Bailaor & Bailaora, 20" x 20"

Acrylic on Canvas - Diptych. Each piece is 20 x 10 inches.

The piece can be hung with the dancers back to back as well as facing each other. Both would be correct in Flamenco Dancing.

"My two new recent paintings are true depictions of ‘Flamenco Dance’. This is perhaps the first time I have tapped into the emotional and moving experience of my subject. A few years ago while in Barcelona, I experienced an impromptu Flamenco Street Show. It was incredible and
the dances were so full of deep expression and movement. I learned later that the origins of Flamenco came from Andalusia, in the southern part of Spain. There are 5 main principles in Flamenco that incorporate singing ‘cante’, guitar playing ‘toque’, dance ‘baile’, rhythmic hand clapping ‘palmas’ and of course finger-snapping ‘pitos’.

As Spain embraced Flamenco, many did not. The Catholic Church was strictly against it as it was considered a ‘vulgar spectacle’ and warned of its evil influences. In 1970, with a failing economy, a bold move was made by the Spanish government by mainstreaming Flamenco
Dance to increase tourism in Spain. Much more successful than they had anticipated, It turns out that ‘Flamenco Dancing’ is loved all over the world and it is a highly accepted and acclaimed art form."

Colour and movement, the way light bounces off the trees and water, finding joy in the beauty of my environment - all of that has always been a life pleasure for Jill Sapiente. Her travels have brought her all over North America and beyond and became inspirations for all of her paintings.