The 'Painted Dances' project was inspired by the expressive performances of diverse-ability dancers of Propeller Dance Company and the genre-jumping music of Atlantic String Machine. A series of twelve large-scale 'Painted Dances' abstract paintings were created which embody their emotions, gestures, movements and rhythms. As a representation of the diversity of the artists involved, the palette chosen spans the colour wheel spectrum and a rim from a wheelchair wheel was used to create circular shapes.

To create the paintings, over 100 improvisational sketches were first painted onsite during rehearsals and performances. Titles come from words captured then too. Dancers were then asked to choose their favourite sketches and the final series was developed from these.

Thank you to the City of Ottawa for project support.

PAINTED DANCES ARTIST STATEMENT:
(with the 12 painting titles embedded in the statement)

I "Improvise" and feel "Overjoyed" by how "Powerful(ly)" the "Coming Together" with other artists sparks my imagination and allows my creativity to flow.

It’s not always easy. I struggle to know if I can effectively express how much I "Embrace" the "Offering" of my collaborators. Like them, I experiment and "Keep Going". Until I find the "Surprise" (aha) moments that allow me to "Inhabit" the interflow among the separate inputs of movement, music and visual art and "Transition" this into a series of twelve Painted Dances that "Fill Space" with a celebration of the "Sparkle and Sound" of each other‘s artistry.

Julea Hope Boswell
cross-disciplinary project artist