Paintings With Soul

"Exquisite (Little One II)," 6-1/2" x 9", acrylics on copper, depicting the same little foal as yesterday . This painting is absolutely stunning when studied in the moving light - sections of the surface are exposed copper, and the metal reflects and absorbs the light as the viewer moves in closer. This piece is $699, which includes shipping and handling to a US address.  Here's a short video - you gotta see this to believe it!   Maybe you would like both paintings? We can work that out for certain - $899 will bring them both home.  Let me know  how I can make this happen for you (payment plan, credit card, etc). A Random Comment on Facebook.... ....stating the viewer thought yesterday's painting (above, on the left) was on copper got me thinking. Why not give it a try? A second comment of "exquisite" gave todays piece (above, on the right) it's title. Wow. This comparison truly brings home th...

"Little One," 6" x 8", acrylics on museum quality panel, depicting a tender young foal stepping into the bright sunshine. This painting would make an excellent gift for the horse lover on your list. It is $329, which includes shipping and handling to a US address.  Let me know if you want this little one for your home. It's the best sort of horse to own, requiring no stall mucking or veterinary care. I'm slugging through my to-do list, but it's with great effort. Not really sure what to blame my sudden desire to be a couch potato on, but I assure you I am getting lots of sleep and eating healthier than normal. Maybe it's just part of the season shift. I'm off to bake some pumpkin bread. That's on my list, too, along with 5 phone calls and 2 loads of laundry. Although I could just curl up on the couch with The Accidental Masterpiece . Thanks, as always, for following along with my artwork, Warmly...

"Flutterby," 8" x 8" x 2", acrylics on a deeply cradeled museum quality panel, depicting a My Little Pony figurine toy. I grabbed her as an impulse buy while in the checkout lane at Target. Now, after the success of this painting, I want to go back and get more (because I am a hoarder and I have 2 other panels identical to this and think a triptych would be super fun!). This piece is $429, and that includes shipping and handling direct to your US address. Let me know if you want Flutterby for your home! I Finally Figured Yellow Out. And now I've most likely cursed myself by saying so out loud. But here's the thing, just like with any other color, yellow grays out (de-saturates) as it moves away from one's eye. Until today, I didn't see that graying process, I simply read the overall intensity of yellow (generically speaking) and painted that. "Paint what you see, and not what you know." How man...

"Minion," Toy #32, 6" x 6," acrylics on masonite, depicting a little guy borrowed from Gru's army. And this little guy has a new home, too - thank you very much to my returning collector! Is it wrong that I just want to sit on my couch and eat donuts? I'm probably still rebounding from my workshop last week and a killer UTI, but seriously, that's all I want to do.  I tried my typical creative boosts today - a long bath, a walk, a drive, a latte, some chocolate, procrastination, photo reviews, looking at art, reading about art, pinterest, loud music, drawing - but nothing worked.   Let's hope I've got an attitude adjustment by tomorrow!! Thanks, as always, for following along with my artwork, All my best, Kim ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com The 100 Toys Album

A simple 6" x 6" study done in last week's workshop, featuring a Dum Dum lollipop (it IS Halloween, after all!). This exercise was to demonstrate simple blending techniques with acrylics, and to show how to achieve a variety of marks, INCLUDING SMALL ONES (but not brushy-brushy small ones, because those are worst than a firey rash), with a large brush. Inquiries to me , and thank you so much. "Do as I say, not as I do," say's the woman with her paint brush in her mouth and her fingers in the paint And yes, I open paint tubes with my teeth. I have lots of bad habits. But I also have a few gems of knowledge I'm happy to share with those who will listen. Tomorrow is Day Two of our color and brushwork intensive. I'm happy to report there were no tears in Day One, although there was a knitted brow or two and some most excellent questions. And I'm loving having an audience who's interested in talking abo...

A simple 6" x 6" study done in today's workshop, featuring a Dum Dum lollipop (it IS Halloween, after all!). This exercise was to demonstrate simple blending techniques with acrylics, and to show how to achieve a variety of marks, INCLUDING SMALL ONES (but not brushy-brushy small ones, because those are worst than a firey rash), with a large brush. Inquiries to me , and thank you so much. Say's the woman with her paint brush in her mouth and her fingers in the paint And yes, I open paint tubes with my teeth. I have lots of bad habits. But I also have a few gems of knowledge I'm happy to share with those who will listen. Tomorrow is Day Two of our color and brushwork intensive. I'm happy to report there were no tears in Day One, although there was a knitted brow or two and some most excellent questions. And I'm loving having an audience who's interested in talking about the nuances of harmonic color and the i...

