Joyful Sweep
Joyful sweep is when the body is sweeping off of the surface. When you look at the image you cannot see the full body, but you see different pieces of limbs moving throughout the surface. There are small pockets of paint, mostly primary colors, coming together and depicting a human figure moving softly through the surface on a white background. Pencil markings are scribbling throughout the surface in the background. The figure is playing some type of sport almost as if he is playing soccer.
Freedom Dance
Freedom Dance is moving through the atmosphere without the effect of gravity. White and yellow are the most dominant colors throughout the surface. These colors create warmth throughout the painting.The figure is far to the upper right side of the canvas. Depicted in tan and maroon, the figure arches upward from the bottom right corner of the canvas towards the upper left corner. The figure stands on one leg with the other leg reaching out the side and arms stretched getting ready to fly.
Développé
Développé is when the body is transferring all the energy from within to the surrounding spectators. The delicate figure is mostly surrounded by a white surface. The figure with her leg stretched upwards is depicted in a peach and orange tulle skirt that explodes outwards to express the movement of the dancer. The main focus point of the painting is the center where all the movement originates. Her arms and hands are stretched upwards as if she is reaching for the sky.
About the Artist: Johnson Simon
I have always been interested in body movement and when an opportunity was presented to me to attend a dance recital exhibition nine years ago on the Western Michigan University campus, I was excited to attend. Viewing the dancers and their freedom of movement inspired me to display movement in my painting. I was stimulated to create my first dance focused expressionistic painting. Dancing is to me, the art of moving lightly and quickly with the skill of communicating my emotion. As someone with a disability, movement impacts me on a daily basis. In order to help gain more knowledge of motion and movement, I used several sources of movement for research and to enhance ideas. I watch several videos of dancing to help in determining the type of movement I wanted to present in my painting. I studied the movement of people: walking, running, swimming, and sky diving. I then had my own walking and stepping up and down stairways videotaped. I discovered that my walking has a rhythm to it. To further enhance my study of movement I attended several dancing classes to sketch the dancer’s movements for effect. My painting is a representation of me dancing. I am able to make broad and sweeping motions with my paint brush and transfer that motion and feeling of movement onto the canvas to express myself. In my artistic work, I am able to move freely about without limitations. I use bright colors to represent the body movement throughout the surface.
My artwork is a way for me to express or transfer how I would move freely and uninterrupted. I can run, walk, jump, and I can dance without being bound to limitations when I paint. Zm and draw. I believe the paint brush is an extension of me and represents my idea of movement on canvas.