*NEON*

*NEON*

I love to explore and discover new places. What have you discovered recently ?

Underground Atlanta

July Art Prompt

How cute is this furball ?? 

They are also the mascot of our July art prompt !

"What does it look like to adapt ?"

We're focusing on "look like" in the hopes that that will inspire some visual art. But feel free to explore other verbs like "feel, sound, etc." No limit here and any medium that you prefer ! Photography, painting, a limerick. Go nuts !

Or go slowly. Like this critter. Lol

Your art. Your choice.

Happy creating !

~RN

"I'm Not Afraid of You Anymore"

"What feels light to you ?" was our June art prompt.

Hm. "Light," as in, not heavy, but also, not difficult... and maybe comforting ? 

Well, painting always feels light to me.

It lightens my burdens. It brightens my mood. It releases some of the tightness in my chest and gives me a place to pour my thoughts.

But often, it is the very last thing I will do. Lol How silly, right ? I will clean and organize and email for days... and put off painting. Why ? If it helps me feel better ?

Well, here's my thought. With painting, it's not just a state of relaxation, it's also a state of contemplation. Annnd, if I really have some quiet time to think, I might not like the thoughts that come up to the surface. Feelings like sadness or anger. Emotions full of worry and what-ifs.

So... I put it off. Stay busy. But I am SO glad when I always come back to it.

This one's title is dedicated to my inner critic which can be oh so unkind to me. It's called, 

"I'm Not Afraid of You Anymore"

~RN

I am not a vessel.

 

A bright moment

A bright moment from last Friday... with the amazing Mr. Paulo Manso de Sousa.

Thank you for the opportunity to work with your wonderful students at your beautiful studio, Southern Arc Dance.

Summer at Southern Arc Dance

Excited and honored to be teaching at Southern Arc Dance this week !

"Higher Ground" Questions

“Higher Ground” begins with the image of pulling at something heavy, a ball and chain or an anchor, and after the third attempt, finally lifting it off the ground. 

The burden is then “caught” and rolls from one shoulder to the next, before being crumpled into the heart. 

The image is meant to provoke a line of questioning that we are, perhaps, not always comfortable with : 
What are your burdens ? And how do you carry them ? Are they visible or unseen ??...

Photo of Cherish Dance, courtesy of Gwinnett Dance Project, from their latest production, “Home"

June Art Prompt

Playing with the words, "light," as in, not heavy or not difficult, and "light," as in, something illuminating... we present to you this month's question : 

"What feels light to you ?"

Feel free to answer in any art form that calls to you. Dance, photography, writing, a doodle. No limit or restrictions on this.

Hope you feel inspired to make something new and get creative with this art challenge !

Braver

Silly ol' bear. Here is part of the famous Chrisopher Robin quote, for my sweet friend Ingrid.

She is an artist herself and you should check out her beautiful jewelry at Rivers of Color Handmade.

(Fun fact : I have never tried to draw Pooh bear before, but I have definitely doodled cuter bees. Lol)

*Colorful*

Colorful. I'm reminded every day how magical the world is, simply by the unique observations my kiddo makes.

And taking the time to play with her reminds me how important play is. That we need to relax, explore, and giggle, as much as we work, puzzle, and plan.

So I thought this photograph would be perfect to answer our May art prompt, "How can you celebrate?"

I saw the beautiful pigments reflecting in the sunlight and thought the colors looked like they were dancing together. Here's to noticing more of that joy...

~RN

Contemporary @ Dance 101

Contemporary is my HOME !

Such a cool piece by Monica Noble at Dance 101 Studios.

Thankful for every time I get to go take class !

Cherish on YouTube

Missed Cherish Dance's last performance ??

No worries ! You can find it here, on our YouTube channel. -->

Cherish Dance on YouTube

And don't forget to Subscribe, so you can see the latest of what we're up to.

Photo from our recent performance of "Dare You To Move" at Artz'N Park, 
an awesome outdoor event produced by Southern Arc Dance.

Peace Day '22

Peace Day Celebration, here we come !!

Join Cherish Dance and I, as we create more peace in the world through song, dance, or art form of your choice.

We raised $405 in ticket sales last year to support the amazing work of Jeremy Gilley and Peace One Day.

Let's top that at this year's show !!

~RN

Last Week at Peachtree

Daw, it's my last week here at Peachtree Gym, but we'll be back in full swing in the fall ! I teach multiple levels of modern dance, and you can also check out their cool contemporary, musical theater, and ballet classes at the handy link below. -->

Peachtree Dance

Voyage ATL Interview

"If I hadn't been pushed by the new demands of motherhood or the novel environment of Atlanta, then I might never have decided that NOW was the time to make something that truly mattered. Something that connected people together..."

