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Showing posts from June, 2015

July Desktop Calendar

You can download the desktop calendar file   directly 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

Eeyore

"Eeyore," 6" x 6," acrylics on masonite, depicting another Sal-Val rescued stuffie, Disney's Eeyore. $75, includes s&h inside the US. How can you NOT love the grumpiest of grumps? Bring him home,  and then, I dare you to smile and be joyful around him! SOLD (thank you!). Perhaps I'm Onto Something I've been reading quite a bit about this whole "100" commitment - the idea being that you commit to doing something 100 times. Establishing new routines, pushing boundaries, learning. It all sounds wonderful and grand, but I couldn't quite see how a commitment to 100 of anything would benefit me, since I was already committed to daily painting. Then, as a result of the 6" square studies done in Lisa Kennedy 's class a couple weeks ago, I realized I could continue to practice and explore new ways of seeing and working from life in nice little byte sized pieces. I've done at least one nearly every

More Pooh Bears

FROM LEFT: "Pooh Bear II" and "Pooh Bear III," 6" x 6," acrylics on masonite, depicting my stuffed Pooh. Each piece is $75, including s&h inside the US. Because one can never have enough Pooh in one's life. Let  me know  if you would like one of these. Thanks so much! Bear Conversations After nearly making off with my Pooh stuffie yesterday, and getting in trouble for it, Finnigan sat careful watch in the studio today. Finni brought his current stuffie with him, an armless teddy bear, and laid with his bear in a patch of sunlight at the base of my easel.    I'm wondering what sort of conversation played out between the poor crippled bear and Pooh, who today perched on a pedestal in front of the window.    Maybe it's best I don't know. Thanks, as always, for following along with my artwork, Warmly, Kim   ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com

Pooh Bear

"Pooh," 6" x 6," acrylics on masonite, depicting a stuffed Pooh bear. My stuffed Pooh bear, rescued from the stuffed animal bin at the Salvation Army. I have a thing for taking in creatures that need love, don't judge me. This painting was for sale, but sold in just a few minutes over on Facebook. If you would like me to paint him again, I am happy to - let  me know .  A Near Disaster I first painted a little bouquet (see below), and then set about to putting together a new still life. Ultimately, Pooh spoke out the loudest, although in the simplest of terms, as Pooh does.  I messed around with him on my desk, then a shelf, then a chair. But he seemed happiest on the floor, at the foot of my easel. So I set to painting him, and was making good progress. And then, the dog came into the studio, took one peek at the stuffy on the floor, dove for Pooh, and then made a run for it. Such are the dangers of stuffies in my househ

Mum's Kitten

"Mums Kitten," 10" x 16," acrylics on masonite, depicting a second black and white kitten (I painted one yesterday ). Please forgive the poor quality of the photo - this painting is VERY wet and most likely will take a couple hours to dry, so I opted for an iPhone pic and a little glare as opposed to waiting until 1am - I hope you can forgive me! I'll put a scan on the blog tomorrow - but meanwhile, this little guy can be yours for $579, and that includes s&h to your door (inside the US). Please inquire to me . And take a peek at the in process photos which are here . Opposites So Domino, my painting from yesterday , was a lighter valued black and white kitten painting. And Mum went in the opposite direction - there are lots of richly hued dark values in this painting. I wanted to experiment with the two extremes. See how the layered marks read when they were light vs dark. Play with lost edges at each end of the spectrum. Sand

Domino, Our Next pARTy Guest

"Domino," 7-1/2" x 12," acrylics on museum quality panel, depicting a tender black and white kitten. Domino can be yours (talk about a low maintenance cat!) for $449, and that includes s&h to your door (inside the US). Please inquire to me . Also, in process photos are here . It's Time to pARTy!! So Domino, this sweet little guy, I think will make an excellent muse for this month's pARTy. What's a pARTy? Well, it's when artists work from the same reference to create work showcasing their own unique style. Domino's pARTy reference came from the website Paint My Photo - a great spot to find a little (or a lot) of inspiration. I've included the direct link to the photo , but ask that anyone participating does join the group (it's free!) and adhere to their terms of service (essentially only using their photos to make non-digital art, and the non-digital piece is their request, not mine). If you are p

Painting with my Shero, Lisa Daria Kennedy

"Peonies III," one of 6 paintings completed this weekend at the Lisa Daria Kennedy workshop in Traverse City, Michigan. The pieces are all 6" square, acrylic, and with the exception of one piece on mylar, are done on masonite. This painting and her 5 friends are for sale - $75 each includes s&h - details are here. Inquiries may always come my way . Back to Earth You know how you put someone on a pedestal and believe they are perfect? and then when you get the chance to meet them, and learn they are merely human, you are disappointed?   Well, that DIDN'T happen this weekend. One of my painting Shero's, Lisa Daria Kennedy , came to Michigan to teach this last weekend. And I was one of 10 lucky students who got to pick her brains on color, brushwork, developing a personal voice, squirrels, artistic influences (she did mention  Susan Lichtman once or twice), critiques, values, food, messy buns and traveling with art supplies, da