"Madame Alexander," Toy #3, 6" x 6," acrylics on masonite, depicting a backlit porcelain doll from the Salvation Army. Please connect with me  via email  if you would like to purchase this painting - she's only $75, and that includes s&h inside the US! I spent the last 2 days prepping for my workshop in Ann Arbor tomorrow. This one is a 2 day intensive, where I try to boil down and condense all the goodies I throw at students in a typical 4 day workshop (and THOSE are fast paced too!). I also have a couple new exercises I wanted to use, which meant restructuring the flow of the days and reworking my slideshow. I work best under pressure, I suppose! And to top things off, I'm a couple hundred emails behind in responding. So please continue to be patient with me if you are awaiting a note - I promise I'll get to them asap. But I will have limited computer time the rest of the week. Now it's off to wrap and ship paintings h...

"Broga (Tree Pose)," Toy #30, 6" x 6," acrylics on masonite, depicting a GIJoe figure practicing yoga. Please connect with me  via email  if you would like to purchase this painting - it's only $75, and that includes s&h inside the US! I am by no means a master yogi, but I do practice yoga several times a week. It brings clarity to my fragmented mind and allows me a quiet pocket of time where the only assignment is feel my muscles stretch and settle and breathe into the poses. It's also improved my core strength and balance (although had you seen me face plant last week, that might be disputed). So when I saw these Brogas (Yoga Joes) online shortly after I started my #100Toys series, I had to have them. They've been waiting patiently to make it to my easel. Today was the day! (PSST - at only $75 each, the toy paintings are fantastic gifts - take a peek and snag a couple before they are gone!) Thanks, as always, ...

Detail of an in process painting, working title "Snowglobe," 12" x 9", acrylics on copper panel, depicting my childhood Madame Alexander "Victoria" doll holding a snowglobe (not pictured because this is a detail). This piece is not yet available. All inquiries may  come to me . Continuing with my exploration of copper as canvas, this newest painting is headed (hopefully!) for an exhibition. My first obstacle is getting her finished before Wednesday's deadline (I am a professional procrastinator!). My second obstacle is getting her juried into the show (send me good vibes, because it'll all come down to one person's point of view). Thanks, as always, for following along with my artwork, Warmly, Kim  

"Bodhi," 12" x 9", acrylics on copper panel, depicting the perfect gentleman in repose, $849. Paintings on copper are exquisitely different when seen in person, and Bodhi's is no exception. Exposed bits of the surface are an active part of the composition, changing in value and offering reflective luminescence as the light moves across the painting. In this case, the majority of the exposed copper is around Bodhi's face, giving his princely expression a little more pizazz. I wish you could see it in person!  All inquiries may  come to me . Bam. Badda Boom. Badda Boom. Signed this puppy (can't quite believe it came off my brushes!), and now I'm off to a friend's exhibition opening. Bring on the weekend! Thanks, as always, for following along with my artwork, Warmly, Kim  

IN PROCESS: "Bodhi," 12" x 9", acrylics on copper panel, depicting the perfect gentleman in repose. Paintings on copper are exquisitely different when seen in person. Exposed bits of the surface are an active part of the composition, changing in value and offering reflective luminescence as the viewer/light moves across the painting. Here's a little video  of an earlier stage of the piece. All inquiries may  come to me . I've been looking at a lot of art lately, all sorts of varieties and timeframes. I am endlessly fascinated by the fact that historically we work with the same tools (paint, brushes, etc) and yet make such vastly different pieces. It's incredibly inspiring, and after a study session, I sometimes subconsciously place bits of different artists' styles in my own work. Like Bodhi's painting, it has the same sort of feel as Ingres' Odalisque ..... but brushwork a la Karin Jurick . I wonder if th...

