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"Silver Star," 4" x 8", still life painting comprised of dog tags, acrylic on canvasboard, $135. Inquiries may always come to me at ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com .

Dog tags and other dog ephemera are also welcome - I continue to build still lifes from the objects you send in. Submissions may be mailed to 346 N Anderson, Lake Orion, MI 48362. If you would like your materials back, please include return postage. I will acknowledge receipt of all items.

What a varied and thought provoking response I got to my question earlier this week, when I asked your feelings about an article I had read advising artists to maintain a sense of mystery about their creative process.

Overwhelmingly I was told not to change the blog or the dog-a-day project - which isn't going to happen. I wasn't seriously considering it at all - just curious why the dog-a-day project was thriving despite what art marketing experts recommended.

Here are just a few of the ideas I've been mulling over:
Understanding the process enhances the artwork
The more one knows about the intricacies of a piece, the more respect one has for it, the more "life" the painting exhudes
Particular descriptions can cause more serious studying of a passage, even if the overall image itself doesn't attract the viewer
As a community already sensitive to animal welfare, the stories are another means of bonding with the art
The stories help the artist, subject and audience to connect
There is no doubt as to my dedication and love for my subject matter and the painting process, which makes the work more appealing
Sharing personal details is not for everyone, nor is the reciprocal (private) conversations that ensue
Not all artwork needs a narrative, nor should it be implied that all artwork would benefit from one
Some creative souls need that wall between their innermost selves and the public
There is joy to be had in sharing the creative process, and that sharing can spark new ideas and enhance the artists' energy
Reading each posting carries the dog-a-day community along on my journey
Collectors want to understand the artists' committment - blogging the dog-a-day project provides an intimate look at my process, my subject matter, and my world - all within the comfort of their own homes

Thank you so much to everyone who responded - I really have been flooded with your notes, and will work away at answering a few of them each night in the coming weeks.
Talk to you next week,
Kim


Kimberly Kelly Santini
http://www.turtledovedesigns.com/
distinctive pet portraits
& 4-legged paintings

http://www.paintingadogaday.com/
come. sit. stay.
enjoy the art.

Founding member of the Canine Art Guild
http://www.canineartguild.com/
the gateway to canine art on the web

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