We’re having visions of sugar-plum fairies and dreaming of dancing in pink pointe shoes thanks to our newest artist, Julia Rothman, and her debut edition, Ballet.
Ballet by Julia Rothman
8"x10" ($24) | 11"x14" ($60) | 16"x20" ($240) | 20"x24" ($600) | 30"x40" ($2,400)
Ballerinas captivate us. They represent the intersection of art and athleticism. Their seemingly effortless grace, the impossible physical feats they perform, and their consistently perfect ballerina buns make them an enticing mystery to everyone who’s never professionally pliéd at the barre. Julia Rothman captures their elegance, poise, and magnetic je ne sais quoi in Ballet.
Ballet's fluid composition teases grace out of chaos. The paper teems with Julia’s spontaneously rendered dancers, their occasionally crossing limbs mapping some unknown constellation. She writes of her ballerinas, “A figure might wind up out of proportion or an element might collide with another… but I appreciate those imperfections.” Such grace! Perhaps this is the secret to her uncanny ability, somehow portraying a range of emotions and expressing movements both subtle and extreme, all with just two colors.
Julia began drawing dancers after attending a modern dance performance at BAM, but the uber-talented illustrator has drawn a range of subjects—from nature to New York City—from her Brooklyn studio. It feels like we’ve known Julia and her work forever (thank you, Internet!), and with buds like 20x200 artists Wendy MacNaughton and Lisa Congdon, you know she keeps the very best company. But it wasn’t until this year that our dream of producing an edition with her finally came to fruition! And Ballet is just the beginning of a beautiful partnership.
We fell in love with Ballet for a holiday release: there are few things that feel more quintessentially wintry and seasonal than the idea of attending The Nutcracker, dressed to impress in your festive finest. We all have memories of leaving a theater as little ones, this time of year, twirling and leaping, completely spellbound and blissed-out by the beauty of the ballet. Rothman's edition lets us relive that magic year-round, and we couldn’t be more ready to get her work up on our (and your) walls.
With art for everyone,
Team 20x200
