Paintings With Soul

"Truffle III" and "Peppermint I" each 6" x 6", acrylics on masonite, $99 each. More calorie-free treats.  Email me if you would like to to own one of these paintings. I am working on smaller paintings, all priced under $100. I am SO sick of hearing about Black Friday for the past month, so I won't be hitting your inbox with multiple updates in these final hours before all the best deals in the universe implode together and create an entirely new planet. But I am preparing a few special things for my collector base. As with all my work, they are originals, so once they are gone, they are gone. I can do something similar, but I take pride in making unique and special paintings for each of my collectors. Also, if you are an artist interested in taking the Nutcracker Challenge, take a peek here . Or, if you are a Nutcracker collector, take a peek here . And keep coming back - bookmark it for repeat visits. The Nutcrackers w...

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...

FROM LEFT:  "Truffles I" "II" and "III", each 4" square, acrylics on museum quality panel, currently being sold at auction . Proceeds to benefit my animal shelter, the Oakland Pet Adoption Center . These are the best sort of truffles - ones you can never have too many of! Wouldn't they make a great Valentine's gift for someone special? Bid via Facebook by commenting on the paintings' photo . Bids accepted until 9pm EST Sunday, January 26th. All monies raised exceeding $60/painting will be donated to my local animal shelter. (And I know I was supposed to start that big painting today - but the panel I had overnighted arrived damaged, so it looks like Friday is when I'll get to start.) Thanks for helping homeless animals AND sharing my love of chocolate! Kim ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com

My 10 minute demo painting, done in acrylics on bristol board. The idea behind these gesture paintings is to reduce the form to simple shapes and eliminate the possibility of second guessing ourselves. By the end of the exercise, we were painting from our gut with intentional brushwork.      I tried to make my students cry today, but dang, they are tough!! They took everything I threw at them, and came back swinging.   Very well. I'll bide my time. And as for you, my fine ladies, I'll get you, my pretties. And your little dog, too!! Kim ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com   PS   Pictures of the torture I doled out in the classroom are over  on Facebook . Come have a peek.

    "A Kiss for Oklahoma," 6" x 6", still life painting of a Hershey Kiss, done in acrylics on museum quality panel, currently  at auction . 100% of the proceeds from this painting will be donated to the  Red Cross  for their rescue and support efforts during the aftermath of severe weather in Oklahoma.   It took me a while to figure out how to support the victims of the Oklahoma tornados. I tossed around the idea of a gift certificate or a doll painting. And then in a quiet moment in the candy aisle of the grocery it suddenly came to me.   A kiss.   I'm trying out the Daily Paintworks site this time around. I've been a member here for over a year and not taken advantage of all the various features they offer, one being their auctions.   Please take a minute and peek at the  100+ paintings being auctioned to benefit Oklahoma . Maybe there's something you just can't live without.    Au...

"Pink Tootsie," 6" square, just one of several demonstration paintings from today's workshop.       Oh my goodness, but these ladies are demanding!! Do you know that I spent ALL DAY on my feet, moving from easel to easel, talking about color and value? Then I was force fed Louisiana seafood.   Tomorrow's gonna be even harder. The topic? gestural brushwork. And southern Bar-B-Que for dinner.   Why do I sign up willingly for this kind of torture?!   Thanks for following along! Kim ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com

  Above, I've included just a few of the paintings in my Sweet Tooth Sale.   Last spring I completed a series of paintings specifically for the old-tyme candy counter at a local restaurant. The paintings included a selection of candies and vintage toys, and was very well recieved. Sadly, the restaurant has now closed, and I've brought a stack of artwork back into the studio. I had with three choices - put the pieces in deep storage, find a new venue, or offer them directly for sale via my website.   This time of year, I lean towards the easiest route - saving myself a visit to the storage unit or the time invested in writing any new exhibition proposal, I instead added  a page to my website highlighting these pieces  and am offering them for sale directy to you through the year's end.   Not a single piece is over $100, and I will combine shipping on multiple purchases. These original paintings are perfect for gifting - and self-gifting is tot...

ORDER NOTECARDS/REPRODUCTIONS FROM THE TAGS, TOYS & TREASURES SERIES OF PAINTINGS I've been painting candy still lifes in preparation for hanging an installation at Poppyseed Deli in downtown Lake Orion. You see, they've added an olde tyme candy counter to their space and wanted artwork to compliment it. Here are just a couple of the paintings I'll be delivering later next week. If you see something you like, shoot me an email - I'm going to keep my candy paintings under $100 (they are on canvas panels and 8" square or smaller). (PSST - I will be more than happy to paint your favorite flavor, too.) And now a shameless plug for Poppyseeds - they've got uber fresh sandwiches made to order, homemade soups, a fountain and coffee bar, ice cream and homebaked goods, and now penny candies (with inflation they are actually nickel candies.....). Poppyseeds shows family friendly movies on weeknights, has re-stocked their supply of board games, and sponsor ...

