Paintings With Soul

"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...

"Dollar Store Dolly I," Toy #26, 6" x 6," acrylics on masonite, depicting a stuffed polar fleece doll. She needs a home (as does her sister ) - and wouldn't they be darling in a child's room? Please connect with me  via email  and we'll get them into your hands! (NOTE: sale pending on both Dolly I and II as of this posting, thank you SO much!) The Welcome Home's Worn Off A constantly hangry child, bickering kids, a dog skunked late at night, a pukey cat, internet connectivity woes, out of control laundry (including wet skunky towels), last minute schedule changes, restless nights and PMS have all connived to make my past two days a little less zen than they might have been.    The perfect antidote? painting cute dolls (props to my friend who gifted me these dolls!) and journaling and homemade cornbread. Don't judge me until you've tried it.   Also, I've been tweaking one painting for a special client a...

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" will impact your display, so check those first!). Thanks, as always, for following along with my artwork,   Kim

"Conversations," 10" x 12", acrylics on a Raymar panel, depicting a collection of vintage doll heads, complete with sleepy  and not-so-sleepy-eyes. Study done in class, intended for learning purposes only. I'm stepping outside my comfort zone, learning about lighting and still life setup, along with a little paint pushing, from none other than colorist Vianna Szabo . View Workshop Photos Here's today's lightbulbs: Nothing created in a workshop is intended for a wall. Or an exhibition. Perfect example: I am not terribly pleased with today's painting, but I am delighted with all it taught me. (That little magical spot between all three heads? it makes me giddy!) Design is of primary significance. The idea should come before the object(s) is/are even placed. (Me thinks this is the difference between a portrait of an object and a still life). Value takes precedence before color. A big challenge for me...

"Baby Doll," 6" x 8", still life painting depicting a vintage baby doll, acrylics on museum quality panel, $329. In process photos are here and inquiries may come to me . I've been fretting the last 18 months about my obsession with dolls and finally realized that I don't have to justify anything. I need to just paint them - embrace my compulsion and indulge that creative urge. It's ok to create and not fully understand your attraction to the subject. Just wallow in whatever it is you love. And have fun with the process. You have my permission. And if I figure things out along the way, I'll share them with you! Meanwhile, the doll paintings will be exhibited as a collection later this winter.  Happy weekend, Kim ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com

"Rose" 8" x 10," acrylics on a museum quality panel, depicting a sleepy-eyed Nancy Ann Story Book doll (does anyone know this doll's original name?). In process photos can be viewed here . Inquiries may come to me . Today didn't go as expected. Kids home (no power at school) and bouncing emails were just a couple of the surprises. (And for those of you in the path of last nite's storms, I hope you have a warm place to stay and all your loved ones are accounted for.)  I rolled with the punches, did lots of yoga breathing, put out all my fires, and found myself mid-afternoon with some time at the easel. I could have worked on a commission, but didn't trust the fates to leave me alone. So I chose a little doll who seemed to match my pensive mood. Here's hoping tomorrow is not a repeat of today! Kim ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com

In Process detail of "Rag Dolls," 8" x 16," acrylics on museum quality panel, depicting two vintage handmade rag dolls, including one rather sorry looking Raggedy Anne. Inquiries may come to me. Was reading Richard Schmid's "Alla Prima II" over the weekend, and came across a tenderly rendered painting of a doll. He acknowledged that dolls can be spooky, but also said that they are a reflection of who we are.  I was greatly reassured to read his words and know that even a great master like himself also plays with dolls in his studio. More pics of these two ladies, including my still life setup, on Facebook . Thanks as always for following along with my artwork, Kim ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com PS Thank you JW for your handmade doll - she's been sitting here in the studio all these years, and today was delighted to be chosen for her own special painting!

Doll #3, sketched and loosely painted on scrapbook paper, image roughly 6" x 8", paper 12" square. Preparatory study. Inquiries may come  to me .     I am obsessed with these dolls, and spending all sorts of time thinking about what they mean.   Childhood. Nostalgia. Nurturing. Comfort. Ideal Beauty. Role Playing. Memory. Innocence. Play. Imagination. Story Telling. Growing up. Generations. Life Cycle.   I could go on and on, but I'll spare you.   And I keep painting them, and they continue to creep some people out. And that's part of the doll as subject matter mystery, too.   For example,  I painted this particular doll before , but the painting has a very different mood and feel to it.   Meanwhile, in between working on three larger dog paintings, I'm sketching from life using my doll stash. And asking myself lots and lots of questions. You can  see more of these drawings here  - and feel free...

Bebe, 12" square study done from life, acrylics on museum quality panel, depicting a vintage doll head of unknown origin (there is no maker's mark on her anywhere). This painting is available for $299 (it's a study, so the price reflects this) - inquiries may come  to me .     Another treasure from the STD Flea Market in Springfield, MO. This doll head has sleepy eyes that, curiously enough, squeak and groan with each blink.   Somedays I feel like that!!   So what is your consensus? Is this doll creepy?   Kim, who's bound and determined to examine the whole doll thing from every possible paintable angle ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com   PS   Am doing a demo tonite with the  Warren Tri-County Art Guild  - come on out and say hello!

