Since 1977, Rita Blitt said she has been dancing on paper.
Blitt said she creates her abstract art by attacking her canvas with eyes closed, a paintbrush in each hand and classical music playing in the background. The final result is the kind of art that has made her famous worldwide.
“I developed everything myself,” Blitt said. “I just let lines flow from me.
It’s a deep emotional thing.”
On Jan. 27-28, Blitt taught Texas A&M students how to dance on paper themselves. In two workshops hosted by the Memorial Student Center Visual Arts Society, Blitt spoke to students about her work and then encouraged them to dance and mark a piece of drawing paper as it moved them.
“This was the most exciting moment of my experience here,” Blitt said.
“It’s groundbreaking. It’s getting dancers to extend their lines to paper.”Blitt said she applied only three rules to the workshop: pretend to be the only person in the room, let the lines come from deep within and work as fast as possible.
Christine Bergeron, clinical assistant professor of dance, said she was surprised at how many dancers immersed themselves in dancing on paper.
“I didn’t find one person that didn’t connect,” Bergeron said.
Bonnie Bryan, a junior economics major, said the experience was inspiring.
“It was really like free reign,”Bryan said. “Dance if you like, draw if you like.”
Although this is the first time Blitt has ever taught a workshop like this, she said her art reflects the huge impact of music and dance, especially her “Caught in the Paint” series, a group of photographs taken of dancers in midair behind pieces of glass painted by Bitt.
Besides photography, Blitt has dabbled in sculpture, painting and drawing.
Blitt describes her paintings and drawings as doodles that flow spontaneously onto page after page.
“Everyone should let themselves doodle,” Blitt said. “It reflects who you are.”
Blitt said her unique style of painting and drawing with both hands at first scared her.
“I was really shocked and embarrassed and I kinda hoped that it would go away,” Blitt said. “But then Irealized Ineeded two hands to feel honest and whole.”
Blitt has created 40 monumental award-winning sculptures worldwide that range up to 60 feet. All of her sculptures are adapted from her drawings and paintings.
Pieces of Blitt’s work are now on display at the MSC Visual Arts Gallery until Feb. 13 along with two documentary-type videos. Other pieces of work are featured at www.ritablitt.com.
“My work comes from deep within me, deep within my subconscious,” Blitt said. “It reflects the joy of my life. If I’m not creating, there’s something wrong with my being.”