The Dancer 

Zoe Mozert made "The Dancer" using pastels, likely during her career as a pin-up artist in the mid-20th century. Pastels, with their velvety texture and vibrant pigments, give the dancer a soft, almost dreamlike quality, perfectly suited to the world of entertainment. Unlike the permanence of oil paints, pastels are immediate and direct, allowing Mozert to capture fleeting moments of beauty and glamour. The application is key here; the strokes are blended skillfully to create smooth transitions of color and form, evoking a sense of idealized femininity. Considered against the backdrop of mid-century America, this artwork reflects the era's fascination with celebrity culture, beauty standards, and the commodification of the female form. The image speaks to the labor involved in creating and maintaining an idealized image, both for the model and the artist. Ultimately, Mozert's work reminds us of the power of materials and making to shape our perceptions and challenge traditional notions of art and craft.