the girl in green
Andra (Green Jive Study 1) - Oil on Linen, 18 x 24”
Image credit: Imagefoundry (www.imagefoundry.com)
Sometimes a dance performance will wordlessly demand a place on my easel. Andra’s performance, videoed and posted to YouTube by Marius Mutin as “Jiving it out! Andra & Alex”, was one of those performances, inspiring my latest piece, “Andra (Green Jive Study 1)”.
You can watch the video on YouTube or at the end of this post. The particular pose that I painted can be found approximately 45 seconds into the video.
I have never met Andra in person. The only place I have seen her dance is online. As I watched Andra jive, I found her energy infectious and her green dress captivating - hence, she found a welcome home on my easel.
John Singer Sargent, Spanish Dancer
Image credit: Wikipedia
Something that I also find particularly appealing about the particular pose featured in this painting is how much it reminds me of John Singer Sargent’s painting, “The Spanish Dancer,” which was a study for a more famous piece, “El Jaleo”, pictured below.
While I experimented with painting Andra in a darker environment at the outset, reminiscent of Sargent’s work, the deep browns and blacks seemed to suppressed the energy in Andra’s movement, rather than give her life. Watching the video of Andra and Alex’s performance, they sparkle together, imbued with a fun and flirty energy - it felt wrong to put Andra in a dark and brooding environment.
Yet Andra continues to remind me of Sargent’s Spanish Dancer, with her pose and powerful presence, dominating the canvas, even as she looks away.
John Singer Sargent, El Jaleo - oil on canvas, 93 x 138”
Image credit: Wikipedia
Ultimately, I found myself drawn to paint Andra on a slightly muted red background, consistent with her flesh tones but also complementary to her dazzling and vibrant green dress, which moves so playfully as she jives, extending her every movement.
Detail from Andra (Green Jive Study 1) - Oil on Linen, 18 x 24”
Image credit: Imagefoundry (www.imagefoundry.com)
In keeping with the name of this piece, I have hopes to paint Andra again in her green dress ( perhaps with Alex as well next time).
As previously noted, the video below shows Andra and Alex’s performance. I downloaded this video from YouTube, where it was posted by Marius Mutin. Enjoy!
For the original video footage, see “Jive it out! Andra and Alex,” posted to YouTube by Marius Mutin on March 18, 2023.
Thank you for reading!
- Shannon Lively