oil on panel, 18" x 18"
This narrative painting really put me through my paces. It proved to be quite a challenge, palette-wise. I had first determined I wanted a green background but switched my preference after the fact to a cool blue. The process took ages because of the slow drying time of oil paint. The dancer here is Olga Smirnova, prima ballerina with the Bolshoi, who emigrated to The Netherlands at the outset of Putin's invasion of Ukraine, stating she was "against this war with every fibre of my soul." I've depicted her here leaping westward over Mt. Elbrus in Russia, toward The Netherlands, her safe haven, where she now dances with the Dutch Royal Ballet. Also heading west is a sympathetic soul in the white stork, the national bird of Ukraine. The sunflower in her hair has lost a couple petals, but remains vibrant, a testament to the resilience of the Ukrainian people.
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