PJ, an Equine Painted Sketch

"PJ," painted sketch, image roughly 6-1/2" x 5" on a 9" x 12" page, commissioned portrait of a lovely dark equine. If PJ looks familiar, that's because I painted him a couple weeks ago, and this sketch was an add-on to the project. Thusly it is sold. However, if you would like something similar, I offer a limited number of painted sketches each year, and inquiries may always come my way  - I can add you to a waiting list. Packing My Bags I know I just got back into town, but I'm hitting the road again. This time it'll be a quick trip north to Traverse City, where I will be painting for 2 days with my hero Lisa Daria Kennedy. You probably best know her for her daily paintings , but I am equally mesmerized by her larger paintings . She has a strong sense of design and uses saturated color masterfully. There's also a great economy of brushwork in her paintings, and I am eager to learn how she manages that. As

Freya, Another Dobie Sketch

"Freya," painted sketch, image roughly 4-1/2" x 9" on a 9" x 12" page, commissioned portrait of a Doberman Pinscher. This portrait has been sold (THANK YOU SO MUCH!!). However, if you would like something similar, I offer a limited number of painted sketches each year, and inquiries may always come my way  - I can add you to a waiting list. Taking a Cue From a Master  Carol Marine , a daily painter of tremendous renown, spends a lot of time traveling and enjoying her family. And one of the things that enables her to do this is what she calls "painting ahead" - she prepares her daily paintings ahead of time, and schedules her blog posts for those days when she may be on the road/unplugged from the internet. And this is what I did yesterday and last night - I stole her idea, and painted ahead. Why? Well, for one, I'm supposed to be teaching tonite (Thursday the 18th) (I say supposed to be because class is outdo

Phia, A Painted Sketch

"Phia," painted sketch, image roughly 7" x 6" on a 9" x 12" page, commissioned portrait of a Doberman Pinscher. This portrait is sold and I offer a very limited number of painted sketches each year, but inquiries may always come my way . Welcome to Summer!  School let out and we bolted for the hills! Irish Hills, that is! We spent a wonderful long weekend with the Kelly clan, fishing, boating, swimming, toad hunting, balloon animal making, feasting, pictionary-ing, playing volleyball and whiffle ball, toasting smores around the campfire, and generally making the sorts of memories that will be cherished a long, long time. Meanwhile, I'm adjusting to my summer schedule - starting the day out with a few household things, spending my afternoons with the kids, and whiling away late nights in the studio. I love being able to sleep in, take the dog swimming in the creek, and relax with The Caped Crusader and The Princess. I know they

Bring on the Summer!

Here's my high school senior and my high school freshman. Unbelievable, isn't it? So cliche, but only yesterday they were splashing together in a kiddie pool with the dog. Oh wait, that WAS yesterday....... We are kicking summer vacation off with a long weekend with the Kelly's.  6 families, 10 of the 11 grandkids (The Man Child is gone for the summer, training and touring with Madison Scouts Drum Corps), hours of whiffle ball, monster sized bonfires, Apples to Apples tournaments, and weather permitting, time on the water. Assuming I'll have internet/cell coverage, I will check email and respond to orders and more pressing details. Otherwise, you won't hear from me until Tuesday. There's still some Kentucky Derby and Oaks posters remaining, for those of you just learning about the personalized offer. They can be customized with a special message and quick doodle - who isn't excited about seeing a Triple Crown winner this year (a

I Have Kentucky Derby Posters!!

Want to get your own personalized 2015 Kentucky Derby or Oaks poster? I have limited quantities of each available for special inscriptions and doodles - above is just a sampling of what you could get. Inquiries may always come to me . I have (50) Kentucky Derby and (50) Kentucky Oaks posters, each featuring my own official artwork of the 2015 Kentucky Derby, available. Until now, I had no inventory of the posters (and posters are all I have inventory of - for other Derby related gifts please visit Derby Art Gifts ). I will further personalize these posters with a special message and quick doodle - this makes them uniquely yours and is a fantastic way to commemorate our Triple Crown winner American Pharoah! (and what a cool Father's Day gift!!) 2015 Kentucky Derby poster, with personalization, $50 (image & details here) 2015 Kentucky Oaks poster, with personalization, $40 (image & details here) S&H inside the US (up to 3 un

The Twin Spires (Churchill Downs)

