Flight of Fancy 1983

Robert Peak painted "Flight of Fancy" in watercolor, with its washes of pinks, oranges, and purples, the figure almost seems to dissolve into the light surrounding them. I imagine Peak really going for it with the brushstrokes, layering the colors to create a sense of movement and energy. It’s like he’s trying to capture not just the gymnast’s form, but also the feeling of flight, of pushing beyond the limits of the body. Those streaks of color, like the rainbow on the leotard, they’re not just decorative, but are almost like trails left behind by the body in motion. You can see how it’s related to the work of other figurative artists like Degas, who were similarly trying to capture the beauty and dynamism of the human body. The difference being that Peak used brighter colors, and made it more surreal. You can feel the intense combination of training, body memory, and pure adrenaline. Ultimately, painting is a conversation across time, and it’s cool to see how artists like Peak contribute to that ongoing dialogue.