Recurring Motif- Fireflies

I have several recurring motifs in my work and I’ve been painting the magical glow of fireflies in my paintings since 2008. Here is a curated collection of original works that have used this amazing subject in different ways. Different species of lighting bugs make different glow marks when they fly through the sky. They typically glow when are looking to attract a mate. Look for the different firefly marks in my paintings below including J shape, a dash, a dot, a flicker, half circle or a even zig zag. The collection is organized from largest to smallest size of the artwork.

A Kaleidoscope of Hidden Worlds, Fullerton and DuSable Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, 2017.

Trail of Fireflies: Hot Summer Nights, 37” x 50”, acrylic on canvas, 2015, private collection.

Trail of Fireflies: Magic Carpet, 36” x 36”, acrylic on canvas, 2015.

Forest Bathing, 36” x 36”, acrylic on canvas, 2019.

Firefly Signals, 16” x 20”, aersol and acrylic on paper, 2022.

Trail-of-Fireflies: At the Drive-in, 12” x 16”, acrylic on panel, 2014.

Trail-of-Fireflies: Nocturama, 12” x 16”, acrylic on panel, 2014.

Trail-of-Fireflies: Vapor from the Sea, 12” x 16”, acrylic on panel, 2014.

Trail-of-Fireflies: Space Pirates, 12” x 12”, acrylic on panel, 2014, corporate collection.

Trail-of-Fireflies: Hot Summer Nights, 12” x 12”, acrylic on panel, 2014, corporate collection.

Pond of Stars P8, 6” x 6”, acrylic on panel, 2014, private collection.

Pond of Stars C29, 6” x 6”, acrylic on panel, 2014, available.

Pond of Stars P8, 6” x 6”, acrylic on panel, 2014, private collection.

Pond of Stars J36, 6” x 6”, acrylic on panel, 2014, private collection.

Pond of Stars W23, 6” x 6”, acrylic on panel, 2014, private collection.

Pond of Stars Z26, 6” x 6”, acrylic on panel, 2014, private collection.

Fiber-Optic Fireflies in the Amphitheater, 24” x 24”, acrylic, fabric, and string on panel, 2008.

 

Still Inspired Dance Photos & Videos

Photography & Video by Rishi Productions. Courtesy of Gosia Matusewska & Gabriel Garavaglia.

✨New✨ project documentation from the March 2023 collaboration with Still Inspired Dance Non-for-Profit at the Athenaeum Theater in Chicago.

The blog post includes performance photographs, choreographer statements, as well as a film that has short clips of all four performances.

I’m so happy to be able to share the different approaches they each took with their dance pieces. Each dance was about 4-8 minutes long and while I cannot share the entire performance here, I hope this gives a sense of the artistry involved in creating these dance performances.. The performance started with me explaining my painting and projecting and image of it it onto the stage. Next each choreographer introduced their piece and their approach and this followed by the dance performance. At the end of the four pieces we had a short Q&A with the dancers, choreographers, and myself with the audience.

One thing that I learned was the dancers took a classical ballet class before the performance to warm up. This was amazing to witness in the dress rehearsal. They hire an outside teacher to do this class.

2023 Still Inspired Dancer Cast

Kaleigh Dent, Katie Louise Dabson, Ava Wichser Foerster, Sabriah Floberg, Erin Hoeger, Kate Laughlin, Lauren Reed, & Abigail Stachnik.

Annie Conway - Choreographer Statement for Gorgeous Love.

I was drawn to the whimsical elements, the coloring, and the symbols within Satellite of Love. The title also intrigued me and I knew I wanted to work with themes surrounding love - all versions of love.

Pulled back, there’s this wholeness to Satellite of Love, but it’s made up of all these smaller, interconnected compartments and spaces, each having its own attributes. This read to me like a roadmap; so with this choreographic process, the dancers and I set out to sort of take a walk around this thing, highlighting different phases and stages of love that ultimately lead us to the point of finding our great loves, friendships, close communities and family – all the various soulmates that fill us up and shape who we are….   And then ultimately coming back to that wholeness, that total contentment and gratitude in having found those core people.

Photography & Video by Rishi Productions.
Courtesy of Gosia Matusewska & Gabriel Garavaglia.

Kate Vandivier - Choreographer Statement for Reflections on a Night Sky.

