Baltimore-based artist Linling Lu, who trained as a classical pianist in southern China, discusses her work *Circle Dance* on view at the Frary Gallery in the Hopkins Bloomberg Center. The metal print features ten concentric orbs inspired by circle dances, geometry, and Renaissance tondos. Lu explains how her background in music informs her visual art, comparing color to a musical element and citing influences from Henri Matisse, Stravinsky, and tribal Miao circle dances. She also previews her upcoming solo exhibition *Fugue in 3 Voices* at Artis—Naples, The Baker Museum, which will respond to compositions by Dvořák, Stravinsky, and Beethoven.
This article matters because it highlights how contemporary artists like Lu are bridging disciplines—visual art, music, and cultural heritage—to create works that resonate with both historical traditions and modern audiences. Lu’s integration of musical structure into color field painting offers a fresh perspective on the Baltimore-Washington area’s legacy of abstract art, while her upcoming museum exhibition underscores the growing trend of cross-disciplinary collaborations between visual artists and performing arts institutions.