Pony Ballet Possibly 1910 - 1911

William James Glackens, he's an artist I'm just getting to know, made this painting, Pony Ballet, with oil on canvas. Look at the confident strokes of color that define the figures and background. It feels like the painting came together in a flurry of mark making, full of shifting forms and intuitive gestures. I can imagine Glackens standing before the canvas, brush in hand, trying to capture the ephemeral movement of the ballet. The paint looks thin, fluid, allowing him to build up layers of color and texture. See how the vertical stripes of the costumes contrast with the dappled brushwork of the background, creating a sense of depth and movement. The woman in the foreground is striking; her gaze is soft and engaging, inviting us into this painted world. Her arm resting gently on the shoulder of the other dancer communicates feeling, intention and meaning. It is so interesting to consider how one painter speaks to another across time. There’s a clear nod to the Impressionists with the way the light flickers and dances across the surface. For me, painting is this ongoing conversation, an exchange of ideas that inspires creativity across generations. Artists embracing ambiguity and uncertainty, allowing for multiple interpretations of meaning.