“Shake It Dance Cafe” – Acrylic on stretched canvas. 2007. Live painting. (Sold!)
On Friday evening, I did a live painting at Shake It Dance Cafe here in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Leslie Carvery, owner of Shake It Dance/Cafe is a dance instructor with nine years experience. You should see her dance!!
Leslie Carvery doing the tango.
She’s just started up an Open Mic night, and Friday was the first night. The cafe and attached dance studio has a relaxing, fun vibe. Bright odd colours on each wall, bright abstract art by the resident artist, and plenty of live music! If you are an artist, musician, writer, poet, singer, comedian, or have another abstract talent, now is your chance to perform! Hope you like coffee.
(If you don’t feel like performing & just want to attend for the fun, it’s only $5.00!)
Me trying to be casual about holding my water cup. Shake It Dance, Halifax, Nova Scotia.
MKayuga and I meeting for the first time. She’s the resident artist for Shake It Dance.
I sell my pieces at a reduced price if you buy it the evening it was created. If you have a personal emotional connection to the time the work was created, then it will mean more to you anyway. I want these pieces to belong to people who were there. Hope to see you there next Friday!
Sharon Hodgson Painting Live at Shake It Dance
5523 Cornwallis St.
Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Fridays at 7:30pm
I hope to find other venues in Halifax and area who would appreciate a live painter adding a new dimension to their evening. I paint what’s around me – the movements made over time.
I really enjoyed meeting a lot of new people at Shake It Dance/Cafe. I am indebted to my brother Sean for driving Ian and I there, easel and all. (My car is in the shop.) Sean also bought one of my pieces a week ago – insisted upon it. (He’s becoming a bit of an art collector, owning several works by a few different artists in the area.)
I’ve been very introspective this last week after creating Crazy Artist in Stripes. Since I posted photos of the process, the period of time that went into the work becomes a part of the piece. I want to do more “process pieces”, emphasizing the process of creating as a part of the artwork itself. Talking to one of my online artist friends who does live paintings gave me the idea of trying live painting in public venues. It certainly gets people interested in the process, adding a layer of personal nostalgia and memory to the completed piece.
I’ll keep you posted on my process. Cheers!
1. Comment by craig mustard
23/Apr/2007 at 2:36 pm
it appears that there are many who are in tune to the arts and there factions. public displays of creation are amazing and allows for all who see to connect and become “in tune”
help me to understand. are there dance lessons or free dance that takes place at these sessions, or is it live music. as an artist, must you be invited to paint?
2. Comment by Sharon
23/Apr/2007 at 3:51 pm
Hey Craig.
The cafe part has only been open for the last month, so it’s really new. The dance studio has been around longer and Leslie teaches dance lessons there during the week. The Open Mic night is a chance to sit around, drink coffee and watch people in the community performing special talents. (singing, poetry reading, dancing, comedy – you name it. I wanted to add a live art component.) People with their own small bands and CDs to sell are welcome to promote what they have there. It’s a small space but it’s got an amazing vibe.
If another artist wanted to sit down and do a live painting along side me it would be cool. There is a resident artist there who said she wants to do a live painting as well one of these weeks. It would be awesome if it became a popular Halifax artist hangout.
3. Pingback by Shake It Dance » Blog Archive » Welcome to Shake It Dance!
28/May/2007 at 6:35 pm
[...] I’m a web designer and live painter and friend to Leslie Carvery, professional dance instructor and owner of Shake It Dance. This blog is a gift to the cafe in the hopes that people will discover this wonderful spot in downtown Halifax. Here’s to more Open Mic nights on Friday with live music, poetry readings, dancing, and live paintings!! [...]
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Cheers! Sandra. R.