Continued Process, "Strawberry Shortcakes," 12" x 16", depicting a pile of old dolls, acrylics on museum quality panel, available for $629 to the first one asking nicely. Inquiries can come to  moi,  please and thank you!   I got to pick my brushes up for a little this afternoon, and continued carving out the smiling faces in this box of Strawberry Shortcake dolls.    There is a precarious balance between all of these faces - the one in the middle will be at the top of the pile, and I have to make her brighter than the others. I can tell I still have a ways to go.   In process photos  are over on the studio's facebook page.   Thanks so much for following along with my artwork, Kim ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com

In Process, "Strawberry Shortcakes," 12" x 16", depicting a pile of old dolls, acrylics on museum quality panel, available for $629 to the first one asking nicely. Inquiries can come to  moi,  please and thank you!   The early stages of this one tell a story - see the light blue shadows underneath the pink ground? That's an old painting back there, testament to a composition that just didn't hold it's own enough to merit completion.   I'm excited about these girls - inspiration photo courtesy of Linda Marr, who shot the pic when cleaning out her now adult children's belongings. The actual dolls are tucked away for future grandchildren to play with, and meanwhile, I get to spend the next couple days with them on my easel.   But first, I'm off for a little grown up play time. My Better Half is home early from work, and we are taking Elizabeth St Hilaire Nelson to the Kid Rock show tonite, then loading her on a Florid...

    "Ann and Annie," 16" x 16", portrait of two Raggedy Anne dolls, done in acrylics on a cradeled museum quality panel, intended for ArtPrize 2013. Continuing the doll paintings and conversations about their symbolic content. It would seem that Raggedy Anne is a safer face than the ones I've painted previously. Not that safe is better, mind you. And not that Raggedy Anne can't have a breakdown and come at you from behind either.... (hee hee!!)   All my ArtPrize doll portraits are here (along with the creepy vs sweet debates) on  the studio Facebook page.  I want to finish these two and another one this week.   And paint a couple dogs while I'm at it as well.   Meanwhile if you like the Ann's, you might also like  this one  I painted last week, which is now available in prints and notecards.   Thanks for following along with my artwork, Kim ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com  

  Painting in process in my studio, complete with still life setup of vintage Playmate doll, acrylics on cradeled panel, 16" square. Inquiries may come  to me  (including special requests to paint your treasured childhood toy).     Last year my good friend  Elizabeth St Hilaire Nelson  and I participated in  ArtPrize , what I think is the largest art festival in the world. It's an annual event, happening in Grand Rapids, Michigan, about 2 hours west of my home. As I recall, 2012 involved over 1700 works of art displayed throughout the Grand Rapids area. It's a big deal.   It was great fun preparing my ArtPrize paintings last year - I put a call out for  muses  in April 2012 and painted right up until days before  the installation .   Our work was very well received, we enjoyed our time in Grand Rapids and couldn't wait to began planning for this year.    Elizabeth's way ahead o...

Gouache, watercolor and micron pens create random patterning in my journal. This particular technique was inspired by sketches in one of my student's journals. Just like with the Painting a Dog a Day project, my love of journalling began out as a means to feed my creativity and keep the ideas flowing. And now it's blossomed into leading workshops and teaching others how to discover their own journalling voice. Each session involves a new concept and a mess of supplies - attendees only need bring a blank book or their journal and an open mind. Past classes have included printmaking, stamp carving, stenciling, collage, 3D page construction, sketching, calligraphy and text, sewn embellishments and water-based media. You need not have any artistic skills or prior knowledge to journal. I am now accepting enrollment for the following workshops, all happening at Little Monsters Toy Shop in downtown Lake Orion: Journalling for Kids (ages 5-15), Apr 17th, May 1st, May 15th, May ...

BID ON "RUTHIE" ORDER NOTECARDS/REPRODUCTIONS "Ruthie", 6" x 8", portrait of a vintage Ruth B. Newton baby doll, done in Golden Open and Heavy Body acrylics on a Raymar panel. This painting is being auctioned via the Daily Paintworks "Help Japan" fundraiser . 100% of the proceeds from the sale of "Ruthie" will be donated to Save the Children . "Ruthie"'s opening bid is only $49 , and she will be going to a new home, regardless of her ending price, in 7 days. Please show your support for the children in Japan by bidding on Ruthie (or any other of the beautiful pieces making up the "Help Japan" event ). And bookmark the "Help Japan" site and continue visiting - because artwork will be added through Friday March 25th, with the auctions extending into early April. You may b id on "Ruthie" here. (did I say thanks?) Because not everyone can afford to purchase an original, I will also dona...