Help Externally Loading Images

I’m using the Flash Loader-Component to load a load of images + thumbnails (which double up as buttons) in a project. This is the code:

button1.contentPath = "contentimages/painting/01_thumb.jpg";
button2.contentPath = "contentimages/painting/02_thumb.jpg";
button3.contentPath = "contentimages/painting/03_thumb.jpg";
button4.contentPath = "contentimages/painting/04_thumb.jpg";
button5.contentPath = "contentimages/painting/05_thumb.jpg";
button6.contentPath = "contentimages/painting/06_thumb.jpg";
button7.contentPath = "contentimages/painting/07_thumb.jpg";
button8.contentPath = "contentimages/painting/08_thumb.jpg";
button9.contentPath = "contentimages/painting/09_thumb.jpg";
button10.contentPath = "contentimages/painting/10_thumb.jpg";
button11.contentPath = "contentimages/painting/11_thumb.jpg";
button12.contentPath = "contentimages/painting/12_thumb.jpg";
button13.contentPath = "contentimages/painting/13_thumb.jpg";
button14.contentPath = "contentimages/painting/14_thumb.jpg";
button15.contentPath = "contentimages/painting/15_thumb.jpg";
button16.contentPath = "contentimages/painting/16_thumb.jpg";
button17.contentPath = "contentimages/painting/17_thumb.jpg";
button18.contentPath = "contentimages/painting/18_thumb.jpg";

function portfolioLoader (image, textFile) {
main.contentPath = image;
myData = new LoadVars();
myData.onLoad = function() {
title.text = this.theTitle;
myDescrip_txt.text = this.theDescrip;
};
myData.load(textFile);
}

button1.onRelease = function (){
portfolioLoader("contentimages/painting/01.jpg","contentimages/painting/01.txt");
}
button2.onRelease = function (){
portfolioLoader("contentimages/painting/02.jpg","contentimages/painting/02.txt");
}
button3.onRelease = function (){
portfolioLoader("contentimages/painting/03.jpg","contentimages/painting/03.txt");
}
button4.onRelease = function (){
portfolioLoader("contentimages/painting/04.jpg","contentimages/painting/04.txt");
}
button5.onRelease = function (){
portfolioLoader("contentimages/painting/05.jpg","contentimages/painting/05.txt");
}
button6.onRelease = function (){
portfolioLoader("contentimages/painting/06.jpg","contentimages/painting/06.txt");
}
button7.onRelease = function (){
portfolioLoader("contentimages/painting/07.jpg","contentimages/painting/07.txt");
}
button8.onRelease = function (){
portfolioLoader("contentimages/painting/08.jpg","contentimages/painting/08.txt");
}
button9.onRelease = function (){
portfolioLoader("contentimages/painting/09.jpg","contentimages/painting/09.txt");
}
button10.onRelease = function (){
portfolioLoader("contentimages/painting/10.jpg","contentimages/painting/10.txt");
}
button11.onRelease = function (){
portfolioLoader("contentimages/painting/11.jpg","contentimages/painting/11.txt");
}
button12.onRelease = function (){
portfolioLoader("contentimages/painting/12.jpg","contentimages/painting/12.txt");
}
button13.onRelease = function (){
portfolioLoader("contentimages/painting/13.jpg","contentimages/painting/13.txt");
}
button14.onRelease = function (){
portfolioLoader("contentimages/painting/14.jpg","contentimages/painting/14.txt");
}
button15.onRelease = function (){
portfolioLoader("contentimages/painting/15.jpg","contentimages/painting/15.txt");
}
button16.onRelease = function (){
portfolioLoader("contentimages/painting/16.jpg","contentimages/painting/16.txt");
}
button17.onRelease = function (){
portfolioLoader("contentimages/painting/17.jpg","contentimages/painting/17.txt");
}
button18.onRelease = function (){
portfolioLoader("contentimages/painting/18.jpg","contentimages/painting/18.txt");
}

Is there a way to add a simple fade transition to the images instead of them just dissapearing?