Sugar Plum Fairy: A Journey into the Land of Sweets

Welcome to the Land of Sweets, where lollipops grow like flowers, castles rise above rolling hills and anything might happen!

Sugar Plum Fairy is an original mixed media painting on paper, inspired by the magical world of The Nutcracker.

I created this painting in December 2025 while drawing from a live model during the Royal Drawing School's Live Studio online stream.

Working from observation, I allowed my imagination to take flight. The model gradually became the Sugar Plum Fairy, surrounded by giant swirling sweets, a fairy-tale castle and a colourful hot-air balloon floating across the sky.

Bold, expressive lines dance across the paper, while vibrant pinks, oranges, yellows and blues create a wonderfully playful atmosphere.

I love the way drawing from life can become a journey into the imaginal world. What begins as an observation of the human figure can develop into something unexpected, where reality and fantasy meet.

The Sugar Plum Fairy is a character from The Nutcracker, a story that has enchanted generations of children and adults. Here, she sits in her own colourful kingdom, surrounded by the delicious possibilities of imagination.

A whimsical original artwork that would bring colour, storytelling and a little fairy-tale magic into a child's bedroom, reading corner or any home where imagination is welcome.

One of five original paintings

Sugar Plum Fairy belongs to a set of five colourful mixed media paintings created during a Royal Drawing School Live Studio session in December 2025.

Each is a unique original artwork, but together they create a wonderfully playful group, full of character, colour and imagination.

This painting makes a particularly lovely companion to The Gift, which features a mysterious crowned character held by an expressive figure.

The two works share the imaginative world of The Nutcracker, with their lively colours and theatrical characters.

They would look delightful displayed side by side, or together with the other paintings in the set, particularly in a child's bedroom or family space.

On display for the first time since its making in Basel from mid-November

Artwork details

• Title: Sugar Plum Fairy

• Year: 2025

• Original, one-of-a-kind artwork

• Medium: Mixed media on paper

• Dimensions:3 5.5 × 28 cm

• Drawn from a live model during the Royal Drawing School's Live Studio online stream

• Part of a set of five original artworks

• Unframed

Shipping and framing

Your original painting will be sent carefully wrapped and securely packaged to protect it during transport.

I recommend professional framing, preferably with an acid-free mount, to preserve the artwork and beautifully present it in your home.