Skip to main content


"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

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Tabby Kit

"Tabby Kit," 5" x 7", acrylics on a museum quality panel, depicting a tiny little orange striped guy from Morgue File . This painting can be yours for $289, which includes s&h inside the US. And in case you didn't see it, a little doodle of him is also available for sale here . Inquires may come directly to me .  Although it certainly doesn't FEEL like spring here (snow and ice and wind chills, brr!), I can tell that spring is coming. The mercury is rising a wee bit each day and the days are getting longer and brighter. Over the weekend we drove with the moonroof open just to feel the sun's meager and oh-so-very-welcome warmth (although the heat in the car was cranked, too, in the interest of full disclosure!). I wanted to work with spring-like colors today, and this little guy was still on my mind , so I grabbed a small panel and got to work. Of course, I also have Poppy to finish and some changes to make to another po
Post a Comment
Read more
“Rapt (Shadow),” from the Larger than Life series, 16”x22”, acrylic black lab mixed breed pet portrait on gallery wrapped canvas, $699. Inquiries to ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com . SOLD. This is Shadow, who went missing on Sunday night. He belongs to a friend of mine, and has been a fixture in our community for many years. Errant fireworks scared the silly old guy into running off, and his family is busy searching for him. (If you happen to be in the Lake Orion/Oakland County area and have seen Shadow, please call 248-391-0867 or 248-391-6817) I’m confidant that he is safe (somewhere!) and awaiting discovery, but meanwhile, couldn’t help myself from posting his portrait as today’s dog a day painting . He’s constantly on my mind, and probably will remain so, until he finds his way back home. Hug your four legged guys while you can! Thanks, as always, for looking. And for sharing these paintings with friends and family, Kim Kimberly Kelly Santini http://www.turtledovedesigns.com/ dis
Post a Comment
Read more

NEW! Etsy Store

One of my favorite unsold paintings from 2008, "Lashes & Corkscrews," 5" x 8", acrylic on canvasboard, depicting a tobiano buckskin curly horse, $289. Inquiries to ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com (but read further on how you can get a special deal on this painting!). Now it's ridiculously easy to browse my painting archives. All you have to do is visit my Etsy store . Etsy has a Shopping Cart (so you can pile it high with purchases from a variety of artists), is integrated with Paypal (although you may still pay by check if you prefer to), and is terribly simple to navigate. When the week has ended, I will have listed almost 100 of my favorite (UNSOLD!) paintings here, grouped loosely by subject matter. During 2009 I'll update the shop regularly, and add non-Dog-a-Day pieces as a bonus, thus making it easy to search for that perfect gift. Watch my daily postings for announcements, promotions and discount codes. If you do not receive the Dog-a-Day emails (
Post a Comment
Read more