Paintings With Soul

  Anim, 24"x30", acrylic on panel, private collection (thank you!). Prints and other items featuring her likeness can be purchased   here .   Inquiries are always welcome .  can you believe it's December? I sure can't.  Past Decembers were a blur. Back when I did commissioned portraiture (via   PaintingaDogaDay.com ), my holiday rush began as early as September 1st with a small pet portrait done daily up until mid December. Some days I would complete 2. By the time I got all the work shipped off, I had two weeks to focus on our own festivities which also included two of our children's birthdays. And I was utterly exhausted. Last year was my first holiday in 20+ where I didn't have any commissioned portraits. While I missed the engagement with collectors and all the sweet little faces on my easel, I absolutely loved being able to whole heartedly focus on celebrating with my family for the entirety of the season. Being able to plan, anticipate and be fully pr...

  "Let There Be Light" 24" in diameter by1-1/2", acrylic on cradled panel, $1800 plus s&h when available, but first she is (hopefully) heading out to a juried exhibition, where her eligibility mandates she is for sale.   Reach out to me   if you are interested in Light and I can keep you in the loop. I am totally digging these circular panels and I just got two more (they are difficult to source). So far my round paintings have all featured equines - it seems (to me at least) that horses are perfectly suited to be showcased this way. I imagine them on a turntable, going around and around, being admired from every possible angle.  But what would you like to see in these circular paintings? Thanks so much for following along with my art journey, warmly, Kim

  "Viola," 18" x 24", acrylics on panel, $799 plus s&h. Please note that the watermark is not on the original painting. Returning collectors always receive 10% off. I accept Paypal, personal checks and payment plans. Feel free to directly  message me  with your inquiries. So I thought I would have this painting, which I've been working on for a number of days, done today probably around noon. That would give me plenty of time to photograph and post her here to my newsletter and still be able to work on some other projects. I really mis-judged how long she would take to complete. I signed her shortly after 8pm. But every second was worth it. And I feel even more energized, if that is at all possible, than I did when I started working this morning. She'll come to my critique group tomorrow for an impartial assessment. I imagine there will be minor tweaks. Or rather, I suppose I should say that I hope the feedback I receive involves minor tweaks. At the mom...

  "The Torch Bearer," full painting and detail images above, 16" x 20", acrylics on panel, $649 plus s&h to the first asking nicely. Please note that the watermark is not on the original painting. Returning collectors always receive 10% off. I accept Paypal, personal checks and payment plans. Feel free to directly  message me  with your inquiries. Kentucky Derby Week was always a holiday in my mind. When I was a kid, my butterflies grew with each day, as I eagerly anticipated a rare afternoon of televised horse racing. It became even more of a special event when I was honored as the official artist of the 2015 Kentucky Derby (yes, the same year that American Pharoah swept the Triple Crown). I continue to mark this week by losing myself in all things equine, as the race approaches and the pagaentry builds. "The Torch Bearer" carries much significance to me. The reference photos came from a visit to Win Star Farms in Lexington just a few days before ...

FINISHED! "Stepping Out," 14" x 18", acrylics on museum quality panel, depicting a black Gypsy Vanner horse. I couldn't be happier with this piece - the color and movement and edge treatment fills me with joy. This is a special piece, I think one of my best to date, and, as such, it needs a special home.  Let me know if you think that's yours. $1299 includes complimentary shipping inside the US. This fills me with happiness - celebrating the things I love by making beauty. Thanks for following along with my artwork, Kim ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com  

"Champion (Inspired by American Pharoah)," 6" x 8", acrylics on museum quality panel, inspired by none other than the Kentucky Derby, Preakness, Belmont, Haskell and Breeder's Cup winner American Pharoah. $329 includes shipping and handling to a US address, going home with the first one asking nicely. SOLD. And if you are so inclined to add a bit more of The Sport of Kings to your life, this link will take you to cell phone cases, shower curtains, tshirts and other products. Fans of my work will remember that about this time last year, I was FINALLY able to share the honor of being chosen as the 2015 Kentucky Derby artist  (the painting was created in secret last summer-fall).  It was such a crazy thing to be offered the job, out of the blue - a perfect validation of the years spent creating and my horseless-yet-horse-crazy-racehorse-studded childhood. Had anyone told me that 2015 would also be the year of a Triple Crown winner , ...

