Gesture...

Brooklyn Beat   Watercolor/Mixed on Paper   20.5 x 28

spins my fan.  It is really the invisible line that defines the energy of the figure's position, its weight.  Gesture is often based on an S-curve, an organic line that leaves and returns, a staple of calligraphy.  Group gestures use this line as well.  Individual gesture takes a back seat to the gesture of the group.  Last evening on "So You Think You Can Dance", there was a lovely bit of choreography done by a former winner of the show that was performed by the top 10 females which described going into the light.  It truly was one of the most beautiful dances I have ever seen.  The group of dancers moved as one, as an amoeba, to and fro, up and down, sideways and back.  I was moved and inspired.  The group gesture in "Brooklyn Beat" was a slight diagonal, with each percussionist in a backwards tilt, supporting the weight of the drums and cymbals.  This work was executed with a very large brush in watercolor and gouache.  The drums are basically the white of the paper showing through with a light glaze of Chinese White over top to soften the look.  I wanted to recreate this wonderful experience and to hear...hear...hear...the beat...beat...beat.