Butterflies

Here, Nigel Mason departs from the traditional medium of oil paint and enters the more radical realm of pastel, popularised by Edgar Degas in the 19th century.

Much like Degas, Nigel has focused on his subject matter and how light and space interact with the ballerina form, rather than how they interact with the space – as represented by the simplistic background.

The result is a timeless and atmospheric depiction where the bright colours of their costume emerge from a dark vastness, drawing parallels with the Impressionistic sympathies of Degas and other pastel artists like Claude Monet and Pierre-Auguste Renoir.

Shop more of Nigel’s original art here.