Learning to Fly 2009

Editor: So this is Julie Bell's "Learning to Fly," painted in 2009 using oil and acrylic. There's a definite dreamlike quality, almost mythological, to the scene. A winged woman and a Pegasus soaring over a fantastical landscape... What do you see in this piece? Curator: It feels to me like a journey into pure potentiality. Notice how Bell juxtaposes the woman's grounded physique with the ethereal wings, not just of herself, but also gifted to her playful familiar. It's that moment of almost-but-not-quite-touching, a finger held out to meet the mythical. Editor: It’s like she's beckoning the Pegasus, offering it some… instruction? Guidance? Curator: Exactly. Maybe not even offering something concrete, but an invitation. Bell excels at painting bodies – her figures ripple with life. So, consider the muscularity of both the woman and the Pegasus against that landscape. Does it appear dangerous? Hospitable? I don't think Bell allows the viewer an easy answer. It seems more of a dialogue about confronting limits, whether real or imagined. Editor: It's interesting you point out the physical presence against the dreamscape. I was so caught up in the fantasy aspect, I almost missed the sheer athleticism she depicts. Curator: That push-pull is where Bell's power resides, I think. It’s not just about escaping into fantasy; it’s about embodying that fantasy, claiming that potential energy for yourself. What does it feel like to push your own perceived limitations? Editor: It definitely gives you something to think about. I initially saw it as a beautiful escape, but now it feels more like a call to action. Curator: Absolutely! A winged call, at that! And perhaps "Learning to Fly" also points towards the value in having such companions on this earth-bound, star-bound journey.