Paris Olympics 2024, Women's Gymnastics Individual All Around: Just Four Inches

Many things amaze me about women's gymnastics, many, but the balance beam just boggles my mind.  Just four inches wide and just over three feet in the air, it seems a strange place to do such feats of aerobatics.  And then here is Simone Biles (USA) spinning around three times on one foot atop this narrow expanse.  Her routine enabled her to take the lead in this rotation, a lead she never gave back up!  She has again won the Gold Medal as the world's best female gymnast!  She truly is the G.O.A.T.  It was fun to notice that she was wearing a silver goat as a necklace in her post event interview.  Perhaps someone will get her a new gold one.

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available through my website at greigleach.com or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of the post to purchase the painting above. Since it is an original work of art, it is a first come first served reality. The work sells for $95 USD including shipping, but, yes, international shipping is both available and extra.  

"Just Four Inches PO24-49" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Paris Olympics 2024, Women's Gymnastics Team All Around: Balance

The Italian Team was in the same rotation as the Americans and were being very supportive of their main rivals for an Olympic Medal. They would hug and congratulate each other as the other left the stage after their competition. Alice D'Amato (Italy) was on great form as she helped carrier her team to a Silver Medal in the Women's Gymnastics Team All Around competition on the Balance Beam. They just edged out Brazil for the honor, with the latter coming home with the Bronze.

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available through my website at greigleach.com or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of the post to purchase the painting above. Since it is an original work of art, it is a first come first served reality. The work sells for $95 USD including shipping, but, yes, international shipping is both available and extra.

"Balance PO24-34" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Paris Olympics 2024, Women's Gymnastics Qualifying: She's Back!

Simone Biles (USA) started her Olympics today on the Balance Beam.  Just from the attitude in this moment in her routine, you could tell she was fully back.  She did enough in this routine to help qualify Team USA for the team competition, herself for the all-around, and in this apparatus as well.  Clearly, she has put the demons from Tokyo to rest.

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available through my website at greigleach.com or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of the post to purchase the painting above. Since it is an original work of art, it is a first come first served reality. The work sells for $95 USD including shipping, but, yes, international shipping is both available and extra. 

"She's Back! PO24-12" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Rio Olympics: And Now, the Dismount

Laurie Hernandez (USA) had a near flawless routine.  As she  collected herself, toe pointed for her dismount, I am sure she was hoping for a perfect landing.  It nearly was, just the smallest of steps backward.  Her routine was good enough to land her in second for the Silver Medal.  Her teammate and new Olympic star, Simone Biles, had a rather major mistake thus putting her into third for the Bronze.  She still has medal in every event she has competed in, the other three medals being Gold.

This is a small watercolors and ink painting measuring just 4"x6" and was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.richesonart.com.  This painting and all of my Olympics artwork will be available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  To purchase this particular painting just follow the direct link at the end of this post.  Remember this is an original work of art, so once it has been sold, it is gone.  Don't delay buy it now!

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Summer%20Olympics/2838115-134-226051/PaintingAnd%20Now,%20the%20Dismount%20Rio134-Greig-Leach.html#.V7NG5JgrLIU

Rio Olympics: Balanced Grace

From her unique entry to the beam all of the way through to the "unorthodox" dismount, Sanne Wevers (Netherlands) showed incredible grace and power.  Her multi-directional spins were a thing of beauty.  I have capture her mid way through a triple spin atop the four inch wide balance beam.  She won the first medal for Netherlands in this event since 1928 and this one was Gold!

This is a small watercolors and ink painting measuring just 4"x6" and was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.richesonart.com.  This painting and all of my Olympics artwork will be available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  To purchase this particular painting just follow the direct link at the end of this post.  Remember this is an original work of art, so once it has been sold, it is gone.  Don't delay buy it now!

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Summer%20Olympics/2838107-133-226051/PaintingBalanced%20Grace%20Rio133-Greig-Leach.html#.V7NEoJgrLIU

Rio Olympics: At One with the Beam

The Russian gymnast Aliva Mustafina brings the woman to Women's Gymnastics.  While she may not have excelled in the pure athleticism of her competitors, she certainly brings grace and dance to the balance beam.  As my wife watched me paint this she felt like she had seen the pose in a painting in the Louvre.  I rest my case.  Mustafina was only able to repeat her Bronze Medal from 2012, a medal she won by a tie breaker, something not used in any of the other Olympic sports.  The loser on the tie breaker, Aly Raisman (USA).

This is a small watercolors and ink painting measuring just 4"x6" and was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.richesonart.com.  This painting and all of my Olympics artwork will be available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  To purchase this particular painting just follow the direct link at the end of this post.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Summer%20Olympics/2836492-87-226051/PaintingAt%20One%20with%20the%20Beam%20Rio87-Greig-Leach.html#.V637u5grLIU

Rio Olympics: Spinning Her Way

When I painted this piece it was only half way through the Women's Gymnastics All Around Competition, so I hesitated calling it "Spinning Her Way to Gold."  In retrospect, it would have been just fine.  Simone Biles (USA) begins her balance bar routine with a helicopter move.  She squats on one foot and spins herself around with one arm and leg beautifully extended, atop a four inch beam.  Such balance and grace in this tiny package.  And yes, she did go on to win the Gold Medal as the world's greatest female gymnast.

This is a small watercolors and ink painting measuring just 4"x6" and was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.richesonart.com.  This painting and all of my Olympics artwork will be available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  To purchase this particular painting just follow the direct link at the end of this post.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Summer%20Olympics/2836484-86-226051/PaintingSpinning%20Her%20Way%20Rio86-Greig-Leach.html#.V633KZgrLIU

Rio Olympics: A Balanced Beamer

Back to using puns for titles.  According to the NBC announcers, Aly Raisman's (USA) coach refers to her as a "beamer" so the title almost wrote itself.  This is her, the captain of the USA Women's Gymnastics team up on the balance beam.  Raisman and her teammates finished the balance beam with a strong lead in the team competition.  It has been a pleasure to watch such talented gymnasts also having so much fun competing.

This is a small watercolors and ink painting measuring just 4"x6" and was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.richesonart.com.  This painting and all of my Olympics artwork will be available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  To purchase this particular painting just follow the direct link at the end of this post.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Summer%20Olympics/2835388-56-226051/PaintingA%20Balanced%20Beamer%20Rio56-Greig-Leach.html#.V6rIkZgrLIU