Tap Shoes Painting

This work is on exhibition until January 1, 2025. 'Tap Shoes' is somewhat of a departure for me. Rather than starting with a small thumbnail sketch and working up a design, this piece started on the blank white canvas, clearing my mind, and using free association drawing. Start with a line here, a box there, a fish! --- More drawing: over here - some eyes; over there - a house, add tap shoes and an umbrella (why not?). This type of composition can be challenging, but with careful observation, you can navigate through the piece in three swift moves. Begin with the strongest diagonal line on the lower left and follow it up over the white house and fold, to the apex of the umbrella. Then down the right side of the painting following the umbrella handle almost all the way down, to the first tap shoe. Now follow the leg, through the checkerboard, between the eyes, and up through the roof. 1, 2, 3! Along the way, there is a playground of imagery to tease and entertain the mind. How did I come up with the imagery? Well, I did take dancing lessons as a child. Tap shoes with red bows. 258 was the house number of our home. The weird flower has morphed into a bizarre Dr. Seuss-like character. Add a generic box, urn, an umbrella. The eyes portray my anxiety - while the fish is a total surprise. I liken this type of creative composing to driving a racecar at full speed down a winding track. One hand on the steering wheel anticipating which way to turn next; while the other hand desperately rakes the hair out of my eyes as I try to see what's happening! Some kind of crazy fun!