Sanderson's "Dancing Princesses" Find A Forever Home at the Norman Rockwell Museum (+ an "Art of" Book In the Works)

Have you ever wanted to see Ruth Sanderson's original oil paintings? Particularly the The Twelve Dancing Princesses? Well, very soon, you can. All you will need to do is find a way to visit the Normal Rockwell Museum, which is now the new, permanent home of the originals.

From MassLive:

Sanderson, known for illustrating many classic fairy tales as well as her own books, will have 64 pieces of art on display during the exhibition, "Dancing Princesses: The Fairy Tale Art of Ruth Sanderson," from Dec. 7 through March 9, 2014. 

“They were thrilled to be able to have that book in their archive,” said Sanderson, of "The Twelve Dancing Princesses" art work that was donated to the museum by Palmer-based Sanderson MacLeod, a company owned by Sanderson's brother. 

“Then they asked me if I’d like to expand the show to have art work from other books. They took art work (on loan) from four of my other fairy tales, and they hope to tour the exhibit around the country.” 

Sanderson’s art from “Cinderella,” “The Snow Princess,” “The Enchanted Wood,” and “The Golden Mare, the Firebird and the Magic Ring” will also be included, along with costumes that she had made specifically to include in her illustrations for “The Twelve Dancing Princesses.” Art from one of Sanderson’s currently in-progress books will also be on display. 

Sanderson’s latest book, called “Golden Dreams: the Art of Ruth Sanderson” is a 224-page, full color art book on Sanderson’s career. 

Sanderson said she hopes fans of picture books enjoy the experience of seeing the art work in person. 

“The detail, texture and luminosity in oil paintings can never be exactly reproduced in printed books, so seeing the actual paintings is a more complete and personal experience of the art work,” Sanderson said. “It is my hope that families will enjoy the magical fairy tale worlds I have created.”

You can read the whole, much longer article on the exhibition, how Ms. Sanderson's works found their home at the Museum and more about her new book HERE.

And here's a bonus from Ms. Sanderson's website:

I am pleased to announce that you can now order a copy of my new 224-page art book, GOLDEN DREAMS, The Art of Ruth Sanderson in the SHOPS area of my website. We will begin shipping in early December. The book will feature hundreds of pictures from almost 40 years of illustration and fantasy art. And with every art book purchased in November, you will receive a FREE 8.5″ x 11″ print of The Snow Princess & The Polar Bear!

What a great opportunity. If you can, give yourself a special holiday present and go see the exhibit in person. I have a feeling it's an experience you will never forget.

Stories for the Season: More To Explore - Story Roundup

This is my last "Stories for the Season" post but it's by no means a complete collection of fairy tales, and stories for fairy tale people that can be enjoyed during this end of year/beginning of a new year holiday time.

Here is an additional short list of stories I ran out of time to profile individually and why they can be included on your Christmas fairy tales list:

The Velveteen Rabbit or How Toys Become Real
by Margery Williams
It's the classic Christmas toy story

The Wild Hunt
by Jane Yolen
Winter arrives and The Wild Hunt rides (excellent book!)

The Wooden Shoes of Little Wolff
adapted by Francois Coppee
A boy with a good heart unknowingly helps the Christ Child and is rewarded

Miracle of 34th Street
Novella written by Valentine Davies and made into the Oscar winning film from 1947 about a department store Santa insisting he's the real thing.
NOTE: Watch the black and white 1947 version - it's MUCH better than any of the remakes and has a gentle and special touch

Who's That Knocking on Christmas Eve?
by Jan Brett
A children's version of the Norwegian folktale The Cat on the Dovrefell (see below)

The Snow Princess
by Ruth Sanderson
Based on Tchaikovsky's Russian opera/ballet The Snow Maiden

The Cat on the Dovrefell
by Asbjornsen & Moe
A great white bear (yes, a bear - not a cat, but don't tell the trolls...) helps counteract an annual Christmas invasion by trolls - I love this one!

Why the Sea is Salt
by Asbjornsen & Moe
A poor boy goes begging on Christmas Eve and has a big adventure

Tatterhood
by Asbjornsen & Moe
An invasion by trolls on Christmas Eve sets things in motion

The Christmas Cuckoo
adapted by Frances Browne
Poor brothers become rich due to their good treatment of a cuckoo found on Christmas Day

The Christmas Fairy of Strasburg
A German folktale about the origins of the Christmas tree

The Golden Cobwebs
A folktale about the origins of tinsel/tree trimmings. (It's still good luck to have a spider ornament on your Christmas tree in the Ukraine.)

The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus
by L. Frank Baum
Mentioned in my post on Jack Frost

The Mail Coach Passengers
by Hans Christian Andersen
A New Years story in which the Twelve Months take a ride
(I couldn't find a correlating image for the story sorry - so you're being reminded of Gennady Spirin's work. :)

Again, there are many more, especially if you look at all the little folktales, but I thought these ones would interest my readers most (that I'm aware of anyway). Of course, if you have others to add please feel free to add a comment.

I hope you've enjoyed this series of posts. If you want to find them all, just click on the 'Xmas tales' tag in the sidebar.

If you're interested in finding more make sure you visit The Fairy Tale Channel HERE - they have an excellent collection of fairy tales and often post appropriate to the seasons throughout the year too (an excellent resource!).

Merry storytelling!
May fairy tales fill and enrich your holidays and the coming year.
:)

Christmas Bell Babies Grow in Australia
(They sing you joy)
by May Gibbs

Individual illustration credits (book covers show illustrators:
1. An engraving of "The Cat on the Dovrefell" from TALES FROM THE NORSE by George W. Dasent
2. Princess of Wands (Tatterhood) from THE FAIRY TALE TAROT by Lisa Hunt
3. The Christmas Cuckoo from GRANNY'S WONDERFUL CHAIR AND THE TALES IT TOLD by Frances Browne with illustrations by Florence White Williams
4. The Christmas Tree Fairy by Cicely Mary Baker
5. A Christmas spider ornament from the Ukraine (photographer unknown)
6. From THE LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF SANTA CLAUS by Lyman Frank Baum, illustrated by Mary Cowles Clark