Paintings With Soul

"Loui," 30" x 30" x 2", acrylics on cradeled museum quality panel, featuring my grand-puppy. If you would like something similar starring your own puppy (or any pet - I don't discriminate), please shoot  me  an email. THIS portrait was a huge surprise. We gifted it yesterday to The Caped Crusader for his birthday. And I'd been waiting a looong time to reveal it, too, having wanted to paint this little guy since he first showed up in our lives. Loui and his siblings were dumped in a cardboard box at about 6 weeks old. My son found him online via a rescue group, just a short time after our family had said goodbye to Finnigan, the dog he grew up with, in July. Loui is an adorably sweet mixed breed, clever and honest, with gorgeous brindle coloring and ears he might never grow into. His larger than life portrait was hung with great pride over the fireplace. And I'm sure Loui is stretched out on the couch right now, too, taking it all ...

"Miles," 18" x 24", acrylics on a cradeled museum quality panel, commissioned portrait of a wonderful Boxer, in process photos here . And of course I can paint your dog - shoot me an email ! I've been working on Miles' portrait since Monday, just in case you thought I whipped him together this afternoon. There will be tears when he ships home. Miles is quite the character! Thanks for following along with my artwork, Kim ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com

  "Imp," 6" x 8", portrait of a Border Terrier, acrylics on museum quality panel, available for $329 should Jackson's Mom pass (she's got first dibs). In process pics are on  Facebook . And as always, inquiries may come  to me .     I stayed up late last nite, painting this little guy, because today we had a lot in store.   The Caped Crusader had surgery to remove the screws in his ankle, The Man Child bought his first car, and the whole family got a new baby cousin.   Ahh, life is good.   Kim ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com  

      "Bella"," image approximately 5" x 6", roughly centered on a 9" x 12" paper, commissioned portrait of a boxer, private collection (THANK YOU!)!!   These sketchier portraits are an excellent learning tool, much like contour drawings or gesture studies. But after the end of this year (2012) they will no longer be available as commissions, so if you want one,  let's talk now .   Kim, who is ready to cheer on the Lake Orion varsity football team AND be wowed by the Marching Band's halftime performance - go Dragons!! ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com  

    "Trouble xs 8," 7" x 16", is the final painting heading to ArtPrize. This piece is done in acrylics on panel, and will be available for purchase once the exhibition opens September 19th. Inquiries may come  to me .   This is a rework of an earlier painting,  "Great Expectations."  While I loved the piece at the time I finished it, there were passages that just didn't quite work for me. So I set the piece aside to try and tackle later.   Here's  a detail of the newly finished piece  - it now boasts a more harmonious background, plenty of daubed color and gestural marks, and big ole paws and floppy ears.   Hoping everyone has a fantastic weekend! Ours will be full of more football, marching band, dance, and a little yardwork.   Fondly, Kim, who is still grinning ear to ear after last nite's game (see below) ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com   Mom Brag ...

Please scroll down for a detail ORDER NOTECARDS/REPRODUCTIONS "No Stopping Her," 11" x 14", from "The Gratitude Project," portrait of a Boxer who's looking for a home, done in Golden Open Acrylics on a Raymar panel. Proceeds from the sale of "No Stopping Her" will be donated to Blue Ridge Boxer Rescue (BRBR) , the group currently fostering Allie, today's muse. Inquiries about purchasing this painting may come to me . Abbie is a 1-1/2 yr old brindle. She injured her left hind ACL at 3 months of age, and it was repaired. When she re-injured it, her original family turned her and her vet records into a Virginia shelter. Rescued by BRBR at 8 months, it was discovered (by the vet who went in to repair her ACL) that she had also fractured her femur 3 times. Her left hind leg was amputated, which turned out to be a blessing, given that she had stopped using it and it was atrophying. Not long after, Abbie fractured the kneecap on her righ...

ORDER NOTECARDS/REPRODUCTIONS "Stallone," from The Gratitude Series , 6" x 8", brindled Great Dane dog portrait, done in Golden Open Acrylics on a Raymar panel, $329. Inquiries may come to me (and thank you!). As with all the Gratitude paintings , proceeds of the sale of this painting will go to Stallone's host rescue group, Ohio Great Dane Rescue (OGDR). I participated in a live paint over the weekend at an event benefitting OGDR. I also pledged 10% of all commissions booked as a result of the weekend to OGRD. I have to thank Dog a Day collector Amy Hoban for introducing me to this group and inviting me to be a part of their day. Thanks also go out to Mary Beth and Tom from Orion Healthy Pet for hosting us all! Early Saturday, shortly after setting up my space, I was slipped a photo of Stallone. I was more than happy to put him front and center on my easel - he was a great muse and everyone really seemed to enjoy seeing his painted mug come alive over t...

Today’s painting, a brindle boxer, is a cacophony of color. Blues, oranges, violets, and some pinks. I love the sheen to his eyes, and his concentration. Is he following a peanut butter sandwich, or waiting for the right moment to snag some other treasure? At 8” square. Inquiries to ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com . Thanks, as always, for looking. And for sharing these paintings with friends and family. Happy New Year!! Kim Kimberly Kelly Santini http://www.turtledovedesigns.com/ distinctive pet portraits & 4-legged paintings http://www.paintingadogaday.com/ come. sit. stay. enjoy the art. Founding member of the Canine Art Guild http://www.canineartguild.com/ the gateway to canine art on the web