"La Sylphide" WIP 2

A work-in-progress shot of "La Sylphide", cropped to show detail.  I'm just starting to get going with the main figure's colors.  It's been going slower than I would have liked and it has nothing to do with planning, artistic decisions, or other things going on work-wise.  I'm having to deal with some emotional issues relating to ballet.  Lately, there have been multiple occasions where ballet has been popping up in my life -- two and a half years after I made my final decision to leave that world once and for all.  My old ballet watercolor paintings are getting renewed attention professionally, and I'm getting invitations to teach and perform in a local company, etc.  But I've come to know that ballet is something that's easier to live with if I'm not too close to it.  It's just like a problem substance to an addict -- much easier not to have it around the house than fight the temptations face to face. ^^;

I've painted three pieces in recent months that had a ballerina or fairy wearing pointe shoes and they never bothered me like this one. XD  It's probably because I had Marie Taglioni in mind, and the title is "La Sylphide" -- my favorite ballet.  It was the very first gift I received from my most respected of all teachers when I first began studying with her.  She gave me a video of Paris Opera Ballet's production featuring Ghislaine Thesmar.  She made an immense impression on me and its grip, to this day, is still strong.  Stronger than I ever thought it to be.