I was inspired by Renee's original description of the piece being about the painting Everything I Ever Wanted. I was also struck by how visually striking this piece was, and that, to me, it looked like an eye observing the night sky and all of the various constellations, contemplating everything you ever wanted. I started thinking about everything I ever wanted versus what I got. And as I reflected on this idea, I started to realize and be grateful for what I had, even if at the time it wasn't what I wanted. So in the end, my piece is a love story to ones self, and learning to appreciate ourselves and be kinder to ourselves.

Photography & Video by Rishi Productions.
Courtesy of Gosia Matusewska & Gabriel Garavaglia.

Laura Thurston - Choreographer Statement for Then and Now.


My piece, Then and Now was inspired by Renee’s work Allure in the Sea Change series. 

I was initially drawn to the layers of colors on the jelly fish-like creatures and wanted to know more. In researching Renee’s beautiful description of Allure during our collaborative process, I was given more purpose for the development of choreography, as well as how Allure tied in to the Sea Change series. 

The first of two sections was based on the ideals of Allure and the connection to the Sea Change series. Movement invention was created with the concept of fluidity, quickness, darting/attention-getting movement, and choreographic patterns were reminiscent of Renee’s descriptions, using influences from spirals, DNA helix, and attention-seeking pedestrian moments to mimic the invention of Allure. The first section is the “Then” of Then and Now. The second section was a collaboration with the performing cast of 5 females, investigating what the word Allure means to our human selves, today. What societal pressures are placed upon women, and what are the layers that unfold as a result? Some incredible conversations were had, and movement invention from the dancers inspired the creation of the “Now” section of Then and Now. 

Photography & Video by Rishi Productions.
Courtesy of Gosia Matusewska & Gabriel Garavaglia.

Brian Hare - Choreographer Statement for Celestial Shoal.

I was initially drawn to Renee’s work Kaleidoscope of Hidden Worlds because of its’ location. I have always been fascinated by site specific work. With the work being located as part of the pedestrian walkway leading to Lake Michigan under Lakeshore Drive it has an unnoticed impact on our emotional state. Something that is passively absorbed as we go about our day. Upon learning more about the mural I came to appreciate Renee’s bright and defiant use of color. The unapologetically vibrant color pallet I found particularly suited for choreography. The imagery of Macro and Micro organisms weaving and dancing within and through one another starting from a small primordial space and ultimately expanding out into a great cosmic view I found particularly beautiful. Renee’s perspective and unique composition I found very easy to draw inspiration from to both generate movement and craft a narrative arch in my work Celestial Shoal. Renee’s work is both literal and abstract in equal measure which I think makes it a uniquely suited for choreography. It was a true privilege to put my own spin on Renee’s work.

Photography & Video by Rishi Productions.
Courtesy of Gosia Matusewska & Gabriel Garavaglia.

View another blog post to learn more about Renee Robbins’ collaboration with all four choreographers here. This blog post features written descriptions of the paintings by Renee Robbins.

 

Through the Looking Glass: Art+Science Exhibit in Georgia

Through the Looking Glass: Art + Science explores the intersection of art and science as seen through the lens

of microscopes and telescopes. Beyond the striking visual congruences, this juxtaposition of macroscopic and

microscopic worlds unveils the patterns and similarities in the natural world that transcend scale.

Read More

Still Inspired: Wonder

 

I am collaborating with Chicago’s Still Inspired where four choreographers will be transforming my paintings into dance. I wanted to share the pieces that they have selected as well as a bit about each choreographer. We have been working on this project over the past year and I am so very excited to see these paintings come to life at the theater. We have been chatting over email about the artworks and the inspirations for the pieces. The choreographers have been working on composing the dance with the dancers over the last couple of months in the studio. There is so much love poured into this project. We hope you will join us for this unique presentation at the Athenaeum. Get your tickets now as the past performances typically sell out as the seating is limited.

Kate Vandivier with Everything I Ever Wanted
15” x 22”, gouache, acrylic, watercolor, and colored pencil on paper, 2018.

About Everything I Ever Wanted:

The cosmos is infinite in scale. Star constellations are a metaphor for the human desire of everything in the artwork. Trying to count the stars is like trying to map out and count every desire. What is everything I ever wanted? The painting has some recognizable star constellations like Orion, Cassiopeia, and Zodiacs as well as invented star constellations.  The title comes from trying to do an impossible task like drawing everything I ever wanted. It would be impossible to draw everything I ever wanted as we are limited to the one drawing page and our desires constantly change. 

