it and the drawings.

Pianist and Singer

The pianist is our friend Husan, who is an opera voice coach. She has a sound proof room so in addition to seeing her on stage we also have sat in her small room while an opera singer flooded us with the fabulous voice of a trained singer.

Pianist and Singer
Pianist and Singer, acrylics on canvas, 73 x 54 cm, 23 x 30″

“Nice perspective and contrast in that piece, they all look good, but that has “pop!””

“These works are truly astounding. I can appreciate, even though I am not creative on my own to depict dancers atop a violin or looking out the window of a purple house or project the feeling of actually being onstage with Husan.,,  Keep sharing your work.  It’s stunning.”

Dance 3

Dance 3
Dance 3, acrylics on Canson 300 gram paper, 57 x 76 cm, 22.5 x 30”

For years we danced with various International Folk Dance groups in the US, France and Spain. Here they dance to the violin.

This one has a ton of movement.    I did the hands/fingers two ways. I think that adds interest, variety.  It looks great on our wall here.  Lots of color.  The violin shines, which you can not see in the photo.  the wooden part of the bow has three facets, hard to see in the photo.  

Tubas at the Palau, acrylics

Tubas at the Palau, acrylics, 57 x 76 cm, 22.5″ x 30″ Arches paper

This is another in a series of paintings based on pen and ink drawings done at the Palau de la Musica.   There are normally tuba and contrabass sections of these symphonic bands.   

tubas sm
The original drawing. Contact me for availability

Palau de la Musica Round Stage, acrylics on canvas

This takes place in the music hall in the lower level of the Palau de la Musica, in Valencia, Spain.  It is one of only three remaining in a large series of paintings.  They originate with miniature pen and ink drawings done in the audience at the Palau.  They explore the state of mind we experience when we listen to music, in this case that of symphonic bands.  There is a dream like state some experience where we are in between a zone. 

palau round stage 2 small

 

Live at Sala Russafa- pen and ink drawings

Flamenco Fusion Sala Russafa pen and ink 21 x 15 cm, 8.3 x 5.9"
Flamenco Fusion Sala Russafa pen and ink 21 x 15 cm, 8.3 x 5.9″
American Folk Fusion Sala Russafa pen and ink 21 x 15 cm, 8.3 x 5.9"
American Folk Fusion Sala Russafa pen and ink 21 x 15 cm, 8.3 x 5.9″

I did these pen and ink drawings at the Berklee School of Music student concerts at Sala Russafa, Nov 11-13, 2017, except for the one at the bottom, which was at the year-end performance of the Valencia campus of the Berklee School of Music in pen and ink.

Band at El Carmen

band at el carmen
Band at El Carmen, acrylics, 8.25 x 16.6, 30 x 40 cm

Band at El Carmen, 12th century monastery in Valencia. They performed during an event I attended. These monasteries were once brightly painted, but not like this!  I have the freedom to decorate the Gothic arches as I please, and I like them bouncing off the page.