The Evolution of "Festival Sunset Dance"

Original oil on hardboard
20"x16" in black and gold frame
©2011 Diana Moses Botkin

Yesterday on this blog, I said I'd share about my process for how I developed this painting for The Festival at Sandpoint.

Because there was not a predetermined theme, the creation and execution of the idea was entirely up to me. The selection of each year's Festival artist is not a competition with submitted entries. Each year's Festival artist is chosen by a committee of past Festival artists.

You can imagine how pleased and honored I was to be picked by my fellow artists. It always means a lot to me for other artists to choose my work for awards, recognition and to add to their own collections.

So, how did this painting evolve? The only guidelines I had were to paint something 20"x16" or larger (a LOT bigger than my daily paintings!), and a deadline of only a few weeks away (not much time for a large piece!). The race was on.

I actually had several ideas for a theme and settled on the one I liked best. My main goals for the art were to portray the mood, setting, and activity of The Festival.

I set to work doing studies to develop my idea, one of dancers under a glowing sky. Sometimes, in planning a painting, I have an idea in my head and it works out easily to construct the composition and details. And other times, it takes blood, sweat and tears. What's that old saying by Thomas Edison? "Genius is one per cent inspiration, ninety-nine per cent perspiration."

Before I put brush to canvas, I needed references for my dancers and the other elements, including the setting. Fortunately, some of my younger friends jumped and danced for me in the sunset lighting I envisioned, so I'd have accurate figure references. The energy of the dancers made this part of the process a lot of fun.

I wound up doing 7 studies to get a plan that I felt was good. All this time, the clock was ticking for the deadline. Stay tuned to see the studies in the coming days here at my blog!

By the way, if you would like to get in on the bidding for the original painting, simply call The Festival office at (888) 265-4554 or show up at the concerts August 4-14 and place a bid. Signed posters of my art will also be available.