Thanks, Voyage ATL, for the fun interview and for sharing my story ! You can check it out at the link below -->

Life & Work with Rene Nesbit

Music

I love to make art for my friends. This one is for my pal Nimia and is inspired by her favorite quote, 

"To stop the flow of music would be like the stopping of time itself, incredible and inconceivable." ~ Aaron Copeland

Even slightly abbreviated, this phrase had LOTS of letters in it. And both doodles were hard for me, but I am always up for a challenge (for my patience and my shaky hand ! Lol).

May Art Prompt

May Art Prompt !

Let's look for ways to celebrate the little things and cultivate that fun feeling. Take a photograph ! Write a happy encounter down ! Dance to encourage yourself or with a friend !

And don't forget to tag us when you share your #canicolornow moment. We'd love to hear from you and help fill the world with more art.

~RN

Official

Throwback Thursday to when I registered Can I Color Now Studios for incorporation, for the second year in a row. (Yay, taxes. Lol)

But seriously, it does feel good to have something on paper saying, yes, you exist, you function, keep doing what you're doing.

Free sticker to anyone who can guess/remember/research how long CICNS has actually been in existence.... (Hint, longer than two years.)

*Tree*

Here is my tree. In response to last month's art prompt, "What helps you grow?" I decided to draw the things that uplift and energize me as a root system to the life that I share with the world.

And there you'll find dance and poetry and music, community and art... but you'll also find challenges and fear.

Because the moments that I've learned the most from are the ones where I felt the most unprepared, disappointed, unsure of what to do... and then I had to figure it out.

So as strange as it seems to feel gratitude toward something negative... I never would have grown so much, if I did not have to confront these obstacles. Like so many creatures in nature, we evolve in response to our environment...

Drawing this tree was so calming and filled me with such gratitude, that I was finally able to go to sleep the other night, after feeling anxious and restless for quite some time.

Maybe you will have a moment to consider the things and people that help you thrive, too. I hope that it brings comfort to you, as well.

~RN

"Higher Ground" at Decatur Arts Festival

I'll be representing Cherish Dance this weekend at Decatur Arts Festival !

Brought together by Beacon Dance, this two-day showcase includes entertaining and thought-provoking dances in various styles, including our modern dance, "Higher Ground," on Sunday !

Come take a stroll, enjoy the artwork, and catch a show while you're there.

May 8th, 4:00 PM

231 Sycamore Street, Free event !

"Higher Ground" at GDP Show

"The strength that you need / has been with you all along. This is simply the moment / to prove it."

~from "Soar," a poem by yours truly

"Higher Ground" begins with this poem and the dance further elaborates the story of how connection, forgiveness, and trust can bring a new perspective into one's life.

I performed a solo rendition of this piece at Gwinnett Dance Project's showcase, "Home." Thankful for the opportunity to represent Cherish Dance and for all the other artists who made the night so special !

~RN

"Write Your Name"

📝 Happy National Tell A Story Day. ☀️

Here’s the intro to “Write Your Name”…

a poem I wrote for my wonderful high school students, back in 2017. 

Cherish at GDP's "HOME"

This SATURDAY ! ✨

I’ll be performing a solo rendition of @cherish.dance ‘s new piece, “Higher Ground.”

You can catch its premier alongside a whole bunch of other lovely performances, including dances by @gwinnettdanceproject and @bluebirduncaged …

Tickets are pay-what-you-can and 10% of donations goes toward Ukraine relief.

Eventbrite Ticket Link

Hollow Bones

So happy to support this lovely artist and her dancers.

"Hollow Bones" by Nadya Zeitlin and Bautanzt Here, part of the Art on the Atlanta Beltline exhibit

Here's a little poem/thought flow that I wrote yesterday, after seeing their work...

~~

Functional Bones

The idea of a shell
of a mold, an encasing
an expectation...
Who are you with it ?
Who are you without it ?
How are you united with others ?
And how are you separate ?
How do you move in your own story ?
How do you change roles and witness
or participate in other stories ?
How do you witness your own ?
What does it mean to be seen ?
To be protected ?
To be exposed ?
How are you connected to your surroundings ?
What do you see as a burden ?
As a success ?
Who is watching you ?
And how do you take responsibility in your response... ?
What have you abandoned ?
And who have you become ?
What rests inside your own bones ?

~RN

Vulnerability

"Vulnerability is not winning or losing. It's having the courage to show up and be seen when we have no control over the outcome." ~Brené Brown

Here is a moment from "Joyful," performed by Cherish Dance

Captured by Cody J. Jacques

From our Peace Day Celebration 2021, raising awareness and support for Peace One Day.

"in the rose-pink clouds"

A poem I wrote for my grandmother, who passed away in 2015. She is remembered and missed everyday.

"in the rose-pink clouds"

"...tell me how this life will form
the next life
and tell me how they never end..."

~RN

April Art Prompt

April showers bring May flowers, but what's stopping you form growing now ??

Often, if we can identify the things that aren't working well for us, it's so much easier to remember the things that help us flourish.

