Dance in 2-D

ISTD2 is pleased to be staging an exhibition this summer by dance artist and sculptor Brenda Naylor, entitled Dance in 2-D. This wonderful collection will be in place over the summer so if you live in London or are planning a visit, do make time to see this beautiful display.

The exhibition of drawings of dancers shows a wide variety of styles from modern to classical ballet, contemporary, Spanish, jazz, and even belly dancing as well as drawings from various ISTD events.

Originally trained in drawing at St. Martins School of Art, Brenda Naylor’s career has spanned fashion, advertising, teaching, writing, book illustration and television. She has lectured throughout the UK on aspects of fashion and design from haute couture to clothing for people with special needs and has written three books on the subject.

Having been interested in ballet from her student days Brenda began, for her own pleasure, to draw dancers and make small figures in direct plaster; this led to her first sculpture commission. Since then she has been exhibiting bronzes and drawings, mainly of dancers, and her work is to be found in private collections all over the UK, Europe, Japan and the USA.

Instantly recognisable likenesses, meticulous costume detail and correctness of the dance positions are characteristic of her sculptures which are cast in bronze by the traditional lost-wax process. Unusually, she does practically all the finishing and chasing herself at the foundry. Sketches are made whilst watching rehearsals, usually in the semi-darkness of the theatre.

“…Until the lights come up I have no idea of what I have done – they all come as a complete surprise to me. Later I weed them out; then sometimes I do further work on them, sometimes not, sometimes I add colour. Those I like I send away to be dry-mounted and stabilised; most of the rest will be destroyed”

In recent years exhibitions have been at Wigmore Hall, Edith Grove Gallery, Royal Festival Hall, the Chelsea Art Fair, The Arts and Antiques Fair at Olympia, Collyer-Bristow, Benjamin Hargreaves, Birmingham Hippodrome Gallery and the Frank Haynes Gallery.

Brenda intends to be present frequently at ISTD2 (open 10am to 5pm every day) throughout the run of the exhibition. However, if you particularly wish to meet her there it would be wise to telephone 0207 935 4769 to arrange an appointment. For the address of ISTD2 and a link to a map, please click here

Brenda Naylor	'Concerto'	'Friend of Juliet'

To see more of her work visit her website at www.brendanaylor.co.uk