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

"Headstrong," 10" x 12," acrylics on a museum quality canvas, depicting a post parade pairing from Saratoga Race Track in upstate New York. This painting is $599, with free s&h to your door (inside the US). Please inquire . And take a peek at the in process photos which are here . At the end of this month I am heading to Saratoga for my annual visit. A group of equine artists and dear friends gather together for a long weekend of gallery visits, shop talk, pastries (mmm, Mrs Londons !), ice cream and wine, good belly laughs, and all things equine. One of our special pleasures is seeing horses being bad. Perhaps we are a little juvenile in that regard, but we take great pleasure in following their antics. And when we are able to capture the troublemakers on film (or, err, digitally, as in my case), we are especially pleased. Once I happened to be on the rail when Johnny V (the Kentucky Derby winning jockey on Animal Kingdom that y...

In Process: "White Blinkers," 16" x 24", acrylics on Raymar panel depicting a Thoroughbred race horse, inspired by one seen in the paddock at Keeneland Race Track last month. This painting is available for $1899, which includes special delivery to your doorstep (inside the contiguous US) - inquire directly to me . In process photos  here . And can I take just a moment to pat myself on the back? I am totally in love with the things that have come off my easel since The Kentucky Derby. Which was the #BestDerbyEver. Just saying.....  Giving Into My Gut - Circumstances this last week or so have demonstrated to me the importance of listening to my gut. Instincts are there for a reason, and while they cannot be measured with logic, they are spot on correct. Which I think is one of the reasons why I have had so much success with my most recent paintings ( What's a Little Mud , Swishy , Stallion , Sprout , and Dark Brown or Bay ), all of which ...

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

IT'S DERBY WEEK! (and yes I'm screaming!) So here's a few of the things I did today: Unpacked my suitcase from this weekend's dance competition (SO inspiring!). Intended to repack, but got sidetracked by child with flu. Lysoled entire house. Three times.  Made chicken soup. The aroma made me feel better. Sick child wanted none of it. Neither did children-who-are-healthy-for-the-moment. Didn't take it personally. Escaped to get a pedi and a mani. After all, I will be signing 100s of Kentucky Derby posters this week, and I have to look professional. Well, now that I think about it, it IS professional for an artist to have paint under their nails as opposed to on top of them..... Shipped out drawings and sketches - no other shipments will be leaving the studio until next week. Also shipped new equine inventory to Spa Fine Art . All of my galleries have a beautiful, deep selection of inventory going into May. Admired my Derby necklace (i...

Detail of the in process painting "Siesta", 12" x 16", acrylics on museum quality panel, depicting a napping foal. Yet another exploration of edges, layers and blending courtesy of inspiration from studies with  Stanka Kordic . This painting will need a home. $959 will bring her to your doorstep (inside the contiguous US) - inquire directly to moi , with in process photos   here. Finger painting - That's what I did all day! Well, I also used a variety of wedges and spatulas and knives, scraping and spreading and building up texture. Then I ran out of time to finish him - dashing off to a Derby poster signing right now!   Thanks, as always, for following along with my artwork! Warmly, Kim   ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com

IN PROCESS: "Dark Brown or Bay", 10" x 20" acrylics on museum quality panel depicting a dark Thoroughbred. This painting is available (when finished) for $999. In process photos are here , and purchase inquiries may come directly to me .  I didn't post much at all this week, but I've been oh-so-very-busy in the studio, shipping out sketches, creating new marketing materials, planning painting inventory, connecting with clients, doing homework, preparing for next week's workshop, creating a donation piece for The Caped Crusader's lacrosse team, and starting to monitor my Kentucky Derby fever.   This image, "Dark Brown or Bay," is this month's pARTy. What's a pARTy, you ask? It's when artists work from the same reference material to create wildly unique artwork. I've posted the reference photo here along with complete submission details. All pARTy attendees' artwork will be shared on my...

