Moon Dance

When I, the artist, look at this painting, I see a dance of movement.

The dark blue may suggest that this was painted while dancing, by the light of the moon. After all, it was named after Van Morrison's jazz-influenced song, Moondance. The combination of the marks made by brush and harder edged tools, plus color, have a conversational interaction. The lines help the artist establish the structure and perspective of the chairs, as if it is a bassline to drive the feel of the music. There are many contrasts, like the simplicity of the completed chairs vs. the seemingly unfinished background, the white chairs vs. the black shadows, and the still almost monochromatic subject matter vs. the colorful and visually activated remainder of the canvas. All of these work to enliven the painting with complex harmony.  

Each mark has a part to play in this music, in this painting. The orange peeking out from behind the chairs adds a complimentary color to the mix. The improvisational expression of some foreign wording written over the painting, I leave for you to ponder. The artist involves the viewer to join in the movement required to appreciate this painting. It is a dance of swinging rhythms and complex harmony, all combining to form a swirling dance. Can you hear the music?