Trip to India inspires Citrus Sisters

By Allyson Wenzowski
Special to The News

Orange, lemon and lime - the colours of bright hot days, warm fragrant nights and thirst-quenching tropical fruits. These are also the colours of artist Ron Deans' amazing Citrus Sisters.

The sisters are three satiny smooth abstracted female forms that spin and dance in the wind, and which pose seductively together, in iconic arrangements reminiscent of The Three Graces of classical mythology.

Mr. Deans, a long-time Dundas resident and former student at the Dundas Valley School of Art, has been for many years both a business consultant and practising artist. In 2003 Mr. Deans' consulting work led him to India for a four-month period and it was here that the Citrus Sisters took shape.

"It seemed to me that there was a 10-day festival going on all the time," said Mr. Deans. "There was dancing, drumming, drama, vibrant colour and laughter everywhere I looked, combined with both an intense sensuality and deep spirituality."

He continued: "The women twirling in their flowing saris in rainbow hues were really beautiful, and this gave me the idea of creating iconic, abstracted female forms that could dance and turn in a playful and joyous way."

This past December, Mr. Deans had a successful showing of the Citrus Sisters at the prestigious Wellington Gallery in Aurora. Since then the Sisters have been on display at the Art Gallery of Ontario Art Shop.