"Chestnut" 24" x 12", acrylics on a museum quality panel, depicting a chestnut mare with a little bit of flash. And some glare on the far right - my apologies - with the glossy ground, this is a very difficult piece to photograph, and I'll have to get her done professionally! This painting can be yours for $1499, which includes s&h inside the US. There's a mess of in process photos  here, including detail shots. Inquiries may come directly to me .  This piece is my new all time favorite. Here's why. The color is a bit flatter in this photograph than it is in person. This painting is vibrant and delicious! That dark ground? It's really a sea of blue to green. And those pinks in her shoulder? I teared up a little over them. Yeah, I'm a color geek. The movement is true. I can feel her stepping forward, I can see the sun glistening off her muscles, and I can hear her feet hit the ground. The brushwork looks tigh...

"Blue Gypsies," 12" wide, acrylics on an Ampersand gessobord, depicting a Gypsy Vanner mare and foal from my own photo archives. This painting needs a new home - added bonus? these two beautiful ladies do not need their stall mucked and no farrier or vet bills! $599 includes s&h inside the US. In process photos are here and inquires about getting your own commission or a different painting may always come directly to me .  The Gypsy Ladies are one of my entries in the 2015 Equus Film Festival. This is an event relatively new to my radar, one that I hope will help me get my equine paintings in front of an equine-centric audience. Because, truly, I am so much more than The Dog Lady. Honest to god, that's what I get called all the time. So here's how the poster thing works - the film festival has a ginormous album of images on their Facebook page, and if you like and share mine (assuming that you do like them and do want to sha...

"Conversations II," 8" x 10", acrylics on a Raymar panel, depicting two My Little Ponys. This composition has inspired a new series of toy pieces - I am excited to create them! Conversations II is available for $469 - inquiries may come  to me . Please and thank you! Today's Lesson ha-la-tion - he effect of light spreading and bouncing, pulling reflected color into surrounding objects. Today I focused on this, paying attention to the temperature of the light and how it bounced about, creating color drenched shadows and licks of brightness. As always, Vianna provided a multitude of lightbulb moments. Ideas are still percolating, and I can't wait to try some new things out in my own space. Tomorrow! Meanwhile, there's a photo essay on the three day workshop on my FB page. If you are interested in painting with Vianna Szabo, take a peek at her teaching calendar - hands down, she is the best I've had the p...

"Grey II," 6" x 8", acrylics on museum quality panel, depicting a gray Schleich model pony, $329 to the first asking nicely . I told you I couldn't wait to get back into the studio last nite. And this is what I painted, while dinner was roasting. Another model/toy horse, a Schleich dappled gray. Here's the tubes of paint I used: Titanium White Cadmium Yellow Dark Alizarine Hue Ultramarine Blue Carbon Black Been doing computer and paperwork all day, but I've got another one set up, which perhaps I will get to later tonite after a handful of meetings. Fingers and toes crossed it'll work out that way! Thanks, as always, for following along with my artwork, Warmly, Kim ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com

"Stevie," from the "Emerging" series, 12" x 12", acrylics on museum quality panel, starring a young Thoroughbred race horse and a smidgeon of dramatic light (and some glare in both upper corners from studio light!), $599 to the first asking nicely. Ask here! With Stevie's painting, I decided to go with a (somewhat) historical limited palette - only 5 tubes of paint were used. Which created some challenges, I agree. And I may redo this composition with different choices, but first I want to simmer with it a bit. In process pics are here - along with some great conversations about color and value. I'm officially starting year 8 of daily painting. That's 8 years of getting in the studio and creating something, mostly start to finish, daily (well, for me, at least 5 days/week). At first, daily painting pushed me way out of my comfort zone, then it became an important creative habit that fed my muse. As of late it's become ...

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 don't email me for advice if you don't know how to change your desktop wallpaper. Instead consult your computer's help files - they 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

In process, "Paisano," 16" x 16", acrylics on 2" cradled panel, depicting a foal emerging from the shadows, $849 to the first asking nicely. View In Process Photos I am rather protective of my creating time and hardly answer the phone during work days, let alone schedule field trips. But when  Laura Locke invited me yet again to spend a day working in her gorgeous studio, I couldn't pack my paints quickly enough.    We talked about work. And life. And our friend Margot whom we miss dearly. And I came home with a very happy heart. And a half decent painting started, too. THANK YOU, Laura. You are a beautiful friend. Thanks, as always, for following along with my artwork, Kim