From First Steps To Red Sequins

Acrylic painting and colored graphite sticks on heavy watercolor paper
2009
18 x 67 inches

I photographed Aprile Dunlop’s Circus of the Wheel performance in 2007 and this image of a young woman in red sequins dress simmered in the back of my mind until it finally burst forth in 2009. It was exciting to bring it forth on this fabulous heavy paper with a wonderful torn edge. It sits in a black wooden box.

For some reason I played the CD The Phantom Of The Opera over and over as I painted this. Certainly it has some of the theatrical and costume elements that the song Masquerade portrayed with dazzling costumed actors coming down the stairs in the stage show. Fabulous music to paint this dramatic piece to!

Paula O’Brien accepts commissions for expressive portrait paintings and figurative art.