Paintings With Soul

Three views of the same painting, lit from the left, the center and the right. "Neptune," 9" x 12", acrylics on copper panel, depicting a dark bay pony. This portrait is $849, with complimentary shipping inside the US.  Let me know if you want Neptune in your home and we will make it happen! It's difficult to photograph copper so that you get a proper sense of the light and reflective quality. I'm figuring things out here, though, so that I can best show these paintings off. I am also working on getting back into the groove after a period of not feeling well and some downright ugly starts on other pieces. With Neptune I think I might be scratching and clawing my way back. Thanks for following along with my artwork, Kim ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com  

All finished, "Caught," 8" x 12", acrylics on copper panel, portrait of a Golden Retriever complete with ball, $849 to the first asking nicely. As always, inquiries may come to me .  I've been thinking a lot about Daily Painting, the habits it has instilled in me, and how they might - or might not - serve the final painting.  One of my takeaways from my nearly 10 years of daily painting is that, originally, my goal was to complete a painting in a day. In the beginning, painting a 4"x5" portrait in one day was a big challenge, and as I became more comfortable with that, I expanded my focus to include larger and then more complex paintings. However, I have realized that limiting myself to one day just isn't the best approach for the sort of artwork I now want to create. I need to simmer with the paintings, consider and try out various solutions to my intended end. And that can't be boiled down into a specific length of time. ...

In process detail, "Caught," 8" x 12", (detail approximately 6" square of the entire painting surface), acrylics on copper panel, portrait of a Golden Retriever with HER ball, $849 to the first asking nicely. As always, inquiries may come to me .  I am getting caught up in the intricacy of the marks and layers of paint. Wanted to share all the lusciousness of that with you. This part takes time, as I paint the whole image, scratch, sand and distress it, then repeat. Over and over until it looks just right. It's almost just right. Thanks for your interest in my artwork, Kim ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com  

"Blaze," 8" x 12", acrylics on copper panel, portrait of a lovely Gypsy Vanner mare, $849 to the first asking nicely. Because it's on copper and you need to SEE the light move across it, here's an in process video . As always, inquiries may come to me .  This morning I made some changes to Queenie which I am very pleased with, and then started Blaze. The unfinished/sketched in areas of Blaze are intentional. I want the copper to read as more than just an element of the background. I also thought it interesting that as I painted the green ground in, I subconsciously made a box around the focal point. Similar to the painted sketches I used to make, where the animal's face projected from painted "windows." I loved that effect, so left it in here as well. So now comes the tough part - what to paint tomorrow?! and isn't that a lovely problem to have! Thanks for your interest in my artwork, Kim ksantini@turtledovede...

"Queenie," 8" x 12", acrylics on copper panel, portrait of a very relaxed yellow labrador retriever, $849 to the first asking nicely. Here's an in process video where you can better appreciate the play of light on this painting. Inquiries may come to me .  I worked a little more on Annie's latest portrait last nite and made a mess of things (photo in above link conveniently taken prior to mess being made). So today I wanted to tackle a painting that was firmly entrenched in my comfort zone. Enter Queenie, from a friend's photo I have been wanting to paint for years (thank you Jen!). And of course I take my sweet old time with this one, savoring every brushmark, doing it all by the book, thinking it's all finished, scan it, and only THEN do I see some changes I want to make.  Grumble, grumble, grumble. Thanks for your interest in my artwork, Kim ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com  

"Golden," 6" x 9-1/2", acrylics on copper, portrait of a golden retriever. This painting has a new home, and I am thrilled to get to deliver it soon. It's not often that I get to actually see the recipient's reaction upon receipt, since the majority of my paintings are shipped. I think The Reveal is one of the best parts! Thanks for your interest in my artwork, Kim ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com  

"Chippie II," 6-1/4" x 6", a repeat of yesterday's chipmunk, but this time acrylics on copper. Chippie II is $599, which includes shipping and handling to a US address. Message me if you are interested. You need to experience Chippie II in person - sections of the surface are exposed copper, and the metal reflects and absorbs the light as the viewer moves about. Here's a video short of the piece in process. You ARE Seeing Double! And I'm seeing a mess of chipmunks, too. We built a flagstone patio this summer, and it's coaxed them out into the sunshine. I've enjoyed watching their antics from all sorts of different angles inside and out. I think there might be more paintings to come. But meanwhile, continuing to think about the differences between painting on a panel vs painting on copper, I took yesterday's composition and gave it a whirl.  I also worked out a way to add more glint/reflec...