"Puzzle II," Toy #29, 6" x 6," acrylics on masonite, depicting pieces from a Beatrix Potter puzzle. Please connect with me  via email  if you would like to purchase this painting - it's only $75, and that includes s&h inside the US! Putting the Pieces Together Try it - puzzle pieces are a tough painting subject, especially if you are trying to stay loose. What to paint? the pattern on the pieces or the shadow play? What other objects would you like to see painted? Thanks, as always, for following along with my artwork, All my best, Kim ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com The 100 Toys Album

"Webster," 6" x 8", acrylics on museum quality panel, a commissioned portrait of a Yellow Lab. Webster's portrait has a home, thank you very much to my returning collectors. If you are thinking about a pet portrait as a holiday gift, now is the time to start a conversation. The process takes several weeks, and this is my busiest time of year - once I'm booked, I'm booked! I also do gift certificates if you would rather gift the whole commission experience and spare yourself sneaking around getting photos (or if I happen to be booked and cannot guarantee holiday delivery). But that's not going to happen if we  talk now  and get things started. It was homecoming weekend in Lake Orion. Or Hoco if you're young and hip. The Princesses first and The Caped Crusader's last. I spent lots of time with them and their friends, and very little time in the studio. One of those rare studio-free weekends, because soon the hol...

"Sprout," 9" x 12", acrylics on masonite, a study of a rubber toy of the Jolly Green Giant's little friend. This painting has a home (thank you very much!!). Inquiries may  come to me . Eat Your Peas!   Sprout was a study begun during my workshop last month. One of my students wanted to purchase him, but I asked to have a little more time to clean things up and make a few more marks. Thankfully she obliged. And she just gave her approval so we both are delighted. And now he's ready to go home! Thanks, as always, for following along with my artwork, Warmly, Kim  

Untitled 6" x 14", acrylics on museum quality panel, depicting a quartet of sheep. $369 will get you these low-maintenance sheeps, including s&h inside the US. No hidden fees, I promise! All inquiries may  come to me . My mind drew a blank today while I was working on the sheep. Or sheeps, depending upon how silly one wants to get. But the bottom line is that these ladies do not have a title. Nor do they have much of a coat, having been recently shorn. You can help me out with title suggestions by commenting over on the studio page  right here . I'll figure out something fun for the winner. Thanks, as always, for following along with my artwork, Warmly, Kim  

"Tiznow," 6-1/2" x 9", acrylics on copper panel.  Tiznow is a Thoroughbred stallion from WinStar Farms and a horse of many laurels, the latest of which is one of my muses. I'm sure that is valued far more than his Horse of the Year honor, right?! The copper is exquisite when seen in person. Exposed bits of the surface are an active part of the composition, changing in value and offering reflective luminescance as the viewer/light moves across the painting. Here's a little video. $699 will get Tiznow to your door. It includes s&h inside the US. All inquiries may  come to me . It's like riding a bike.   I was joking about this over on my FB page when sharing in process photos of this painting. I felt very stiff when I started this painting - the surface was pretty slick and my paints weren't juicy enough. I kinda knew what I was doing, but my Inner Critic was reminding me of all the things I didn't know...

My lunchtime view for 4 years, the east stairwell of Kresge Art Center at Michigan State University, where I concurrently earned a BFA in painting and a BA in art history. Also shadowed, I realized today, by the same locusts that grew along the treelined drive to my childhood home. #clarity I grew up in a small town very aware of (and uncomfortable with) the fact that I was somehow rather different than the majority of my peers. It wasn't until I went away to college (Michigan State University) that I realized that difference was an integral piece of my identity. I was an artist. It was inside the walls of the Kresge Building where I embraced and actively nurtured that difference, learning the language of creating, wallowing in my process, building the infrastructure of my style and establishing friendships with other like souls. Today I had the distinct pleasure of returning home after a long absence. As the guest of the Dean and Programming Speci...

"Jigsaw Puzzle I," Toy #28, 6" x 6," acrylics on masonite, depicting a few pieces from a Beatrix Potter puzzle. I might have a new favorite subject - puzzle pieces AND Peter Rabbit and friends! Please connect with me  via email  if you would like to purchase this painting - only $75, and that includes s&h inside the US! Deceivingly Difficult Umm, yeah. Carving those curves out with a giant brush (I didn't want tight, fussy brushwork), then getting the nuances on the table top, followed by the pattern on the pieces themselves (which ended up getting rubbed out as they swallowed up the whole painting). It was so hard that I had to walk away for a bit and go around the block for some fresh air. But it was a lot of fun to have such a simple setup that required so much of my brain. I'm going to try this again! Thanks, as always, for following along with my artwork, All my best, Kim ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com ...