Leilani Leo

Born on the west coast of the U.S. as the only daughter of a Navy Service Officer and a fire-eating performer, Leilani Leo moved to the east coast and grew up Polynesian dancing and dreaming of being a visual artist. It wasn’t until she met her mentor in 2011 that she picked up a paint brush for the first time, fulfilling that dream. Since then, she has studied and produced all types of art mediums while exhibiting her works all over northeast Florida. She is known for supporting and photo journaling Jacksonville’s art culture and local events, using herself as a muse in creative costuming and photography and sharing metaphysical knowledge in her light working journey.

Titled Alyssa, this oil painting by Leilani Leo, is one of over twenty works found in her Poetry in Motion Exhibition to be viewed at this year’s Amelia Island Dance Festival. A visual journey of which she invites you to explore her renderings of cultural and traditional dance through her paint strokes. Each piece taking you on a journey, then the next juxtaposed yet synchronized…from beautiful lines to stunning flair, a cheeky moment frozen in time to an expression of joy, an intake of breath to her subject waiting to exhale. Experience the cadence of the collection, her interpretation of Poetry in Motion.

+2023
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Jax Hamilton

Jax Hamilton, a budding artist from Amelia Island, Fernandina Beach, is making waves in the local art scene. While he is mostly self-taught, he owes a great deal of his artistic development to the exceptional art teacher at FBHS. With a background in dance from the Royal Amelia Dance Academy, Jax seamlessly incorporates his dance experience into his artwork. Drawing inspiration from personal life encounters and ordinary objects, Jax employs a blend of realism, surrealism, and stylized multimedia techniques to produce vibrant and mesmerizing pieces of art. His creative approach truly captivates viewers and leaves a lasting impression.

The Disturbance of Wishing, 2023

MEDIUM Acrylic on canvas

DIMENSIONS overall 20x24 inches

ARTIST Jax Hamilton

I drew inspiration from my personal journey as a dancer when creating the art piece 'The Disturbance of Wishing'. The piece reflects both the challenges I faced as a trans dancer as well as the pure joy I experienced through dance. I wanted to capture both the amazing aspects of dancing and the not-so-pleasant parts. The vibrant colors surrounding the central dancer represent the excitement and the connections I formed during my dance classes. On the other hand, the black and white figures symbolize moments of self-doubt that occasionally plagued me while I danced.

+2022
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A. Christina McDonald

FREE BIRDS, February 2021

MEDIUM Acrylic on canvas

DIMENSIONS overall 30x48 inches

ARTIST A. Christina McDonald

Free Birds was created with warm, muted colors of white, tan and gray which conveys the calming effect one feels when dancing on the beach. The flowing moment of the contemporary dancer also brings to life the freedom of the birds emerging from her side. Her hair flows in ripples representing the water. Although the piece is painted with acrylics, you get the get the feel of water colors with the blending of the paint colors. The inspiration for Free Birds emerged from the artist’s love of the beach and the love of dance. The elongated lines and angular form of the dancer’s body gives a gentle feel to the organic movement. The simplicity of the white background allows the movement to speak for itself. This piece was the first of three works in the Free Birds series.

THE BEAST, April 2019

MEDIUM Acrylic on canvas

DIMENSIONS overall: 24x30 inches

ARTIST A. Christina McDonald

The Beast was created with bold and vibrant colors of black, white, gold, and gray. The dramatic stance of the dancer represents the strength required for contemporary ballet. The facial features of the figure are painted loosely without complete definition. There are hidden shapes of hearts to represent the artist’s love of dance and teardrops to represent sorrow as a dancer’s career comes to an end due to age or due to injury. Body movement can be used as a form of communication and expression. It can also be used for self-expression where the body does the talking and words are not needed or necessary. The Beast displays elements of movement through space, force, and energy. This piece is from a series of three painting created by the artist. They were the first dance painting done by Ms. McDonald after retiring from a lifelong dance career.

+2021
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Kellie Boston of Boston Photography

Lack of Gravity

MEDIUM Metal Portrait

DIMENSIONS 20 " by 20" inches

ARTIST Kellie Boston

+2021
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Lauree Hemke

Pier-ouette in the Moonlight

MEDIUM Fiber Art

DIMENSIONS 17 ½ by 17 1/2 inches

ARTIST Lauree Hemke

Dance is my passionate inspiration. It’s the way I expressed myself when I am at a loss for words, seeking understanding, or merely reacting to sounds. Whether it’s music in the air or in my head, I feel the joy of the world around me, or feel the sense of connectedness with a partner. It’s the way I reflect on complex feelings of inks, loss, sorrow, sadness, and anger, and the way I face challenges. My happy place evolves while integrating waltz, tango, Latin, tap, jazz, shag or line dancing into a moment. Dance transcends my heart. This fiber, art piece, incorporates different materials, and techniques just as the dancer uses various varying techniques, both inspired by nature and spirit, to feel the true rhythm of my heart.

+2020
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Shey Hallihan

"Dancer in a Feather Tutu"

MEDIUM Acrylic on Mixed Media Paper

DIMENSIONS 17" by 14" inches

ARTIST Shey Hallihan

The dancer's pose is meant to signify stretching beyond normal boundaries. She is leaning forward yet reaching backward and looking upward she somehow finds balance even though she is pulled in many directions. Her textured tutu is a foliage of feathers that signify the flight and freedom that comes with wings. The pastel colors represent the dancer's ability to merge the delicate background of the music with the lines of her form. Dance is the art of interacting with, to the point of becoming, the music.

+2019
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Lauren Templeton

DANSEUSE DE L'ÎLE

MEDIUM Acrylic on Arches Paper

DIMENSIONS 24X36 inches

ARTIST Lauren Saxon Templeton

Lauren Templeton began her formal visual art studies at The Corcoran School of Art in her hometown, Washington, DC. She pursued her passion for art at Syracuse University in Florence, Italy and NYU summer program. Lauren graduated from Colgate University in New York with a BA in Art and Art History with a concentration in Studio Art. She earned her Florida Professional Educator's License with certification in Visual Arts K-12 in 2007 and offers ten years of teaching experience.

Lauren created Amelia Art Studio in 2016. The program welcomes young artists interested in forming new pathways for self-expression, the study of art as a discipline, and the exercise of creativity. With an emphasis in Arts Integration and Art History, Lauren's teaching methods are focused on reinforcing the formal elements of art, the basic principles of design, and nurturing a long lasting passion for art making.