This painting depicts Noel Wallace, the first black ballet dancer to be accepted into the Royal Ballet...this was in the 80s, as previously black bodies were deemed unsuitable for ballet. There is iconography depicting the missionary activity used in African regions to help influence the indigenous villagers to conform. Noel is depicted as an angel, his pure soul...his own choice to be whomever he wishes to be. We are all equal, and this is the underlying message in my painting.
Although not a formally trained artist, I have learnt some extremely valuable lessons in technique, colour, medium and form over the past 20 years, which got me to where I am now through a journey of collaboration, courses and generally studying the artists whose work makes me feel connected.
As art is such an ambiguous medium, it is always down to how the viewer perceives the work,…