Ah yes, that self-care routine. That workout soundtrack. Oh hey, what's my awesome friend up to, that I haven't talked to in eons.

So this is our April Prompt :

Figure out what helps you grow and capture it through any medium you enjoy--photography, doodle, dance, song, etc.

And don't forget to tag us when you share your #canicolornowmoment. We'd love to hear from you and help fill the world with more art.

~

RN

Poignant

At Cherish Dance, we often leave time to doodle and chat at the end of rehearsal.

It's a special time when we get to relax, cool down, and share a little bit about what's going on with our week.

It's a simple few minutes, when I've gotten to know my dancers in a way I wouldn't have otherwise.

I'm thankful for their trust and laughter and for the chance to be both silly and serious with them.

(Fun fact: This doodle was started way back in February of 2021. Since the goal isn't really about finishing, but exploring, I'm glad this one took the long way.)

marker on paper, 8 x 10

Original available. $10.

Schoom !

"Schoom !"

Felt so good to paint this and I actually have a few in-process photos for you...

What colors do YOU like to mix together ??

Original available. Paint on canvas, 8 x 10, $25.

"Walk With Me" Premier

We premiered "Walk With Me" at DanceATL's A.M. Collaborative Final Showing last week !

Words by Shannon Yarbrough, Performed by Josh Souane

Choreography by yours truly, Performed by Cherish Dance : Katelyn Roth, Nancy Glasscock, and I

Special thanks to Loren Catherine for reserving the studio space for us at CORE Dance. 

And thanks to Ruben de Rijcke for his filming expertise.

Who's ready to make something new with the next round of A.M. Collab ??

>> Watch "Walk With Me" on YouTube <<

3 Doodles

Ahh. The relaxing feeling of doodling.

All three of these are for my friend, Jacquelyn Pritz, whose quotes were so lovely, I couldn't pick just one.

The second print is Tagalog, meaning "kindred spirit, neighbor, or fellow humans."

Hence, the simple ovals looped together.

Hope you're having a very sunny Saturday.

Originals available. $10 each.

A.M. Collab Interview

 A little bit of interview, a little bit of dance !

Thank so much DanceATL ! Such a cool video.

A.M. Collab Final Showing

Next Saturday !! 

You can watch the new piece from Cherish Dance and see what we made together with Shannon Yarbrough, in a film ! 🎬

Visit DanceATL's website to find out more info. It’s free !!! 

March 12th, 6:00 PM, Windmill Arts Center

Part of the A.M. Collaborative Final Showing : Eventbrite Tickets

Lightly

I love these little flowers I made, painting next to my daughter at the kitchen table. They are small and fragile, as the title hints at…

“Lightly” by René Nesbit

paint on paper, 8 x 10

Original available, $15.

Joyful Heart

Dancing makes my heart sing. 🖤

Throwback Thursday to our performance of “Joyful” at Aatma Dance Studio…

✨ Cherish Dance ✨

Villanelle

3️⃣ panels. A story told specifically as a villanelle.

📝 This is in response to Shut Up & Write !’s prompt for a villanelle, part of a monthly writing challenge that I signed up for last spring. 

Yep, that’s right, last spring, as in, last year. 

So here’s to finally finishing things that you start ! 

This is not the most brilliant thing I’ve ever written, since the fixed rhyming structure was hard for me to conform to (I usually glide through free verse). 

I’ve also created these panels as a response to my own art prompt. (Remember January’s : What makes you sparkle ?) 

✨ Writing inspires and ignites me. It is an outlet for my worry and confusion, my heart and my biggest dreams. It is a place for me to put my tangle of observations and unravel them safely and without judgement. I have kept a journal since I was a kiddo, and putting ink to paper is still one of the most enjoyable activities that I do. 

Let us know what lights you up !

~RN 

"dome"

"dome" 

a poem from my book, A Branch, A Few Words

http://amazon.com/author/rnnesbit

Cherish Bear

My kiddo said, “I love my Cherish Bear !!!” 

In her loudest happy-yell-y voice. ☺️

You can gift someone their own giant squeezable teddy via the link below, and at the same time, show your support for Cherish Dance. 💟👉

https://www.customizedgirl.com/s/cherishdance

NACHMO Prompt #2

The one. The only. Alvin Ailey. 

This is in response to NACHMO Prompt #2.

❇️ MASTER ❇️

(Find an iconic dance photo and recreate it.) Ailey’s strength, agility, and passion have inspired me, since I first started studying modern dance, as a young person at Backstage Dance Studio in Vegas. 

His lines, poise, and intensity are felt viscerally through the screen, whenever I watch him dance. Ailey founded his own dance company, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, in 1958, which continues to perform and exhilarate audiences. 

Ailey believed that dance was for everybody.

What dance photo have you always wanted to recreate ? 

Join the NACHMO movement, here ! 🔽

NACHMO Dance