Dancing in the Light by Laure Bury
Dancing in the Light by Laure Bury is a mesmerising painting that captures the essence of joy and beauty. This artwork invites viewers into a world of enchantment, where flying hummingbirds and fluttering butterflies come together in a delicate and ethereal contemporary floral scene.
The painting is created using layers of oils, gold leaf, silver leaf, and Diamond Dust, which adds a touch of magical sparkle to the composition. The artist’s skilful brushstrokes and meticulous attention to detail bring these creatures to life, infusing the painting with a sense of movement and vitality.
Butterflies, often associated with transformation, and hummingbirds, known as symbols of love, good luck, and joy, take centre stage in this artwork. Their graceful flight and vibrant colours symbolise the fleeting nature of life’s beautiful moments and the importance of cherishing them.
“Dancing in the Light” radiates with light and positive energy. The harmonious blend of colours and the interplay between the hummingbirds and butterflies create a dynamic composition that captures the viewer’s attention. The painting exudes a sense of optimism, encouraging viewers to embrace the beauty and joy that can be found in the world around them.
The canvas is painted around the sides, allowing the artwork to be displayed without a frame, adding to its contemporary appeal. It is signed and titled on the back, adding a personal touch from the artist. Additionally, each painting comes with a signed certificate of authenticity, ensuring its value and provenance.
This stunning artwork, with its celebration of nature’s wonders and its ability to evoke happiness and transformation, would make a remarkable addition to any art collection. “Dancing in the Light” invites viewers to immerse themselves in a world of beauty, love, and joy, and serves as a reminder of the profound impact art can have on our lives.
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Question to the artist about the Artwork
What inspired you to create the artwork “Dancing in the Light” and incorporate hummingbirds and butterflies as the central motifs?
Apart from being an artist, I am also a spiritual healer. My intention is to bring joy, light and healing into the world through my art. The butterfly is the symbol of transformation and the hummingbird is the symbol of the healer. This is why both can often be found in my artwork.
Could you describe the process of incorporating layers of oils, gold leaf, silver leaf, and Diamond Dust into the painting? How did you decide on these specific materials?
Initially I cover the canvas with several layers of acrylic and sand down each layer to create a beautiful smooth surface. Then I add patches of bright oil paint and gold and silver leaf and leave these to dry for 48 hours. Then I cover the whole canvas with a final layer of oil, being careful to keep flashes of bright base colour and gold and silver leaf showing though. This helps to give depth and interest to the artwork. I love to experiment, and once I had tried incorporating these specific materials, I never looked back! I later add birds, flowers and butterflies and sprinkle the hummingbirds with diamond dust so they can shimmer and sparkle in the light much like the feathers of a real hummingbird.
What emotions or messages were you hoping to convey through the use of light and movement in the artwork?
This painting is about Joy. Life is a constant dance between light and shadows. If we are vigilant with our thoughts and our energy, we can avoid some of the shadows and ‘dance in the light’.
How does the contemporary floral scene in “Dancing in the Light” relate to your overall artistic style and themes explored in your body of work?
I have been very fortunate to live in beautiful places, and I would like to think that this beauty comes through into my artwork. At present, I live in Devon and have a beautiful partially re-wilded garden. Last year I created a wildlife pond which now has dragonflies and irises, and these have made their way into this particular painting. If you surround yourself with beautiful flowers, they will embed themselves in your psyche and somehow re-emerge in your art.
As an artist, what significance do butterflies and hummingbirds hold for you personally, and why do you think they are such potent symbols in art and culture?
My first ‘butterfly painting’ came to life after a particularly difficult time in my life. I was going through a divorce and I felt devastated and fearful about facing life on my own with two young children. I went back to art college and created a large painting full of butterflies, but only later came to understand the importance of its symbolism. This was the start of a new and exciting life for me.
Butterflies are the universal symbol of the human spirit and its incredible capacity for transformation. They can be found as far as Mayan and Aztec culture, in Egyptian symbolism and Irish folklore. It used to be illegal to kill a white butterfly in Ireland because they were seen as the spirits of children.
If you think about the caterpillar’s incredible journey from crawling on the earth, then into the darkness of its cocoon to later re-emerge with beautiful colourful wings and the freedom to fly. I would like to think that we can all relate to this journey from darkness into the light and this is why the butterfly is such an important symbol in art and culture.
Similarly, Hummingbirds have a long history of folklore and symbolism in native cultures. The Aztecs saw them as messengers between them and their ancestors or the gods. In Native American culture, Hummingbirds are seen as healers, and bringers of love, good luck and joy.
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Laure draws inspiration from her garden, outside her studio