Kate Vandivier

About Kate:
Kate is thrilled to return to Still Inspired for Season 9 after having previously choreographed for Seasons 2 & 3. She recently spent 5 years living and working in London, England at the British Ballet Organisation (bbodance) where she also earned her OFQUAL Level 4 & 5 Diplomas in Dance Teaching, and was a lead instructor and choreographer for Monarch Studios. Her professional performing credits include Chicago Repertory Ballet, Dance in the Parks, Giordano Dance Chicago II, Piel Morena Contemporary Dance, and Thodos Dance Chicago's New Dances. Kate currently lives in Pittsburgh, PA with her husband and 2 kids, and works at Point Park University. ​

Brian Hare with the south wall A Kaleidoscope of Hidden Worlds, 14 ft high x 112 ft wide, Fullerton & DuSable Lake Shore Drive on Lake Michigan in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood, 2017.

About A Kaleidoscope of Hidden Worlds:

A Kaleidoscope of Hidden Worlds​, considers the complex relationships between humans, nature, and the cosmos.

 Moving between the real and imagined, Robbins’ work brings together microscopic and telescopic views; she positions hybrid floral and faunal forms within a space that simultaneously evokes the deep sea and the cosmos. By creating associations between things that are seemingly disparate, such as plankton and stars, Robbins’ work sparks a curiosity about the universe. Responding to biodiversity, her art suggests our place within the natural world while creating a sense of wonder for all living things. Inspiration for this site-specific work involved research on the local ecology. Themes include the symbiotic relationships between species as well as camouflage behaviors inform the design. The composition’s sense of movement draws from cycles in nature, such as growth and decay, changing seasons, and rising and receding tides. Design motifs were inspired by spirals, which repeat in different natural systems, including DNA helixes, flower structures, hurricanes, and galaxies. Robbins’ use of wave patterns mimics those present in water, light, and planetary motion. The artist’s layering of numerous extraordinary worlds—often hidden from view—encourages viewers to take a closer look at their surroundings.

Brian Hare

About Brian:
Originally from the Detroit area, Brian graduated with honors from Columbia College Chicago with a degree in Arts Entertainment Media Management and Dance. As a performer Brian spent four seasons as a company member with Chicago Dance Crash and five seasons with Thodos Dance Chicago. He has been a part of original processes by Melissa Thodos, Anne Reinking, Ron De Jesus, Brian Enos, Harrison McEldowney, Jeremy Plummer, KT Nelson, Elijah Gibson, Eddy Ocampo, Lizzie Mackenzie, Jessica Deahr and many others. As well as being an original cast member of rare Bob Fosse archival work. He was administrator, costumer and dancer for LEVELDANCE under the direction of Eddy Ocampo. As a choreographer he has presented work in Dance Chicago, Dance in the Parks, set multiple works on Chicago Dance Crash and had work in the rep of Thodos Dance Chicago. He teaches students of all ages and disciplines at several Chicago dance studios. He is Co-Artistic Director of youth ensemble Denise Sabala Dance Company in Lake Zurich, IL. He is a master teacher and adjudicator for competitions and conventions including Chicago Dance Connection. Brian has had the privilege to work with College and University dance programs including MaryGrove College and Madonna University, having multiple works selected for the ACDA Gala. In addition to his past company and teaching credits Brian is an aerialist and Associate Director with the interdisciplinary company C5:Createwithnolimits under the direction of Jeremy Plummer. With C5 he has performed at events with Jennifer Hudson, Lady Gaga and former President George W. Bush.

Annie Conway with Satellite of Love, 30” x 42” acrylic on canvas, 2014.

About Satellite of Love:

Celestial and aquatic imagery are brought together to explore natural wonder, both real and imagined in the artwork Satellite of Love.


I got the idea for the painting while listening to Lou Reed's music on repeat. The background of blue and sea green had been fully developed and I had a few flat black silhouette shapes painted on the canvas. I was trying to figure out the next steps of the painting and where it would go or how I would develop it.   I had one of those light bulb moments in the studio while listening to his song Satellite of Love. However, my concept for the painting diverges from Lou’s main idea of the song concept. My painting depicts a satellite form that conveys a love for nature and human made technology through a hybrid of imagery. It has the planet Jupiter, carnival elements, anatomical inspirations (pink and purple in the bottom form were inspired by muscle tissue), tracheid motif (blue and red webbing in the center), & circuit computer board pattern influences.


