I’ve been painting flamenco dancers for almost two decades. There’s something about that subject, the action, the attitude, the verve. Sometimes I listen to the music as I paint; that energizes, too.*

It started when a gallery owner asked me if I’d ever painted flamencos. “Not till now,” I thought, and quickly produced one. It turned out the owner was a flamenco dancer! It got me going and since then I’ve probably painted 50, maybe more.

Here’s an overview of some favorites. (Click to enlarge.)

Flamenco Duo, 22×28, oil, circa 2002. This was the first one. It hung in that gallery for a time. then in another, then in a Starbucks in Orange, California, before it sold.

Flamenco Chair 2, 16×12, oil, 2003. This was one of many from a live-action photo shoot. All my photos came out blurry, what with low light (and no flash OF COURSE), and constant movement. But then, that’s how a painting should be, about the action (a verb, not a noun).

Flamenco Aida, 18×18, oil, 2008. This one is of the very person mentioned in the intro, the gallery owner. I painted the girl standing behind, too: see Flamenco Turquoise, toward the bottom of this list.

Flamenco Evening, 36×36, acrylic, 2008. As I remember, this was from the same photo shoot as Flamenco Aida above. It’s an example of how art can interpret the same thing very differently.

Flamenco Brunette, 46×27, oil, 2010. I’m calling these oil paintings but in many cases, as here, it’s oil over acrylic. That’s one of my approaches: the fast-drying acrylic, with flourishes and drips, can provide a very creative effect. And the more buttery oil goes over it nicely. (Note to painters: don’t do the reverse. Acrylic doesn’t stick to oil.)

Flamenco Textures, 48×48, acrylic, 2008. Here is a case where I was going to start with an acrylic background but in time, just stopped. Enough was said.

Flamenco Fire, 60×27, oil, undated, a nearly life-size piece that ended up in a very classy home.

Flamenco Gallery 5, 16×16, oil, undated. As you’ll note, there are many styles here. In a case like this, where even the photo doesn’t register the arms’ fast action, I leave it out of the painting, too. It’s an impression, not a blueprint.

Flamenco Gallery 10. Somehow my records tell me nothing about this one, not even the size, but I think it was about three feet wide.

Flamenco Gold, 48×24, oil, undated. I’ve painted this very pose a number of times, all different. This same dancer appears in a number of the paintings in this list.

Flamenco Left, 46×27, oil, 2011. A bold outline approach, with strong, simple strokes, and much attitude.

Flamenco Nimble, 46×28, oil, 2010. Sometimes, as here, the pre-painted background is so luscious and juicy I’m loath to paint it out. This one sold too quickly; I wanted to enjoy it myself a little longer.

Flamenco Pause, 40×30, oil, 2010. I may have first painted this in 2010 but I revisited it about twice over the years, even after it had been hanging in a gallery. The figure didn’t change that much, as I wanted to keep that thick textured paint on the dress (applied with a plastic fork when I couldn’t find my palette knife). It was the background colors that finally filled it out. It just sold last year.

Flamenco Poised, 60×27, oil, undated. This was long a favorite and hung in a gallery for some time. They sold it just before going out of business. Financial hard times for them. As I remember, I never got paid.

Flamenco Queen, 60×40, oil, 2013. Another almost life size piece, this one complete with gold leaf. Hangs in a classy home.

Flamenco Ready, 16×12, oil, undated. Small, with quick strokes and strong color. Sometimes these just come together. Sometimes not. I liked this one . . . and eventually someone else did, too.

Flamenco Sash, 48×36, oil, 2008. As I remember, I painted this over another painting. I needed the canvas for a demonstration I was doing at an art league. That background shape is something left from the earlier painting. Seemed to work pretty well, so I just left it in.

Flamenco Shadow, 24×18, oil, undated. I always liked the simplicity of this one, the shadow almost being a second figure. And, of course, there’s that wonderful flamenco posture that’s so evocative.

Flamenco Twirl, 20×16, oil, undated. Here she is again, another version of Flamenco Gallery 5 (above), a little closer in; that guitarist in the background just part of the landscape, but providing everything in real life.

Flamenco Wild, nothing recorded on this one. Fairly large, as I remember. I did it as a commission through a gallery, the owner of which delivered it to the house and said it looked great. A little too realistic, I think.

Flamenco with Guitarist, 20×40, oil, 2009. For the life of me I can’t remember why I included the guitarist in the title when he’s barely there (just behind and under the dancer’s right arm). A very loose painting, with all manner of random reflections, just like in a flamenco cave.

Flamenco Wonder, 30×23, oil, 2016. Sometimes the background paint comes right up into the foreground. Lots of palette knife work here. And the dancer never had that much hair, but why not a bit of exaggeration in these things?

Madrid, 54×41, acrylic, 2018. Some will remember this one, featured on previous blogs. It started out as a straight abstract painting, the dancer “discovered” in the process. It’s a large and strong piece and the new owner loves it.

Flamenco Motion, 24×18, oil, 2018 (available). I must say I’m enjoying looking at this one, as it hangs, framed, in my office.

Flamenco Turn, 60×35, oil, 2015 (available). Strong, large, and simple. The red and white lines a later addition, giving a touch of pizzazz.

Flamenco Turquoise, 48×24, oil, undated (available). People may not realize this one is available as it’s been hanging in Starbucks in San Juan Capistrano for years. But they don’t own it. It’s been a nice place to show art. Every now and then a person will realize, “Hey, I could buy one of these.”

Flamenco White, 46×27, oil, 2010. The delight in this one was the very thick paint in dress. Difficult to appreciate here; but I always like a painting you can run your hand over and really feel it.

Flamenco Style, 42×27, oil, 2017 (available). This is another we’re enjoying in our home, until she finds another.

Flamenco Night, 24×18, oil, 2019 (available), probably my most recent on this subject.

Warm Shoulder, 45×26, oil, 2010 (available). Just got this one back from my gallery in Palm Desert, trading it out for some new pieces. I’m liking it more and more as I’m living with it again.

Movement in Cadmium, 70×63, acrylic, 2008 (available), a very large piece. It doesn’t get shown very much as it’s too big to fit in our van. But someday it will find just the right home and everybody will be happy.

Here’s me in an undated photo (not that recent) in the midst of painting a flamenco from my head. That’s how it is sometimes.

Most of the paintings shown here have long since found homes, but some are still available, as well as others on the website. And, of course, there will be more. (God willing.)

Let me know if you’d like one. And of course I can make custom prints. (For that, go to Info on Custom Prints.)

Thanks for looking. And keep dancing.

*For a marvelous example of the music, check Estrella Morente, a personal favorite.