A dancer in a waterfall of color. My husband does pyrotechnic effects for this (now defunct) ballet, so the title "Fire Dancer" is a tribute to him.

In 2004, I put together a show called "Art of Theatre" for the lobby of Clowes Memorial Hall, a 2,000 seat theatre, in Indianapolis. Because my husband is a stagehand, I know how crucial the work is that goes on behind the scenes. My goal was to showcase the importance of every aspect of the theatre, treating more mundane subjects with the same excitement and energy I used to paint beautiful ballerinas. I placed paintings of scenery in storage and empty theatre seats next to classic pastels of dancers.

This one depicts the classic beauty of a dancer in the spotlight, and is the partner piece for the more mundane "Rope Locks." I photographed Keiko in a dress rehearsal for "Don Quixote." I began my painting with an inked drawing of the dancer, then starting acrylic splashing colors around on wet paper with absolutely no preconceived idea of where I was going with it. Having known dancers, I see them as strong and powerful, not delicate and pastel-colored, so I kept my colors strong. The finishing details on the dancer are done with broad strokes of pastel.