Sleeping Beauty and Windham Nutcracker are full-length ballets for which I designed and painted the sets. Examples of the flats and backdrops are below. Click the images to see them larger.
"Dear Janet, I can't thank you enough not only for the beautifully executed sets and back-drops, but also for your absolute dependability when it came to deadlines. The ballet was immeasurably enriched by your contributions. Dancers and audience members alike were magically transported to distant times and places of extraordinary beauty, thanks to your imaginative renderings. Working with you has been pure pleasure. Sincerely, Lynn Castelli, Artistic Director - Sleeping Beauty, Windham Nutcracker"Sleeping Beauty
 |
| The King and Queen dance in Act One |
The dance studio provided a number of 8 foot tall cardboard pieces to use for flats. I used seven of them to paint the scene for the first act (above) then painted the second act sets on the back of them. Each piece could be turned separately and then re-attached to form the second act garden scene (below).
 |
| The court awaits the arrival of the Princess in the garden |
 |
| The Lilac Fairy waves her wand to open the Hidden Door behind her |
Details from the second act of Sleeping Beauty:
Windham Nutcracker
Arts in Motion also commissioned me to do the sets for their Windham Nutcracker ballet.
I designed and painted 12 ft high flats to suggest the home interior for the ballet's first act. The Windham Nutcracker story is based on a local mill owner's family from the 19th century. I used details from his actual house for this set.
 |
| The mill owner's home - Act One |
The dancers in the image below are posed in front of the backdrop I painted for the second act of the Windham Nutcracker. The backdrop measured 20ft high x 45ft wide. The decorations on the trees are symbols associated with Windham.
 |
| 'Land of Dreams' backdrop for Act Two |
Details from the first act of Windham Nutcracker:
