Monday, February 23, 2009

Sporting Dog Series - Yellow Lab

It's Monday!!! I'm finding my tail is dragging a bit today and I'm pretty sure that I'm not going to be doing any painting today. I spent a wonderful, long weekend with my husband as we celebrated our 21st anniversary. We really enjoyed our time together laughing and sharing and going places and now it's back to work for us both and even though I work from my home some days it's still hard to face the work week, especially when you've had such a lovely weekend. You just don't want that to end, you know?

Well, that said, today I am sharing another painting in my Sporting Dog series that I just completed last week. This one features a very handsome Yellow Lab that I'm calling "Past to Present." This painting is also done in acrylic and I am really enjoying the results I'm getting. Having the ability to change things as you go is very appealing and I used that characteristic in this piece a few times. It came in very handy when I needed to adjust color and change how the background looked. I originally had the grass going up much higher, but decided that I was losing the puppy in all that yellow so I just painted it into blue sky. In the other mediums I work in that would not have been possible. I'm thinking that acrylic just may become my medium of choice, but I'm going to keep experimenting before I make that a final decision. This piece is 11 x 14 done on hardboard and is for sale though I have not set a price yet. Note cards and prints are also available. Inquires may come to me at my email address...kindredspirits@clearwire.net.

Work on my website updates is moving along nicely and should be ready in a few weeks to publish. I'm hoping to have a page to start selling items directly from my site, things like note cards, prints and even some originals. I'll keep you informed as to when that will happen. In the meantime, I'm just trying to keep painting away to fill my booth for the upcoming April shows I have scheduled. So many things I have going on right now is really keeping me so busy that I'm beginning to think I need a secretary. Think I can find one to work for free???

Everyone have a great week and remember to count your blessings!!

Monday, February 16, 2009

Brittany in Acrylic

Recently, I have begun to experiment with acrylic paint. I have wanted to try this medium for some time as I have always heard it is such a wonderful, forgiving medium. However, in my hands it always seemed to be a struggle and I usually ended up throwing the piece away, but one of my goals for this year was to try it again. I'm very glad that I did because this time the results are much more to my liking. I learned, through a lot of reading, that I needed to work in thinner layers and build the paint up gradually. This is not the only way to work with acrylic as many artists I know can really work with it in thick, juicy passages. That technique only left me frustrated. So even though I was looking for a quicker way to paint I still have to handle this medium like I do my watercolors and colored pencils...slower and with layers. It may not always stay this way, but for now it's working better and I like the results.

This painting was done on a hot pressed watercolor paper as I wanted to be able to achieve some fine detail. I really wanted to capture the intense gaze of this Brittany as it locked up on point. I was not so much interested in what the dog was pointing at as I was in the "intensity" of it's point and the look in it's eye.

This painting is 5" x 7" and is currently available for purchase for $150.00. I will also have it available in prints, note cards and ACEOs. Inquiries may come to my email kindredspirits@clearwire.net.

Friday, February 13, 2009

Art Show at the Dog Show Entry

I am so pleased and excited to share the news with you that my drawing of my dog Maggie entitled "It's MY Chair" has been selected to participate in a national juried art show dedicated to canine art. The Art Show at the Dog Show is an annual event held in conjunction with the Sunflower Cluster Dog Show in Wichita, Kansas. I am almost beside myself with excitement as this is the first national art competition that I have ever been juried into! My entry will travel next week to Kansas and will then be judged along with many other amazing entries for various different awards and a chance at being awarded Best in Show. If chosen for that honor there will be a nice cash prize and my artwork will become a part of the AKC Museum of the Dog permanent display. That would be VERY exciting!!! As it is, just being chosen to be in the show is a great and wonderful accomplishment as there were 580 entries from 200 artists and from what I've seen of the artwork that was chosen I am humbled by the talent that will be represented there. The art will be on display at three different locations in Wichita. It will be at The Foyer Gallery in the Century II Convention Center, the CityArts Building, and the Sunflower Cluster Dog Show at the Kansas Coliseum from March 3rd -April 5th. All artwork will be for sale so if you have an opportunity to be in Kansas then stop by and enjoy the show!

Sunday, February 8, 2009

Tiny Truck Dogs- Yorkies in Pencil

These two little darlings are a pair of Yorkshire Terriers named Matilda and Melvin. They are quite the pair! I had the opportunity to meet them both and take my own reference photos. Matilda was quiet and reserved with this wild hair sproinking out all over. Melvin had the terrier spirit, thinking he was much larger than his size and ready to take on the world, or at least that bigger dog he heard barking at the neighbors! Both dogs enjoy going places with their owner like out for walks or gathering wood, hence the "tiny truck dog" theme.

In my neck of the woods you often see dogs riding in the back of pickup trucks and they get the name of "truck dogs". Many of these dogs are working breeds like cattle dogs or border collies and are used for herding or ranch work. They go everywhere with their masters and are usually left guarding the truck when their masters go to town. If you look close you can see a hint of window frame as they peer out waiting patiently for their masters return.

Hope you enjoy these two little cuties! Thanks for looking!

Monday, February 2, 2009

2 Chessies in Pencil

These two Chesapeake Bay Retrievers were a very special commission for a very special friend. She chose to have it done in graphite pencil because it has such a timeless, elegant simplicity to the medium.

Both of these dogs have passed on now. I personally knew the dogs and had hunted with my friend and her husband in past years. It took us awhile to get the right pictures together that best captured Punkin and Belle and because the dogs were so special it brought back a lot of memories and a lot of emotion. Anyone that has truly loved any animal can understand that.

I hope you enjoy seeing this painting as much as I enjoyed doing it. It was a special honor for me to do this for them because it pays tribute to some wonderful dogs and because a part of my life is wrapped up in this, too.

Give your furry friends an extra hug today for the love they give us is exceptional and their time with us way too short.

Thanks for looking!