I had the great honour recently to paint the beautiful and talented Dame Darcey Bussell.
I met with her at her home in London where we chatted about her life as a Prima Ballerina and reflected on her time in television and becoming a Dame. I sketched her and took numerous photographs.
Behind Darcey was a mirror which I felt was reminiscent of her life and work at the bar as a dancer. I wanted her to look relaxed and in repose. She happened to be wearing the most fantastically vivid, pink gym top. When it came to painting her, I felt I couldn’t ignore this rather contemporary and lurid colour, which sung out at me. It was not in sympathy with my usual, rather muted, soft pallet but I thought it was so current and reflected beautifully in the bevelled line of the mirror. It felt like it was taking me back to her reflection where I wanted her to look like her younger self while her other mature self contemplated life.
Darcey was thrilled with not only the likeness, but also the mood of the piece. She said, “I love the slight smile you’ve managed, whilst showing me looking thoughtful and contemplative.”
I found it a challenge to paint Darcey in a static position as her beauty and vivacity is apparent when she is animated. Her features and expressions are so lively, which is why I had to paint another sketch of her as if she’s about to take off and leap into dance or laugh or say something witty.
I also did a more serious oil sketch of her, perhaps a rather more somber image of her thinking back over her dancing days. I will never forget how emotional she said it was when she danced her last performance at the Royal Opera House. I hope this painting is another reflection of her life.
Here she faces away from herself, where as the other paintings show her wonderful youth and optimism.
This project has been such a joy and certainly something I will always remember and cherish.
