Forever Matisse

Yes, Matisse is my FAF -- Favourite Artist Forever.  Whenever I see a Matisse or occasionally catch a glimpse of  something suggesting Matisse in my own work (quick sketches above) or in others', it brings me a deep sense of satisfaction -- of  joy, in fact.

He took a lot of flak in his lifetime for his words suggesting "armchair art" -- but then, you either resonate with Matisse or you don't.

 "What I dream of is an art of balance, of purity and serenity, devoid of troubling or depressing subject matter, an art which could be for every mental worker, for the businessman as well as the man of letters, for example, a soothing, calming influence on the mind, something like a good armchair which provides relaxation from physical fatigue."

There's just one among his most famous paintings that I used to dislike intensely:-- "Decorative Figure on an Ornamental Background."

Three years ago, I used this painting as the base for an exercise suggested by one of my art books:  "See what you can learn by studying a work of art you really don't like."  My experiment is explained here -- what I learned about Matisse's sources that made the stiff figure and ugly fabric more comprehensible to me, as well as the adjustments I made to make this my own.  Here's the outcome, "Channelling Matisse," copyright 2015.

I channelled Matisse again a few months after that when I included a postcard reproduction in the background of "Another Vintage Year" (copyright 2015).

Even the voyeuristic poppy pods couldn't stop looking!

Recently, Matisse came up as the "artist of the week" in my on-line art class.  It happened that I'd just finished one of the International Dance Festival's drawing sessions, and the dancer in mime costume/make-up was constantly on my mind.

I started wondering, "Hmmm....with all his facility with lavish colours, what would Matisse have done with a figure in white?"   I found a few on-line examples of Matisse figures in white clothing and then suddenly thought, "Why not just plunk my white mime figure right in the middle of........the Ornamental Background?!??"

I worked with great excitement and am still excited by the outcome -- "Mime in a Matisse Setting."  (copyright 2018)

The work-in-progress sequence can be viewed here, and it's kind of fun.   I worked over an old painting of wine and liqueur bottles, and in the initial phase the mime looks like a ghostly elf tucked in behind a brandy snifter.

Well, why not?  I'm having fun.  I'm learning lots.  Cheers!  Salut!  Happy Days!

Shall we dance -- ?

Sunshine!  Blue skies!  Energy!!!  I don't know whether that's why the Vancouver International Dance Festival is held at this time of year, but it makes for an exciting March.  The community centre that hosts the festival on its professional stage always sponsors free one-hour drawing sessions during the festival weeks, and this is the third year I've attended a few.

But wait!  I'm getting ahead of myself.  Last month and this week, I've again been drawing in the dark at the Dance Centre, where professional dance troupes preview their works-in-progress in one-hour noontime sessions.  It's an exercise I invented for myself and although it yields few recognizable results, it's so much fun.

I've seen some astonishing young dancers there, and the latest -- the OURO Collective (named for Ouroboros) -- were truly jaw-dropping.  Try this link and click on "TANGENT - Trailer" for a sample.  Then imagine trying to capture this action, drawing quickly in the dark, virtually sight unseen.

The blob in this one  should be read as a cascade of the five interlocked dancers:

Plenty of people would view my personal Drawing in the Dark (not to be confused with Dancing in the Dark)  as a quirky idea.  What a delight for me, then, to have seated next to me a young woman who, I could see, could barely refrain from looking at what I was doing.  When the hour ended and the lights came up she said, "I couldn't help but watch you.  Could I see your drawings?  It's so cool that you're doing this."  We flipped through the blobs together, and she was so excited:  "Oh my god, you've nailed it!!!"  Talk about kindred spirits.

Now, on to the Roundhouse Community Centre for the VIDF offerings -- featuring clothed models, most often dancers themselves who are modelling on a volunteer basis. 

First up, a young woman in mime's costume, white-face, and an incredible wasp-nest kind of turban.

Her modelling was terrific but oddly enough, all this white against the black was hard to draw.  Still, I'm fascinated by this costumed pose -- you haven't seen the last of it.

Next session, another terrific model whose stripey top created some positional landmarks.

In my third Roundhouse session, another young dancer offered some interesting twists and turns in her poses -- not always easy to fine-tune considering her all-black costume.

Finally, the Ides of March brought an astonishing finale to these weeks of dance drawings.  The midday performance at the Dance Centre featured a type of classical Indian dance known as bharata natyam, in this case performed by three female dancers of Mandala Arts & Culture.

I had expected something slow and formalized but was blown away by this contemporary approach to forms that were once practiced as devotional dances in Hindu temples.  These had become almost extinct until about 100 years ago when the dances were revived as a theatre art.  Their renaissance in Canada and internationally has been greatly aided by the passion of a renowned male Caucasian dancer, now artistic director of this troupe, named Jai Govinda.

The young women were all students of his, two of them since the age of six.  The first danced an incredibly intricate Chant to Buddha, featuring in part an invocation to the four corners of the earth.  I have never before seen such an embodiment of pure joy as in this young woman's movements, gestures, expressions.

The second danced an homage to Krishna -- the speed and positioning of her feet, hands, fingers were almost beyond capturing!

Finally, in a storytelling mode, the third dancer embodied Radha, the most beautiful of Krishna’s consorts.  She has waited for him all night and then, when he finally arrives at dawn, she enumerates all the evidence for his having been with another woman.  Teacher Govinda explained that he had choreographed this in the traditional way in which Radha feels very hard done by.  “But then came the #MeToo movement,” he said, “and I realized the story needed a revision.”  No more self-pitying Radha!  Now she stomps her foot and gives Krishna the brush-off, telling him “No more lies!”  

  

We were assured that there is a follow-up story, not danced that day, called “Krishna repents.”

And so the dance continues -- those who dance, those who are enthralled with dancers, those who inspire it all, like Shiva, The Lord of the Dance.   Shown here -- and above, as a mandala --  he has been quickly drawn from the metal statue that stood at the side of the stage.