There is a further layer to the tracheid form in this painting as I was looking at diagrams for transfer of energy in engines from hot to cold so that’s why the color moves from blue to red. See the blog post below for tracheid descriptions.

https://reneerobbins.com/blog/2020/9/2/recurring-motifs

 

There are two medallions or paintings within paintings on this piece. The medallions are surrounded by yellow dots which I think of as glowing carnival lights. The abstracted medallions are inspired by the paintings that decorate the top of carousels. The little peach patterns on the white circular disks come from mitosis and cellular division.

About Annie:
Annie Conway grew up just outside of Milwaukee, receiving her early training from Accent on Dance Studios in Waukesha, Wisconsin under the direction of Kellie Plath. She went on to study at Southern Methodist University in Dallas where she performed works by Billy Siegenfeld, Agnes DeMille (set by Gemze De Lappe) and Larry White of the Martha Graham Dance Company, ultimately earning her BFA in Dance Performance with highest honors. Upon moving to Chicago, she apprenticed with River North Chicago Dance Company and performed with Thodos Dance Chicago New Dances. In 2003, her childhood dream of owning a performing arts school was realized when she and her two sisters founded Virtuoso Performing Arts -- a training facility offering classes in Theatre, Dance and Music -- which they operated until the spring of 2020. Her students have gone on to achieve successful careers ranging from concert dance to Broadway, stage management and teaching. It was during her time as a studio owner and director that choreography grew to be one of Annie’s greatest joys. She is honored to be able to share this passion with others as a co-producer and choreographer for Still Inspired.

Laura Thurston with Allure, 24” x 24”, acrylic on canvas, 2017.

About Allure:

The artwork Allure evokes themes of desire and attraction through layering patterns from species camouflage and mimicking movement from courting dances of aquatic creatures. The shapes or invented species moving from left to right shows another layer of desire as the species moves in front of the viewer to attract attention or even a mate. The colorful dot pattern configuration on the invented species comes from a chameleon’s skin who can change or shift the brightness or hue of their colors.

About Laura:
Laura Thurston studied dance at Northern Dance Theatre of Northern Illinois University under the direction of Randall Newsom, Judith Chitwood, and Paula Frasz. Laura also studied dance at the Dance Center of Columbia College Chicago, studying under Margi Cole, Angie Hauser, Banu Ogan, Anna Paskevska, Dardi McGinley-Gallivan, Natalie Rast, & Eduardo Vilaro to name a few. Laura graduated from Columbia College with a BA in Dance Performance in 2005. Her professional career began in 2004 with Chicago Dance Crash, where she performed and trained from 2004-2007. From 2007-2008, Laura performed and trained with Corpo Dance Company, and 2008-2009 she performed and trained with Cerqua Rivera Dance Theater. In 2009, Laura Co-Founded Piel Morena Contemporary Dance, performing from 2009-2012. In 2013, Laura Co-Founded Still Inspired, performing in the first season. Laura has had the pleasure to work with many incredible instructors throughout her professional training including: Greg Begley, Homer Bryant, Joel Hall, John Leher, Lizzie MacKenzie, Cheryl Mann, Stephanie Martinez, Laura Gates, Randall Newsom, Kirby Reed, Molly Shanahan, & Laura Wade among others. She's Performed works by: Ricardo Garcia, Elijah Alhadji Gibson, Doris Humphrey, Tony Powell, Michelle Manzanales, Wilfredo Rivera & Jaime Sierra to name a few, and was lucky enough to perform in venues throughout the Midwest, New York City, and Monterrey, Mexico.

Laura began her work in arts administration in 2009. She learned about the “behind the scenes” efforts of running a Not-For-Profit in the Chicago Dance Community and has experience in public relations, grant writing, data management, accounting, fundraising, and event coordination.  

Laura is also a dance educator, and has instructed children, teens, & adults in Chicago and the surrounding suburbs for over 21 years. She thoroughly enjoys working with students and is grateful for the opportunity to observe her students’ experiences of growth and success in dance. ​​

Laura is thrilled to work as Artistic Director, Choreographer and Co-Producer of Still Inspired. She will be producing the show’s ninth installment in the beautiful city of Chicago where she shares artistic visions with other dance and visual creators while providing opportunities to artists and dancers. It is a dream come true! She is incredibly grateful for her family, including her supportive husband Andrew and her two young children Parker and Clara who inspire her every day to keep creating and cultivating a better world through the lens she knows and loves.