Paintings With Soul

"Hat Trick," 8" x 11", acrylics on panel depicting a magical white rabbit. The inspiration photo for this painting came from the archives at www.PaintMyPhoto.ning.com. Hat Trick needs a home - just $439 will get him to your doorstep (inside the contiguous US). Inquiries may come directly to me. In process photos here (thank you for peeking!).
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The Weekend? Already?
Yes, that is a lament, for real. Because I feel as though I'm onto something with these new paintings. My brain is leapfrogging through them and making connections and spooling off a mess of new ideas, and it doesn't slow down, not even at night (I've been painting in my sleep, too).
 And this week, today, ends my post-Derby buffer zone. I scheduled a generous no commission timeframe so that I could roll with whatever inspiration or ideas hit me immediately after my Kentucky Derby experience.
 I think it's too soon to look back and make a…

"Sir Bun," 6" x 8", acrylics on panel depicting a lop eared bunny found in the archives at www.PaintMyPhoto.ning.com. This bunny would love a home - just $299 will get Sir Bun delivered to your doorstep (inside the contiguous US). Inquiries may come directly to me. In process photos  here (thank you for peeking!). 
More Experimenting
I find the most satisfaction lately working on non-portrait pieces, allowing them to grow their voice and steer the end result of the painting as it progresses.
Sir Bun here, in the earlier stages, was pretty sinister looking. I realized it was because I was trying to force my agenda of high chroma and contrast, instead of listening to what he was saying.
"Layers, my dear, gently layer that color. And drizzle it with a tender line. Take sandpaper to the entire surface and scumble things into a grainy softness. Be generous with those lost edges, too. And then will you just sit quietly here with me when you are done?"
Would an…

"Steam," 9" x 12", acrylics on panel depicting a lovely and powerful Warmblood (horse) galloping in the snow. This painting needs a home - it's only $539, which includes special delivery to your doorstep (inside the contiguous US). Inquiries may come directly to me. In process photos here (thank you for peeking!).
Is Spring FINALLY Here?
Today's temperature was in the 80s (nearly 40 degrees warmer than a week ago!), so it seemed safe enough to paint some snow. If Michigan gets some freakishly cole weather tonite and tomorrow, I will totally take the blame. This concept appealed to me because of the steam blowing across the dark body. And then, once I started it really really big, I struggled with the extreme value shifts - darkest darks and lightest lights - and couldn't get things to work. I fought with the painting for the better half of Friday and then threw in the towel. I looked at the hot mess of a painting all weekend long, and questioned what m…

In Process Detail, "The First Furlong," 11" x 24", acrylics on panel depicting a quartet of Thoroughbreds just a few strides from the starting gate. When finished, this painting will be available for purchase for $1399, which includes special delivery to your doorstep (inside the contiguous US). Inquiries may come directly to me. In process photos here. 
Where Did the Day Go? Today was one of those days that zipped by without my knowledge.  I did a mess of emails, made a couple phone calls, reviewed reference photos, planned two exhibition pieces, got high resolution image files off to a licensing agent, paid bills, unpacked from last night's class, and yet it feels like it should only be 1pm or so, not 4:30. Ah well, I guess that means the weekend is that much closer, right? Hoping you have some wonderful plans for your Memorial Day Weekend. We will be getting our veggie garden in and spending time with family - three whole days of togetherness, which I am re…

"Airplane," 9" x 12" x 3/4", acrylics on Raymar panel (all 5 sides so no need to frame), depicting a friend's Golden Retriever, photo used with permission from Team Husar Photography. This painting is $629, which includes special delivery to your doorstep (inside the contiguous US). Inquiries may come directly to me. In process photos here. 
I Have a Confession
You might not have seen it on the surface, but the last couple years have been very difficult. My Grandmother passed away, suddenly but peacefully, in March 2013, and that ushered a string of immeasurable losses - pillars of my family, dear friends, mentors, a friend's child, mothers of my kid's friends, one of my daughter's teenage friends. It was (and is) never ending. Life does that sometimes.
Not only was I feeling unrooted in my personal life, but there was an emptiness in my painting process that began to loom and gather momentum. I had been battling burnout for a while, and with …

"White Blinkers," 15" x 24", acrylics on Raymar panel depicting a Thoroughbred race horse, inspired by one seen in the paddock at Keeneland Race Track last month. This painting is available for $1799, which includes special delivery to your doorstep (inside the contiguous US).  That is, if I can part with him. I am in love with this guy! Inquire directly to me. In process photos here. 
I spent a good time the last few days just studying this painting. Mentally making changes and measuring how they impacted the overall piece. It's a luxury I don't often give myself, but one I thoroughly enjoyed. I got to see the painting in a variety of different endings, each one pretty spectacular, but ultimately, I chose the ending that seemed to best suit what the piece was telling me. And yes, it did speak up, when I allowed myself to be quiet. It told me it was all about the blinkers. That white space has to be bright so that the rest of the color can sing loudly. And…

In Process: "White Blinkers," 16" x 24", acrylics on Raymar panel depicting a Thoroughbred race horse, inspired by one seen in the paddock at Keeneland Race Track last month. This painting is available for $1899, which includes special delivery to your doorstep (inside the contiguous US) - inquire directly to me. In process photos here. And can I take just a moment to pat myself on the back? I am totally in love with the things that have come off my easel since The Kentucky Derby. Which was the #BestDerbyEver. Just saying..... 
Giving Into My Gut - Circumstances this last week or so have demonstrated to me the importance of listening to my gut. Instincts are there for a reason, and while they cannot be measured with logic, they are spot on correct.
Which I think is one of the reasons why I have had so much success with my most recent paintings (What's a Little Mud, Swishy, Stallion, Sprout, and Dark Brown or Bay), all of which have come from a conscious effort…

