2015 The Nutcracker

I am relaunching my website with a series of Nutcracker paintings for the 2015 Christmas season. I have featured their costumes and dancers for the Spring and Winter recitals for 5678 Dance Studio in Buford, GA for 5 years now.  I've got to say, I've had a lot of fun doing it.  Here are the featured paintings for this year's Nutcracker performance, December 12 at Lanier High School in Buford.
       

 Marzipan - SOLD

 

                           Merry Mouse












Chinese Dancer

                                                                      BabyDoll - SOLD

 Arabian Dancer

                                                                                       Snow

 Dew Drop

                                                                                        Doll

 Snow Queen - SOLD

                                                                   Sugar Plum Fairy

Snowflake















                                Angel

Put On A Happy Face

A special order is always fun to do.  I integrate a little more of the dancer's frame and hair than a general painting.  5678 Dance Studio is having their Spring Recital tomorrow.  "Put On A Happy Face" is a surprise for a three year old tap dancer!  I'll be excited to see her receive her gift from her proud mom.

The Nutcracker! 2012 Recital

Clara

Clara and the Nutcracker

Gingerbread

Candy Cane

Doll

Angel

  I have just finished 18 paintings for the

Nutcracker performance by 5678 Dance Studio

Chinese Dancer

on December 15, 2012. What fun!  It's been a push to get them done on time, but I'm very pleased with the results.  Each showcases a costume from this Nutcracker performance and bring out the character's role in the story beautifully.  Every one is done in acrylics on 16"x20" canvas.  The paintings have turned out great but the ornaments I have created from them are nothing but cute, cute, cute. Every year at Christmas, I pull out all the ornaments that bring back the best memories for me and my family, and I can envision that these ornaments could do the same in years to come for a young girl to remember her role in this production.  For others, the Nutcracker is such a beloved Christmas tale that any one of these ornaments would make a great memory for someone's favorite part of the story..  Check out the ornaments here!

Doll Baby

Spanish Dancer

Sugar Plum Fairy

Mouse

Snow Baby

Arabian Dancer

Dew Drop

Marzipan

Snow

Tin Soldier

Snow Queen

Paint and Pillows

Starting a new series of paintings on canvas that my sister, Shalon, is then taking and creating pillows (I sew a little but she's the professional at that skill!).  There is the Instrument Series Flute, Trumpet, Violin (not pictured) and Guitar (not pictured).
Then there is the Floral Series:  Dahlia, Lily, Rose, and Sunflower.  Having a great time painting these and see them "come to life" once they get their fluff. These are available through James Avenue Gallery or writing me directly at kim@ibrushstrokes.com

Switching Focus

 I have been re-aiming my focus lately and am painting lots of different things other than dancers these days.  James Avenue Gallery has taken off online and in Lincoln, AL and we are having great fun working toward something we believe is going to be really special.  Since the shop is located very near Logan Martin Lake, there is quite an interest in lakey things--fish, boating, water sports, vacationing, relaxing, etc.   So we are accommodating the interest with little bits of philosophy painted on door panels, tin panels, just about anything we can get our hands on that would make a great sign.  Here are a few examples.

Nine New Paintings for the June 2012 Spring Dance Recital

Jackpot

Double Dutch Bus

Under The Big Top

Pink Flamingo

Shopaholic

The 2012 5678 Spring Recital is Saturday and I am ready with new paintings to highlight some of the costumes for the dancers.  I love the way they came out. I realize just how far this small enterprise has come in one year, and how I create identity for the paintings as a group.  Last spring, I defined an order for the 12 paintings because I knew I was going to create a calendar so I list them everywhere now in "chronological" order.  In December, the 8 paintings were mostly dolls and toys so they made their way into my brain as a Santa's list.  For Spring, 2012, I am keeping up with them alphabetically.

Baby, Take A Bow

Fairy Tale Ballet

This time, I tried to incorporate more interesting background information in the paintings.  I either use the song or the suggestion of the costume as something going on in the painting.
There are nine paintings.  Eight were for the dance recital and I also did one for the piano recital which I entitled "Practice, Practice."  

As always, I have favorites.  I think my favorite of all time is one of the very first I did, "Twinkle, Twinkle."  My favorite at Christmas was "Wind Up Mouse."  And I have two favorites for this Spring:  "Jackpot" and "Pink Flamingo".  What is your favorite?

Practice, Practice

Under the Bridges of Paris