FROM TOP: "Lindt Lindor in Red" and "Lindt Lindor in Blue," both 4" x 5", acrylic on canvasboard depictions of Lindt truffles, each painting $184, or both for $349. Inquiries may always come to me via email. BOTH SOLD. Can you tell I'm on a diet? I've been painting lots of candy lately, haven't I. And no, I did not eat these. Yet. Painting them is almost as satisfying as eating them. Almost!! Wouldn't they make a great Valentine's gift for your chocoholic?! There's lots of other paintings at my etsy store , and through Saturday I have 20% off all paintings on canvasboard. This special will only last until Saturday...... I spent this morning tweaking the Chesapeake Bay portrait from earlier this week. As much as I'd like to think that I can nail portraits fairly consistently, there are occasions when I've gotten critical details wrong. I don't beat myself up too much over it, because there is nothing w...

FROM TOP: "Tootsie Roll Pop," 4" x 8," $249; "Bazooka," 4" x 5," $179; "Mini I," 4" x 5," $179; acrylic on canvasboard. Inquiries to ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com . Yeah, I'm still stuck on candy. Continuing my thoughts from yesterday's museum visit, I wanted to work further with shadows and lighting. The dog portraits I had on my roster simply didn't provide that opportunity. So please allow me this infidelity today, and we'll see what I can come up with tomorrow as restitution. By the way, I received several emails about painting conversation hearts with specific messages. Ironically, that's what yesterday's unshared paintings were. I'll get them scanned and over to the blog before the end of the weekend. And just as a heads up (and perhaps because it's starting to sink in and I maybe want to gloat a little), next week I will be on vacation. I am bailing from miserable sub-zero Michigan t...

FROM BOTTOM: "Peppermint" and "Tootsie Roll II", from the "Tags, Toys & Treasures" series, both 4" x 6", acrylic on canvasboard, each $199 to the first taker (HINT: these will make wonderful Valentines). Inquiries to ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com . Today was a day of eye candy on all sorts of levels. You see, I played hookie from the studio and went to the Detroit Institute of the Arts. In typical haphazard, spontaneous fashion, I had tried multiple times over the past few months to see the show "Monet to Dali." Today I was finally successful. Monet's "Wheat Fields" literally moved me to tears. I could not get enough of Manet's portrait of Berthe Morisot. Van Gogh, well, Van Gogh will never have a comparison. I fell in love with Mondrian's floral paintings (who knew?!). Denis is (expletive) brilliant. Renoir, Fantin-Latour, Jongkind, Degas, Courbet, Cezanne, Tissot, Pissaro, Seurat, Redon, Magritte, Dali, Mo...

FROM TOP: "Sugared Lollipop I (Blue)," and "Sugared Lollipop II (Red)," both 6" x 8", from the "Tags, Toys & Treasures" series still life paintings, depicting crystalized sugar lollipops on wooden sticks, acrylic on board, $219 each to the first buyer (yes, I do combime shipping). Inquiries to ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com . No, it's not a dog, but Finnigan sure would have liked to have gotten a hold of today's prop. I think he feeds off the kids' excitement. I did think ahead, and there were enough sugared lolli's for the whole neighborhood today. You have never seen so many blue and purple and green lips in one place before!! (Finni got his Heartguard, so he had a special treat, and although it didn't turn his lips any fun colors, he didn't seem to feel ripped off.) A favorite artist of mine (Carol Marine, http://www.bluecloudstudios.com/ ) often separates her objects from their drape by a sheet of glass. This give...

"Lollipop I" from the "Tags, Toys & Treasures" series, 6" x 12", still life painting depicting an old-fashioned lollipop, $239 to the first buyer. Inquiries to ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com . My booth at last weekend's Flower Fair was situated directly opposite a candy vendor. Was it sheer coincidance, or did the event coordinator know my weakness for sweets (fess up Reggie!!)? Regardless, after eyeballing glorious mountains of fudge for over 10 hours, I caved. Who wouldn't? I bought a generous cube of orange creme marbled fudge - it will make for a beautiful painting (and yes, I am painting it before eating it!!). I also picked up a handful of these wonderful lollipops, all twisted and bright with colors. My kids are fighting over who gets them when I'm done..... But back to business, and today's dog: "Jack," 5x7, commissioned pet portrait, acrylic on board, private collection (THANK YOU!!). Not to diminish Jack in any way...

I was chatting with a friend earlier today, trying to rationalize how I might pass these pieces off as dog-a-day paintings. She set me straight quickly - "They're a chocolate break!" CLOCKWISE, FROM UPPER LEFT: All from the "Tags, Toys & Treasures" series. "Lindt Carrots I," 4" x 5", still life depicting Lindt chocolate carrots, acrylic on canvasboard. "Cadbury Egg I," 4" x 6", still life depicting Cadbury chocolate creme egg, acrylic on canvasboard, $124, SOLD . "Tootsie Roll I," 4" x 8", still life depicting Tootsie Roll, acrylic on canvasboard. Each piece available to the first buyer. Inquiries to ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com . I raided my kids' Easter baskets today. Honestly, I was initially looking for a handful of Rolos, but then I actually started "seeing" what was there, and I began choosing items based on their colors and shapes. I didn't eat all of these - just on...