The challenge for Essence of Ballet called for dance and movement. My first thought was to use various pieces of tulle and organza for ballet tutus, but the bag of plastic mesh pieces which I have been collecting for a while called out louder! I bunched a second piece for each dancer, and made the upper bodice, cutting away the center to make arms, with a bit of lace and a couple beads to cover the join at the waistline. I hesitated about actually adding legs, hands and heads, since faces are often problematic for me. However, since the feeling of movement is there even without actual bodies, I decided to leave it like that. The background is a single piece of pastel colors with an overall scattering of gold flecks. I added a scattering of yellow, gold and orange beads over the surface, then used the same lace as part of the border. My artwork is mounted on foam core, which creates a light-weight but rigid piece with a wire for hanging and a felt backing. It is treated with a sun-block spray, although prolonged exposure to direct sunlight may eventually cause fading.