"The Twin Spires (Churchill Downs)," 10" square, depicting the famed roofline of Churchill Downs as I saw it in the early morning sunrise during my visit in April. This painting is available for purchase only (no reproductions or other items will be made of it) - $499 gets it to your door. Inquiries may always come my way , and in process photos are  here. The Story Behind This Painting Well, there's two of them, really.   First one:  JettStream Productions (the Official Licensee/Art of the Kentucky Derby) was taken with the colors and style of my June desktop calendar , and asked if I would paint the Town Spires for a "Thank You " card. There was a little arm twisting involved. Ok, I lie.   Second one: When The Princess and I visited Kentucky in April, it was her spring break. And I made her get out of bed at an ungodly hour to teenagers just to see morning workouts at Churchill Downs (NOTE: She is not a horse crazy kid, e

Holly's Heart Dog, Bela

"Holly's Heart Dog, Bela," 12" square, commissioned portrait of a beloved Vizsla who passed away a year ago today. This portrait is sold, but inquiries may always come my way , and in process photos are  here. His portrait was intentionally scheduled for this day, a way to remember and honor his spirit. I think his Mom is best suited to explain the why - please see her words below. Bela's Story, as told by Holly One year ago today I kissed the softest dog head my lips had ever touched one last time and placed my forehead against his for one final moment of his favorite game...bull. I knew he had probably left me before we ever reached the vet office that night, but I pleaded with him to hang on, not sure what I meant in saying that, other than I wasn't ready. I hadn't prepared. Two weeks post splenectomy, I clutched him close and whispered into the most velvety ear my hands ever touched words my heart was not prepared to

American Pharoah, Triple Crown Champion!!

IN PROCESS: "The Winner's Circle, American Pharoah," 24-3/4" x 24", depicting Triple Crown champion American Pharoah (after winning the Kentucky Derby) on his way to the winner's circle at Churchill Downs. This was my spectacular view on Derby day, painted from iPhone photos I snapped. This painting is acrylics on a museum quality panel and is available for $2980 (including s&h within the US) to the first asking nicely. Inquiries may always come  to me.  In process photos are  here. Unbelievable! Did you see it? The Belmont Stakes ?   And can you guess that I cried huge silent elephant tears when, at the top of the stretch, American Pharoah started pulling away? (if you also guessed that my children ridiculed me, you should earn a special prize!) I couldn't believe it - I was too young to clearly remember Affirmed, the last Triple Crown winner. And honestly, there had been a flurry of champions taking this honor in m

IN PROCESS: The Winner's Circle, American Pharoah

IN PROCESS: "The Winner's Circle, American Pharoah," 24-3/4" x 24", depicting Triple Crown candidate American Pharoah after winning the Kentucky Derby, on his way to the winner's circle at Churchill Downs. This was my view on Derby day, painted  using my iPhone photos. This painting is acrylics on a museum quality panel and  is available for $2980 (including s&h within the US) to the first asking nicely. Inquiries may always come to me . In process photos are here . An Ambitious Undertaking I can't help but wonder if American Pharoah will be the next Triple Crown winner. And while my Kentucky Derby experience couldn't be more perfect, seeing a Triple Crown winner in the flesh just might make it perfecter after the fact. So I'm savoring and enjoying that possibility this week - quite a bit! This is a BIG painting - big in size and in ambition. So many complex areas - the spectators, the horses, the infield,

Available Paintings

Available Originals The following paintings are available for purchase directly from my studio. These original works, unless noted, are acrylic on museum quality panel. All prices include s&h within the US. Multiple paintings can typically be shipped together, returning collectors receive 10% off purchases, and I do accept payment plans (6 month plan with art shipped upon completion of payments).  Links to reproductions and other products are at the bottom of this newsletter.  Thanks so much for your interest in my artwork!  Warmly, Kim ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com "Sprout," 12" x 16", $959. Inquire directly to me . "What's a Little Mud?" 18" x 24"x1-1/2", $2299. Inquire directly to me . "Swishy," 18" x 24" x 1-1/2", $2299. Inquire directly to me . "Airplane," 9"

June 2015 Desktop Calendar

Get the Calendar Here Get the Clown on Other Goodies Here -or- Buy Him for Yourself! (and actually, who's to say you can't do all 3?) Installing the Desktop Calendar You can download the file   directly 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"

PJ

"PJ," 5" x 10", acrylics on panel depicting a dream come true. My collector has wanted a horse her entire life, and PJ has made that dream possible. We waited until he shed his winter coat, and it was worth it - look at that sheen and those dapples! PJ is one happy, healthy horse, and I hope that my collector is equally as so with his portrait. In process photos are  here. This one is sold, but should you like something similar, inquiries may come directly to me . It Was a Busy Weekend Isn't that what happens come spring? Our weekends get packed with outdoor activites, end of school year events, family gatherings, yard work, team banquets, concerts and recitals. And yet we look forward to it, all the long, hard winter.   This weekend was split between a rainy and cold Relay for Life with The Caped Crusader and dress rehearsal with The Princess. Next weekend will involve photo shoots with both kids and a dance recital. And, o