The Dancing Girl
Although often just in passing. I have written more than once about The Dancing Girl. I never have nicknamed her “The Girl” or refer to her by the acronym TDG. It’s always The Dancing Girl.
I’m not positive, but I believe I gave her that name, her creator might disagree. She was painted by Lenny Nagler, a popular and talented artist who lives in Appleton, Wisconsin. His work resides in the collections of many private buyers, businesses, and institutions. While most of Lenny’s work is landscape art, I happen to own four pieces of his depictions of human activity.
It’s no wonder when people talk about all of the trouble they got into when they were young; it usually was in junior high school. Many artists have to do something besides practicing their art to make a living. Nagler chose to teach.
Nagler is married to his wife, Helen. Helen is the lonely but stout defender of liberal causes in the moderate conservative environs of The Fox River Vally. Her outstanding and long career in Outagamie County Government was a storied and successful one.
They raised two children. Their daughter Anne is a Doctor who resides in the Minneapolis suburb of St Louis Park with her son, Wilson. Coincidentally Anne Lives a mere few blocks from one of my childhood homes.
Their son Aaron is a resident of the Queens in New York City. Aaron, a former actor, is the spokesperson for Cheesehead TV. He and a boyhood friend founded this New York City fan club for their beloved Green Bay Packer’s It has blossomed into an international worship center for a vast number of fans.
In U Tube videos of press conferences with the Packer coaches, I’ve heard Aaron referred to as “Nags.” It fits, and let’s face in Green Bay, there is only one Aaron. Aaron Nagler is the father of three daughters. Some of us would envy him for that fact alone.
I’m writing about, The Dancing Girl because of an accomplishment I achieved this week. When I first moved back to Milwaukee in August 2019, I placed my paintings on the floor, leaning against the walls. I did this because I learned from a Milwaukee artist, Matolpe Johnson, how paintings find their home on the wall.
One night I heard this loud bang and the sound of shattered glass. I’m not sure if it was Mother Nature puffing a breeze through the window, the roughhousing of leprechauns, or the furniture movement in the building. Still, The Dancing Girl hit the floor, and her glass was shattered.
About forty percent of the glass was on the floor when I picked it up and leaned it back up against the wall. The rest was a sizeable irregular-shaped piece that would require taking the frame apart and removing it manually.
It has been two years since that accident, and this week I freed The Dancing Girl of her final piece of broken glass. It’s funny that it’s taken me so long. Frankly, I’ve never liked glass over my paintings. But, unfortunately, this piece is rather large and, as such, very heavy with the glass.
I purposely waited to show you this photo of the painting. It is very different than almost anything I’ve seen Nagler paint. As the creator of his web page and follower of his career, I’ve seen almost everything he painted.
It is typical of Nagler in two aspects. First, he starts with a black canvas and paints forward. Secondly, his brushwork is impressive with his ability to give the painting the movement necessary for this subject.
The pose shows me a young woman who is dancing without music for a happy reason. Her pose is complex, particularly when you know that Nagler paints from memory. The palette is restrained and depicts the skin tones, clothing, and vegetation with subtle variations in the values.
This is the most valuable thing I own. Along with the other women I live with, Alexa and Siri, The Dancing Girl allows me to think young while acting my age.
Nice reflection Jeff. Hope the heat break is doing your soul some good.
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