Skip to main content

30 Dogs 30 Days - Bridget


I knew every dog in our neighborhood by name. I had read every dog book my library owned at least twice. I had a poster on my bedroom wall of AKC recognized breeds from which I sketched regularly. I begged my parents for a dog, preferably a collie (who didn't want their own Lassie in the 70s?!). And I loved relentlessly on this dog, Bridget, my father's hunting companion.

This painting was done somewhere around 1978-1982, I think. It was a gift of some sort for my Dad. It's 15" x 20", acrylics on art board. I remember working on it with a tiny brush (Present Kim's toes curl when she thinks of Past Kim painting large pieces with a tiny brush - like nails on a chalkboard) and thinking that it was The Bomb. Now it makes me cringe a bit.

Obviously it's from a flash photograph - that reflection on the bean bag chair is undeniable. And Bridget herself is literally white and orange - there is no nuanced or reflected color happening here. All the edges are hard - even her lovely feathers, just as crisp as that obnoxious maroon vinyl. Values were mixed with a root color + black or white. But I did know how to draw, I'll admit to that. And I did know how to infuse my drawing with emotion.

When I look at this painting, I see the first dog I truly fell in love with looking back at me. I can feel her muzzle in my hand, and remember combing burrs out of her ears and feathers. Summer days stretched out on a blanket in the back yard, reading while she napped alongside me. Her freckled nose peeking out of the doghouse when the bus delivered me home from school. Crisp fall mornings spent with my Dad, watching her work a field, finding pheasants. This painting cues it all up for me in one fell swoop, and I know those things (and more) were running through my head as I created it.

Even back then, as a teenager, I painted the human animal connection. I was practicing my craft and honing my skills.

Warmly, Kim

Comments

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
“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

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 (