"Exquisite (Little One II)," 6-1/2" x 9", acrylics on copper, depicting the same little foal as yesterday . This painting is absolutely stunning when studied in the moving light - sections of the surface are exposed copper, and the metal reflects and absorbs the light as the viewer moves in closer. This piece is $699, which includes shipping and handling to a US address.  Here's a short video - you gotta see this to believe it!   Maybe you would like both paintings? We can work that out for certain - $899 will bring them both home.  Let me know  how I can make this happen for you (payment plan, credit card, etc). A Random Comment on Facebook.... ....stating the viewer thought yesterday's painting (above, on the left) was on copper got me thinking. Why not give it a try? A second comment of "exquisite" gave todays piece (above, on the right) it's title. Wow. This comparison truly brings home th...

Detail of an in process painting, working title "Snowglobe," 12" x 9", acrylics on copper panel, depicting my childhood Madame Alexander "Victoria" doll holding a snowglobe (not pictured because this is a detail). This piece is not yet available. All inquiries may  come to me . Continuing with my exploration of copper as canvas, this newest painting is headed (hopefully!) for an exhibition. My first obstacle is getting her finished before Wednesday's deadline (I am a professional procrastinator!). My second obstacle is getting her juried into the show (send me good vibes, because it'll all come down to one person's point of view). Thanks, as always, for following along with my artwork, Warmly, Kim  

"Bodhi," 12" x 9", acrylics on copper panel, depicting the perfect gentleman in repose, $849. Paintings on copper are exquisitely different when seen in person, and Bodhi's is no exception. Exposed bits of the surface are an active part of the composition, changing in value and offering reflective luminescence as the light moves across the painting. In this case, the majority of the exposed copper is around Bodhi's face, giving his princely expression a little more pizazz. I wish you could see it in person!  All inquiries may  come to me . Bam. Badda Boom. Badda Boom. Signed this puppy (can't quite believe it came off my brushes!), and now I'm off to a friend's exhibition opening. Bring on the weekend! Thanks, as always, for following along with my artwork, Warmly, Kim  

IN PROCESS: "Bodhi," 12" x 9", acrylics on copper panel, depicting the perfect gentleman in repose. Paintings on copper are exquisitely different when seen in person. Exposed bits of the surface are an active part of the composition, changing in value and offering reflective luminescence as the viewer/light moves across the painting. Here's a little video  of an earlier stage of the piece. All inquiries may  come to me . I've been looking at a lot of art lately, all sorts of varieties and timeframes. I am endlessly fascinated by the fact that historically we work with the same tools (paint, brushes, etc) and yet make such vastly different pieces. It's incredibly inspiring, and after a study session, I sometimes subconsciously place bits of different artists' styles in my own work. Like Bodhi's painting, it has the same sort of feel as Ingres' Odalisque ..... but brushwork a la Karin Jurick . I wonder if th...

"Tiznow," 6-1/2" x 9", acrylics on copper panel.  Tiznow is a Thoroughbred stallion from WinStar Farms and a horse of many laurels, the latest of which is one of my muses. I'm sure that is valued far more than his Horse of the Year honor, right?! The copper is exquisite when seen in person. Exposed bits of the surface are an active part of the composition, changing in value and offering reflective luminescance as the viewer/light moves across the painting. Here's a little video. $699 will get Tiznow to your door. It includes s&h inside the US. All inquiries may  come to me . It's like riding a bike.   I was joking about this over on my FB page when sharing in process photos of this painting. I felt very stiff when I started this painting - the surface was pretty slick and my paints weren't juicy enough. I kinda knew what I was doing, but my Inner Critic was reminding me of all the things I didn't know...

"Awe," 8" x 12", acrylics on copper, an orangey-coppery tabby kitten portrait that glows far more than the computer can show. This piece, which truly is exquisite in person - the computer simply cannot capture the way the light moving across this changes the value/reflective quality of the exposed copper - is $849, which includes s&h inside the US. All inquiries may  come to me . Ahh, Copper, You Magical Glittery Surface, You..... I have been researching various copper sources ever since daVinci's last portrait . And today a couple new copper pieces arrived from Hong Kong via ebay, of all places. And all I could do was think about painting on them! I had a million things to do, including addressing college financial aid details, paying studio bills and 3rd quarter paperwork, baking for school lunches, prepping/packing for next week's workshop in Louisiana, wrapping and shipping 5 paintings, a private drawing lesson, and m...

"daVinci," 8" x 10", acrylics on copper, a painting of my devil, err, studio, kitty. daVinci's latest portrait is an exploration of my fascination with copper panels. And, I suppose you could add, a parallel fascination with tabby cats and general feline attitude (I still cannot fathom the appeal of eating the tulle underskirt of a dress, but I guess that's why I hold the paintbrush and he uses the litterbox). This piece, which truly is exquisite in person, is $799, which include s&h inside the US. All inquiries may  come to me . Yesterday one of my students blogged about her sadness that more adults didn't embrace play . That's an idea that resonated with me - so easily we get caught up in seriousness and forget about running in the grass barefoot or lying on our backs looking for shapes in the clouds. It's all about paying bills and getting the laundry done and playing it safe. So my mission today was to find so...