“Tango at Twilight” - Mixed Media (Oil and Acrylic on Canvas) - 24x20”
$550 unframed - gallery 1.5 inch canvas painted sides
 
Bathed in the saturated warmth of a Florida sunset, Tango at Twilight captures a fleeting moment of grace between a roseate spoonbill and a dragonfly. This piece evolved through layers of experimentation, setbacks, and discovery - mirroring the dynamic interplay of power and surrender of a tango dance.
 
Created with both acrylic and Milan’s oil-based temperature paints, this work reflects my first foray into this unique paint. The path wasn’t smooth - two earlier versions were scrapped as I wrestled with an unfamiliar medium. Eventually, I paused painting to study Milan’s techniques with these paints, took two of their oil painting master classes - returning with renewed clarity and courage.
 
Originally imagined as a dragon rising from the marsh at sunset in the Florida Everglades, the piece transformed along the way. The spoonbill emerged as the new lead, with the dragonfly stepping in as an acknowledgement to the original vision. Together, they perform a twilight tango - a metaphor for the passion, persistence, and harmony found in the struggle of artistic expression.
 
This piece taught me that beauty comes in perseverance.