"Dark Brown or Bay," 10" x 20", acrylics on Raymar panel depicting a foal. This painting is available for $999, which includes special delivery to your doorstep (inside the contiguous US) - inquire directly to me. In process photos here (this is a pARTy image, the one from April, which I started a million years ago (translation: pre Kentucky Derby) and have just now finished). And it is stunning, not that I am biased or anything.
It seems like a million years ago when I started this painting. 
It was pre-Stanka Kordic workshop.
Pre-Kentucky Derby.
Those things seem like a million years ago, and yet, they were just a few weeks ago.
Which gets me kinda excited. What will the next 6 weeks deliver?
Thanks, as always, for following along with my artwork! Warmly, Kim ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com

"Sprout," 12" x 16, acrylics on Raymar panel depicting a foal. This painting is available for $959, which includes special delivery to your doorstep (inside the contiguous US) - inquire directly to me. In process photos here.

I Need a Name
Not me (I've got lots of them, some not suitable for print), but this little baby.
Originally I had titled this piece "Siesta," because the foal looked incredibly sleepy in my reference photo. However, somewhere along the way, that changed a bit. So I'm open to suggestions!

Congratulations to JR who titled this painting "Sprout" - as appreciation, I will be sending her a cell phone case starring this little guy. Want one for yourself? Thanks, as always, for following along with my artwork! Warmly, Kim ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com

"Stallion," 16" x 20" x 3/4", acrylics on museum quality cradeled panel (no need to frame!), depicting a Thoroughbred stallion (inspired by Sydney's Candy at WinStar Farms). This painting is available for $1799, including delivery to your doorstep (inside the contiguous US) - inquire directly to me. In process photos here.

NOTE: "Stallion" has been entered in the 2015 Equine Jubilee exhibition, and as such, will now be available for purchase directly through the show coordinators. The exhibition will run from August 31st - October 16th. Additional information will follow once I have it.
Artistic Growth - It's a natural pathway, just like with learning any other process.
A dozen years ago, I was searching for a better understanding of color. Then I became interested in gestural brushwork and saying more with less marks. Then it turned to edges, balancing crisp refined ones with softer loss edges. And now it's sort of a free for all - I…

"Swishy," 18" x 24" x 1-1/2", acrylics on museum quality cradeled panel (no need to frame!), depicting an unusually still Border Collie (she's not always like this!). Reference photo used with permission from Linda Shantz (my Derby date!). This painting can be yours for $2299, including delivery to your doorstep (inside the contiguous US) - inquire directly to moi. Oh, and there are in process photos here.
pARTy, pARTy, pARTy !!!I
It's our fourth pARTY since the beginning of the year! What's a pARTy? It's where artists use the same photo (with permission, of course) to create work. In this case, our muse is Swish, belonging to my friend Linda, who has graciously allowed us to work from her photo. (Please respect that this photo is being shared purely for the creation of artwork, and is not to be repurposed in any other way.)
I take the pARTy one step further by creating a photo album on Facebook where artists can share their pARTy creations. S…

You can download the filedirectly from my website. I've set up a couple different ways to do this, either via the photo album or a direct link. I am not an expert on operating systems, so if you don't know how to change your desktop wallpaper, please don't email me - I will indubitably steer you wrong. Your computer's help files will be more concise, more knowledgeable and more responsive than I could ever hope to be.  I've sized this to fit a standard screen height of 768 - I realize there are lots of variables that could impact how the file displays on your screen. Let me know if, once you get the file installed, there are display quality issues (keep in mind, too, that options such as "stretching to fit," "tiling" and "cropping" will impact your display, so check those first!).
Thanks, as always, for following along with my artwork,
Kim

"What's a Little Mud?," 18" x 24" x 1-1/2", acrylics on museum quality cradeled panel (no need to frame!), depicting a muddy Golden Retriever. This painting can be yours for $2299, including delivery to your doorstep (inside the contiguous US) - inquire directly to moi. Oh, and there are in process photos here, along with some great detail shots.
Wet dog.
We all know that smell. 
This piece truly has to be experienced in person - so many layers, so many textures, and a huge variety of marks. The piece breathes.
Ohhhh. Now I'm smelling dog breath!
Thanks, as always, for following along with my artwork! Warmly, Kim ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com

American Pharoah Won the Derby !!!
I snapped the above iPhone photo from our seats near the finish line at Churchill Downs, as American Pharoah was making his way to the winner's circle.  Yeah, I did just say that. Our seats. At the finish line. 
Here's some other way amazing things I got to do while in Kentucky: Hang at Keeneland Race Track for morning workouts with some friends, after which we enjoyed breakfast afterwards at the track kitchen.
Take in the artwork at Cross Gate Gallery in Lexington.
Sip wine on the banks of the Ohio River.
Get pink and freckled (yes, I had sunscreen on!).
Practiced yoga in the dappled light of a glorious tree drenched in a Kentucky sunrise each morning.
Signed about a gajillion posters, tickets, programs and tote bags for the kindest people.
Made some new-to-me friends that feel as though I've known them my whole life.
Ate the most exquisite meals - I kid you not - they were cray cray!
Learned to curse with a southern accent.
I shared lo…