This painting is a showing that continues to prove that anything can be done regardless of the “standards”. The racism within the ballet industry was very prevalent in the 1950s and up until recently present day. The idea that black ballet dancers weren’t elegant and majestic enough and that they would ruin the aesthetic of shows was a primary reason for their lack of diversity back then. I decided to showcase the possibility that it can be done and looks just as realistic as any other dancer. This painting was something that really challenged me to look deeper and go bigger! I was super scared at first but it was an amazing decision and I don’t regret that at all.

Kehinde Wiley’s “Willem van Heythuysen” was a source of inspiration for my piece. I’ve always enjoyed his work and after reading about the significance of his patterns I decided to do the same with mine by creating my own!

Acrylic on Canvas 24”x36”