Quiet Poise

Valeriy Gridnev’s original piece Quiet Poise (20" x 26") is a captivating study in restraint, balance, and reflective grace. Captured in pastel with delicate control, the ballerina is depicted mid-pause—her elegant pose suggesting both discipline and inward focus. Her white bodice and gauzy tutu are rendered with painterly softness, while her form is defined with confident, expressive lines. Light dances across the textured fabric and the surface of her skin, giving the figure a palpable sense of life and immediacy.

This work exemplifies Gridnev’s ability to communicate a subject’s inner world through subtle gesture and composition. The tension between rest and readiness is held in the dancer’s pose, her weight balanced on pointe, her expression contemplative. The use of minimal background allows the viewer to be drawn entirely into the figure’s emotional space, inviting quiet reflection.

Gridnev’s classical influences—Van Dyck, Sargent, Monet—resonate throughout the work in his masterful handling of light, form and mood. His swift execution and focus on impression give the piece a sense of spontaneity, while still maintaining formal precision.

As one of the UK’s most respected figurative artists, Gridnev continues to inspire with his ability to capture fleeting human moments and express them with grace, depth and timeless beauty.